Top: Goodwill | Dress: Reformation

photography by Gabrielle Robinson 

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon Arden Rose’s YouTube channel, and spent quite a bit of time watching her two most recent videos where she tries on everything in her closet. I proceeded to spend the rest of the night trying on everything in my closet. Before I knew it, there was a towering pile of clothes to donate or sell on my bed. For the past four years I have been selling clothing from my closet almost non-stop (my mom even took over for me while I was at summer camp, and I have my own little shipping station in my apartment at school). The problem with this is that after four years of selling my clothes, I still have a huge pile of stuff to get rid of. The rate at which clothes leave my closet is about equal to the rate at which new clothes appear in my closet. It’s a vicious cycle.

Over the past few weeks since watching Arden’s videos I have been reflecting on the idea of an entire month without shopping. First it was inspired by the lack of money in my bank account, but the more I thought about it the more the idea of a no shop November fit into my transition to a more minimalist lifestyle. I can thank my mother (and grandmother) for ability to find value in almost everything. I have trouble parting with things like old magazines, my third jean jacket, or my Ben & Jerry’s cow printed knee socks because even though I don’t wear them or use them anymore, they still have value. You could definitely call me a collector. That being said, I am trying to shift my mindset around value when I purchase something.

This month I am going to try to buy nothing new. Obviously I’ll be spending money on the necessary things (like food and transportation), but I am going to spend November taking a good hard look at everything I currently own. Arden Rose’s YouTube videos really got me thinking about the things in my closet specifically. There are a lot of things I own that I love but never wear and likely never will. That is also the case with my beauty/skincare products and random home goods. I have a lot of stuff, and living in a small apartment that has become incredibly clear.

If the idea of buying absolutely nothing new this month is too much for you, try shopping only secondhand. Another gift I received from my mother and grandmother was the instinct to respond to “I like your top” with “thanks, it’s from Poshmark” or “thanks, it’s made of recycled plastic bottles” or “thanks, it was only $5!” or – like with this top – “thanks, it’s from Goodwill“. I’m always proud to share that you can actually still have style when you shop sustainably or secondhand, and think it’s an important conversation to start with the people in your life. Shopping secondhand isn’t something you can only do with clothing, though. I purchased my pots and pans, plates and mugs for my new apartment from my local Goodwill, and try to ask around my friends before I end up buying something completely new.

And if only shopping secondhand still is too much for you, take this month to think more consciously about each of your purchases. This blog post from almost exactly a year ago about each purchase being a moral act may help you get started. I will be documenting my Nothing New In November progress on my Instagram and Facebook pages, so feel free to join in the conversation if you choose to take part in this movement with me.