Fashion Fast: a Recap

Now that Lent is over, I am allowed to go shopping and plan my outfits again. Naturally I'm excited about this—I've already bought a pair of grey pants that fit better than my old ones, a pair of nude pantyhose in a more natural color than my old ones, and a pair of pastel pink sunglasses.

I thought I'd take a moment to share the insights that I have gained from my Lenten "fashion fast."

Speaking of "fashion fast," I've been spending a lot of time thinking about "fast fashion," fair trade, and sustainable clothing. I'd like to start investing in quality clothing that's ethically sourced, and I'm still seeking out the best way to do that. To be continued.

On a more concrete note, Lent was a good opportunity to jettison the ballast from my hot-air balloon of life. I donated 4 boxes (probably about 6 cubic feet total, if you want to be precise), mostly of clothing and shoes, and I still have a full closet. It was kind of liberating, knowing that I really didn't want those red peep-toe shoes taking up space, and that I could just cast off that burden and help other people at the same time!

During Lent, it became obvious what I had kind of already known: eBay shopping was a pastime better left in the past. Before Lent, I shopped on eBay almost every day. Over the month-and-a-half leading up to Easter, I never once performed an eBay search, and I never really felt like I was missing out. eBay has long been my time-killer – a rather expensive one – and it turns out that there are lots of other things I can do to kill time.

However, not everything about my fashion habit is bad. I've also concluded that self-adornment in itself is not a vice—for me, it's an art. I take pride in concocting outfits that are flattering and inventive. Where I used to get my aesthetic kicks from drawing or crafting or desktop backgrounds, I increasingly fill that need with clothing. I am my own personal canvas, and I get to create a new work of art every day! I enjoy that. It doesn't feel like vanity, just a creative activity.

Granted, those times when I spend an hour in front of the closet struggling to find the perfect getup, I think could be better spent doing something else and waiting for the muse to come upon me. Even the most brilliant artist doesn't create a masterpiece daily, and it wouldn't kill me to wear something tried and true once in a while.

In short, I've learned a few things from my month-plus on hiatus from my self-adornment hobby. I don't think I'll be giving it up again any time in the near future (I've got new hair colors to try, at least two outfits already planned, and a small mountain of summer clothes that I acquired over fall and winter to try out!), but I will make a concerted effort to keep the recreational shopping to a minimum.