RESOLUTIONS 2024
There are many changes to your consumption and style you can make that will benefit both your wardrobe and your conscience
Iam not a huge fan of New Year resolutions – they can be too stressful and play on our own insecurities, especially around body weight and self-image. However, it is no bad thing to review our habits at the dawn of another year, especially around our personal consumption.
So, here is a list of ten fashion resolutions that you might consider in the year ahead. They are intended as suggestions, and you don’t have to adopt them – rather you might just embrace a few as we face forward into spring.
1. CURB THE URGE TO SPLURGE MINDLESSLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE SALES.
No sooner is Christmas done than the sales arrive, and we are then encouraged to ‘treat’ ourselves. The truth is that we all own too much clothing and have been groomed into scatter-gun shopping. This appetite for style is punishing our planet and our pockets, yet breaking the addictive cycle of shopping highs and credit card lows is painful.
Relinquishing behaviour that elevates our dopamine levels requires determination, but it can be done. Avoid temptation and unsubscribe from all those fashion websites that send mail shots to your inbox to tempt you – it means less junk mail and a clearer head too. Learning to delay gratification is like a muscle: willpower can be developed with repeated use. The more you develop the habit of ignoring constant calls to shop, the easier it will become.
If in doubt, leave an item – don’t buy just because it is reduced. If you don’t have the money, then don’t try the item on – you are twice as likely to buy once it has been on your back. Question why you are buying and learn to separate urges to shop from the emotions and behaviour patterns that drive them. There are other mood-enhancing activities that beat shopping, and don’t carry the financial sting.
2. BREAK UP WITH ULTRA-FAST FASHION.
If you do one thing this year, look at who you are buying from and refuse to spend your money with huge fast fashion companies like Shein and Temu, which are churning out ultra-cheap clothing at massive
cost to the environment. These businesses have accelerated the production cycle to push huge volumes of fashion in synthetic fabrics often made from fossil fuels, particularly polyester, which is made from oil.
The scale of their overproduction is staggering and makes us think of clothing as something that can be worn and thrown. A polyester garment can take up to 200 years to decompose, so that dress you wear once and then dump could still be here when your great-grandchildren are trying to survive in a world that is almost uninhabitable thanks to global warming. If you want to learn more about the impact of fossil fuels in fashion take a look at fuelfashioncampaign.com.
3. RESOLVE NOT TO BUY FROM BRANDS WHICH ONLY PAY POVERTY WAGES.
If globalisation has taught us anything, it is that we are all interconnected. So when you shop for fashion, spare a thought for the people who make your clothing. Most of them are living in countries with a far lower standard of living and wages than the West. Women consume fashion the most, and it is also women who make the bulk of that clothing. Many are not paid a proper living wage, don’t enjoy basic health and safety standards, and do not have the right to join unions.
Do some research on brands before you spend, and prioritise companies that are transparent about their supply chains, pay an adequate wage and treat their workers with respect. Currently Bangladesh is a prime location for fashion brands to manufacture clothing: in the midst of ongoing protests by garment workers there seeking better pay there were four deaths in November 2023 and 115 workers and trade unionists imprisoned.
Good On You’s brand directory is a good resource to read before you buy while Fashion Revolution is a global movement that ‘conserves and restores the environment and values people overgrowth and profit’, see fashionrevolution.org.
4. EMBRACE SLOW FASHION AND QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
Treat your fashion like your food. You wouldn’t eat junk food every day as it would damage your health, so don’t consume fast fashion that is equally destructive for the health of the planet. Think of the slow food movement that has made us aware of the provenance of our food and the importance of supporting local and sustainable suppliers. Resolve to only buy what you really love or need and to invest in the best possible quality you can afford. This doesn’t have to mean spending huge amounts but does mean planning your purchases and shopping locally where possible.
Currently Accra in Ghana is drowning under the weight of our discarded fast fashion. It is sent there to be re-sold, however much of it is of poor quality and is essentially left to rot and pollute the environment.
The EU plans to legislate for the idea of extended producer responsibly that will place an onus on brands to take responsibility for their over-production. Some 88 per cent of big fashion brands do not reveal the volume of clothing they make annually but it is estimated that there is enough in circulation to clothe the next six generations without making another stitch.
A Digital Product Passport is anticipated to come into action in 2026 in the form of a QR code that will reveal the materials and manufacturing involved in a garment. The Linen Shirt Company is pioneering the use of this technology in Ireland. Explore the Design & Crafts Council Ireland and the Council of Irish Fashion Designers websites for Irish fashion brands.
5. EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT FABRICS AND AFTERCARE.
Life is busy but try to make time to learn about fabrics and the art of aftercare for your clothing and accessories. Read up on natural fabrics – cotton, linen, silk and wool – versus synthetics and see that natural fibres as well as being more comfortable to wear are biodegradable and generally better for the environment. Also investigate the new generation of fabrics like plastic-free sequins, and leather made from grapes and mushrooms.
Fashionopolis by Dana Winter is a great read about fashion’s innovative entrepreneurs trying to make clothes with less cruelty and pollution.
Learn to repair your clothes or use a service that can do it for you. Always read the care labels in your clothes and follow them. Wash clothes less – we are generally overcleaning our garments. Typically, jeans only need to be washed after every ten wears. Over-laundering uses up energy and water, and also prematurely wears out clothing.
6. BE YOURSELF AND EMBRACE YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE.
If you do one thing in 2024, ditch the micro trends and instead dress to suit yourself. Social media has driven the craze for viral trends that sends us shopping for fickle fashion that we tire of rapidly. Instead identify your own personal style and focus on it.
Stick to what suits you best – it saves you time, money and stress. By defining your own style, you streamline your life and make your wardrobe your ally rather than your enemy. If you know your style, then you are less likely to be tempted by frivolous purchases and will have a clear plan when shopping.
7. CLASSIC INVESTMENT DRESSING IS YOUR BEST OPTION.
Timeless, quality clothing is the big fashion trend for 2024. Last year’s stealth wealth trend is set to endure throughout this year and will continue to exert a major influence. It might pivot to become a little more preppy but essentially is remaining strong. Investing in quality, classic pieces that will last longer and still look good years from now is becoming increasingly popular as a radical alternative to fast fashion.
It may be a cliché but buy the best quality you can afford – cheap clothes are a false economy, while buying quality items in good fabrics will deliver the greatest value. The re-discovery of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy as a style icon celebrates her polished taste that prioritised quality over quantity. The discipline of this approach makes you realise how a great edit of the right pieces can serve you much better than a poorly planned accumulation of disparate pieces with no overall style.
8. LEARN TO SEW OR KNIT YOURSELF.
If you have the patience, learn to knit, sew or crochet a personal piece. It will connect you to your clothing, save you money, give you a unique creation and make you appreciate the time and effort that goes into making fashion. Over time, as most high street clothing has come to be
made in low-wage economies, we have lost our relationship with making. Learning to sew or knit is a good antidote.
Many schools within the National Association of Community Education Directors network offer evening classes in sewing, dressmaking, and fashion design for beginners and improvers. During a typical dressmaking course, every aspect of making a garment is covered, while some courses also cover repairs and alterations to existing garments. Knitting a sweater or scarf is good for our stress levels, very fulfilling and even meditative. Dublin shop This Is Knit has beautiful yarns and great advice on its social media, see thisisknit.com.
9. OPEN YOUR MIND TO SECOND-HAND AND VINTAGE STYLE.
The days of second-hand being considered second-best are long gone. Clothes that are decades old can still look good, because they were made with skill, attention to detail and good fabrics. They are also more sustainable. The secondhand fashion marketplace now operates at different levels from upscale designer vintage to mainstream second-hand retailers and the charity shop sector.
Wearing pre-loved pieces is not only acceptable, it’s also fashionable, even a badge of honour.
Vintage and antique garments are better quality, rarer and more expensive than more basic secondhand items, but both are increasingly popular with consumers. According to a report compiled by thredUP, the online thrift store, by 2026 the market for second-hand is expected to grow to $218 billion globally. Second-hand is also amazing to cultivate an individual style and create unique looks that you will never see anywhere else.
10. SHOP YOUR OWN WARDROBE MORE.
Wear what you already own and make full use of your existing wardrobe. Being stylish isn’t about newness, it’s about combining clothes with flair.
Start by taking everything out of your wardrobe and trying it on again. You may be surprised, particularly if your closet is full-tobursting. Too much in your wardrobe can prevent you from appreciating the contents, so schedule a twiceyearly cull or wardrobe weed.
Experiment with new combinations of garments and the untapped potential of your existing wardrobe – this experiment will also allow you to shop more successfully as you will carry a visual image of your clothes.
Try to consume less, consume better, and make your purchases work for your lifestyle and budget. Resolve to only buy clothes you truly love and that you will wear for a long time to come.
Your choices have consequences, so shop with care and aim to be a more responsible clothing consumer this year.