Eco-Friendly

We live in a culture where rapid consumption is just a way of life.  Images fill our inboxes and news feeds at a furious pace to persuade us to buy more products to fill our houses, and more clothes to fill our closets.   Don't get me wrong - I love absolutely love beautiful clothing and beautiful things to surround me.  However, I also want to be smart about the things I buy.    We hear a lot about ways to be green in our homes - recycling, using energy-efficient light bulbs, and using solar power.  In our house, we do all of those things - we rarely have an electric bill and I love this way of living!

We don't hear as often about ways to be green in our closet.  I hadn't thought about it too much until we moved.  I found myself having to throw away piles of cheaply-made clothing in very bad shape - what a waste for my wallet and the environment.   Every time I've gone shopping, I've felt the pressure to buy, "more, more, more."  It's hard for me to admit this, but do I need all of these bags of clothing?  No.   Do I use all of this clothing?  No.  (I just wore a dress for Christmas I bought two years ago and had never worn!) Just as I want a smarter home, I want a smarter closet.   So, I'm sharing the ways I am trying to be smarter and more eco-friendly this year.  Am I perfect?   Absolutely not.  I won't tell you I am the most eco-friendly person out there, but I am making small steps to make changes. And I am very curious how these small changes will affect my life.

My Personal Eco-Friendly Style Challenge for the Next 6 Months:

-Either 1) Shop my existing closet  2) Buy fewer high-quality consignment or eco-friendly options 3) Perhaps sew a few things (maybe...).

My challenge includes: Tops, sweaters, jeans, all other types of pants, shorts, skirts, formal & semi-formal gowns, and blazers.   As I sit here, I only have one very worn pair of jeans that actually fits right now.  So, I've taken on this challenge at an interesting time.

I did not include in my resolution any outerwear, handbags, jewelry, belts, scarves, shoes/boots, hats/gloves, because I usually invest in fewer higher-quality pieces and keep these things for a very long time - think 10-plus years - or I consign or donate many of them so that other women may enjoy them. And I just couldn't do undergarments, pajamas or swimwear :)

-Use eco-friendly bags when shopping.  After the holidays, I am sick about how many plastic bags we have.  I'm going to find a high-quality, cute reusable bag to use when I go shopping for consignment or eco-friendly clothes or go to the stores for Charlotte's clothes.

-Use more natural hair and skin products.  I've started to switch out some of my products but I still have a long way to go.   I am curious and excited to explore new products that are good for the environment and better for us.

I'll report in on my findings every so often.  I've made it 15 days so far - even with the news that Lilly Pulitzer is collaborating with Target this spring.