#32 | Part 2 of our new experiment (exploring personal style while reducing clothing consumption)

How do you reinvent your style while trying to do your best for people and planet? How can you navigate your desire to buy new clothes, the pressure to consume from the world around us, and your values around sustainability?

In this episode, we talk about Brandee’s exploration of personal style and how she has approached clothes shopping so far. We also chat about consumerism, how even buying second-hand might be taking us away from the path we want to be on, and how to set goals that feel good to us rather than just another tick box pass/fail episode.

Have you been exploring your style recently? If so, grab some tea, get comfy, and hit that play button.

Links and resources:

App | Indyx
App | Vinted
Book | Consumed. The need for collective change: colonialism, climate change & consumerism, Aja Barber
Documentary | The True Cost
Documentary | Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion
Podcast | #2 | Why is Primark so irresistible?
Podcast | #22 | How to declutter better
Website | Alison Bornstein
Website | The Broke Generation

Transcript

Brandee Nichols  0:05  
Welcome to the tea on sustainable living a podcast where we spill the tea on living sustainably in a world on fire, 

Hannah  0:10  
the tea being honest thoughts, struggles, and whatever else comes up along the way. 

Brandee Nichols  0:15  
I'm Brandee. 

Hannah  0:16  
And I'm Hannah, tune in to be a planner wars as we try and figure out how to live more meaningful lives, 

Brandee Nichols  0:21  
while also looking after ourselves. 

Hannah  0:23  
And keeping on top of the never ending laundry 

Brandee Nichols  0:26  
and staying connected with loved ones, 

Hannah  0:28  
and making better decisions and habits 

Brandee Nichols  0:30  
and cleaning the kitchen again, 

Hannah  0:32  
all while sustainably living our values and taking action.

Brandee Nichols  0:36  
Spoiler alert, the answers aren't as black and white as they want them to be. Sometimes we get stuck in the big messy gray area of caring for our planet to people on it and ourselves.

Hannah  0:44  
So for yourself a cup of tea, and let's get comfy in the gray area together.

Brandee Nichols  0:49  
Tea you soon! 

Hey, Hannah.

Hannah  0:55  
Hey, Brandee.

Brandee Nichols  0:55  
Oh, last year, we've dropped the give a shitter name for our listeners. And don't know how startups anymore. So yeah,

Hannah  1:05  
if you have any ideas? Let us know. What would you like to be called? Yeah. Hello. Hello, audience.

Brandee Nichols  1:13  
Hello, tour people. Anyway, we're back with another episode. Second episode, unintentionally long hiatus. So go back and listen to the previous episode. I think this one's 30 to

Hannah  1:26  
one, but basically very good. We're Experimenting a bit with a new style. And we're both of us are sharing something that we want to change in our lives or that we're already changing, which will hopefully help us live more sustainably and just something that we we'd like to implement in our lives in general. So if you want to hear about mine, go back to the previous episode. Because today brand is in the hot spot.

Brandee Nichols  1:53  
Yeah.

Hannah  1:59  
That doesn't that doesn't sound right. So yes,

Brandee Nichols  2:02  
I want to buy less clothing. Okay, so um, fewer, consume less in general. But I feel like we've talked about the app Vinted before on the podcast. If not, it's an app that I think it might just be in some European countries. I don't know if it's in the US. Similar like Poshmark, Depop, whatever all this secondhand, like apps. I just feel like it's become a bit of a problem. I've been buying some new things to

Hannah  2:32  
you Brenda's been going through a bit of a style reinvention. Right, or experimentation.

Brandee Nichols  2:38  
I'm in my personal style era, if you will.

Hannah  2:42  
When we're here for it. Yeah, looking great guy loving it.

Brandee Nichols  2:46  
Thank you. Yeah, I feel like a lot of this. For even like to go back even further, a little more context. Well, I've always enjoyed like, close style, putting outfits together, move to Spain had to adapt my style a bit to like, teach in a classroom. But then the pandemic happened, lifestyle change, body change, size, change, style change, like all these big changes happened. And I just like kind of got, I don't know, I like, was a lot less interested. And was kind of like felt bad about the clothes I had. And like, they weren't fitting me how they used to, and it was just this whole thing. And so it's feeling pretty like on uninspired, right my wardrobe and just in general. I'm like, rediscovering my style and having fun with it. And feeling good about it. Yeah, again, finally. And that has led to me needing to have different things in my wardrobe. Like there is a necessity element to needing clothes that fit me. And then our program for my lifestyle. But please buy clothes that fit you. Yes. And that you feel good in, honestly, within whatever budget you're working with. But there's a line somewhere I feel like because it's become fun again, I associate no rediscovering my style with like, acquiring new things. Whether they're secondhand, or, or new. And, yeah, I just feel like there's like a physical limit. My closet can only fit so much. But I found myself like, when I'm getting inspired by like, I don't know, an outfit I want to put together or whatever. It's like, oh, well, where do I find this thing to acquire on to where I've recently discovered Alison Bornstein. She's a stylist, and she has a book I don't have in front of me to show if you're watching this on YouTube, but her kind of mantra is, you don't need new clothes. You need new ideas. So I've been trying to that's like the, that's the like, I guess, to like, kind of boil it down. I want to shift from acquiring new things to like, having new ideas, new ways of like putting clothes together to form an offer. Okay, if that makes sense. Yeah, that sounds interesting. And it's hard, because the world we live in, you talk about phone usage. And last episode, the app Vinted. Like that's a crutch. And we talked about that before as well. Yeah. And there's this new usage. Yeah. Because it is best part of my like, phone Bermuda Triangle. It's like vintage Instagram, checking groups like the ex back right to see what updates are there. And I just like cycle between them. And Vincent has made changes to like, make it easier to keep you in the app, like when you open it, the homepage is, do you want to here's some items that might go with the thing you just bought? Instead of me like having to go and search for something. I actually was like, Oh, well, that looks good, too. Oh, maybe I do want that, like no seven.

Hannah  5:45  
So for you. I'm hearing that there's also maybe like, a problem around buying secondhand as well. Yeah,

Brandee Nichols  5:53  
that's my little problem. But like, that was my easy button for a while because Okay, men going into a physical store, maybe searching for something very specific on eBay. But it was going into a consignment store thrift store, having to spend the time searching, but now it's just become too easy. So like secondhand clothing shops, and grocery stores have been my safe space for like spending when I've like, am in the mood to spend because we all get that and you know, the consumeristic capitalist society like, and that's why it's I think I'm finding this a challenge is that I'm surrounded by people brands, companies, telling me like spending so much time, money and energy into marketing and making me feel like I need new things. I don't think I'm alone in that. But I just want to, I want to fight that a bit. I want to build like, Are you like us to have a better muscle against a grind for the sake of it? So I want to shift? And

Hannah  6:48  
do you have in your mind? Any ideas about like, what's the difference for you between acquiring for need? I guess, including whether there need, like, need for because you need a new size, but also need because you want to try a new style? Do we kind of need I'm not sure. But anyway, do you have a like to distinguish between what's like a need? And then what's the what? So being like, just just for the sake of it,

Brandee Nichols  7:16  
need doesn't really come into the equation? I have everything I need there. Yes. If I need, you know, if I need jeans, that fit fine.

Hannah  7:24  
So Alright, then. So I like leaving need behind? How do you then distinguish between? What's something that you'd feel good about purchasing? And what's something you just feel is like, something you're putting you're buying for the sake of it? Or this kind of? You just want to buy something? I don't know, for? Sure. I think, okay, that's part of the challenge. Because from what I'm hearing, you still want to be able to, or you're not against like buying something, because it fits your style better or because it makes you feel good. Right?

Brandee Nichols  8:01  
I think I want to just bring more intentionality into my wardrobe. Okay. And try and lead more into like working with what I've got. Is there anything you've you've tried already to bring that intentionality and I downloaded the app index, i n d y x, and it's like a digital wardrobe app. I referenced this to you the other week, and it did not quite land but if anyone is clueless and share in her digital closet, it's like that, but for like the modern world. So you can take pictures of all your everything in your closet or whatever you want to it doesn't be everything. What I did was I found pictures online. They just look cleaner, removes background and you can like put outfits together, save them. contract cost per wear, you can track most one least worn you can assign outfits, like days of the week, you can take selfies and like pair that with an outfit. They're soon going to make it so you can like resell items, or styling services. You can book through the app which I want to try. But it's just really fun to like open the app and put an outfit together based on what I already have. It's like shopping your closet and like that Alison Bornstein what her kind of main thing is you need new ideas, not new items. But it's yeah, just how do I explore my personal style more, perhaps have fun with them and acquire fewer things, whether they're secondhand new, whatever. But I feel like sometimes it's like the dopamine hit like it. It takes over and vintage is so easy to just buy things and it's so cheap. Yeah. So I'm not I don't want to cut usage completely. Like I still want it to be something I can go to when I'm looking for something specific. But it can't be part of my Bermuda Triangle.

Hannah  9:48  
Right? Yeah. And

Brandee Nichols  9:52  
I've said I've tried deleting the app. But then you can access it on the web and then the web's like not very user friendly. So line up free downloading the app just to like do this one thing more easily. And then yeah, I'm back. I've

Hannah  10:04  
done that with Instagram, so many times, like deleted it, and then I start going on it on a browser and then you know, and then no. So, you know, the apps back.

Brandee Nichols  10:14  
These creators know what they're doing, like get us to spend our time and money on things. Yeah. I think it's a really hands all of them, they are in our heads. So like, this, you need to acquire this thing to feel better is like so ingrained and, and like modern society? Yeah, I

Hannah  10:37  
think it's really difficult as well to stay in the like, mid zone, I think. I mean, we've talked about it before, but sometimes, it's easier just to be like, no, like, if you were like, I'm gonna take, I'm just not gonna buy anything the next three months about doing a no buy? That's right. That's probably in a way, that's probably easier in the short term, because you're just removing the issue. But in the long term, I don't from what I'm hearing, that's not really like a true value for you to be like, Oh, I really don't want to be buying new things at all. But so in the long term, you're not like developing what we were talking about that like that muscle that intentionality. And I'm not saying it's not helpful, like maybe it is helpful sometimes to just like, I think it can be helpful to take a complete break from something. But it also is a little bit easier, kind of because you're like, Oh, I just I just say no, like, I'm just not doing that right now. Rather than what we're just talking about right now. Right? Like, okay, but like, I want to still be able to, like give myself permission to buy things, but like, How can I decide what things are more important for me to buy? You know, is there like a criteria I can develop? Is it just going to be emotion based? Is there like, you know, like, where, how do you? How do you navigate that space?

Brandee Nichols  12:04  
The question, I don't know, or maybe they can, like be used together. Like maybe over this little experiment. Over the next few months. Maybe I delete the Vinted out? Maybe, I don't know if there's what can you like, block? What, like, I'm gonna go on the web version two. I know, I would get like block a website from your browser, like, for certain period of time, I think you can. Maybe that's something to look into. Or try. And you but I know myself, I set too many restrictions. I'm gonna like rebel. Yeah, you don't. But then on the other hand, I heard someone in reference to an Obama year, referring to people's objections like, Oh, it's too hard. It's like stop being an adult toddler. Like, you have the emotional capacity to? To do what's hard, like you don't? It's like or like, what's her name from Willy Wonka? The Chocolate Factory? I want it now.

Hannah  13:00  
Yeah, when I say with in terms of that, like maybe, especially with the app you were talking about, maybe if there is like a certain item that you want to try, could you like, download it onto your app as if it was in your wardrobe? And then have like a set amount of like, you know, you would want it to work and like five outfits for it to be worth you buying it? Yeah. And then if you like download it in your app, you could like play about,

Brandee Nichols  13:26  
you can create a wish list and you can even include like the URL, and then you can you can create offense from it. Right? Or with it.

Hannah  13:36  
Maybe something like that would be helpful and like evaluating like, is this just like an outfit that I think it's really cute. But realistically, I would only wear it in this way? Or could this become a staple part of my wardrobe? Yeah.

Brandee Nichols  13:52  
I think there's there's a financial element to it, too. I'm not Yeah, to murder like I used to be. So I'm not in debt because of this, quote, unquote, vinten issue, clothing consumption issue. But maybe I could bigger picture like shift. And like put more money into savings. So like, if I'm thinking about acquiring things, well, let me just instead put that into savings. Because I don't actually die them. I don't know, there's there's something financially, there's a financial aspect that I can maybe play around with to help. How many I would like to eventually move to a bigger apartment and I need some savings to do that. Yeah.

Hannah  14:32  
Like how many items like are you talking about? Like, how much do you normally buy?

Brandee Nichols  14:38  
I don't know, I haven't actually done like an eval. Maybe that would be a good place to start. Like look at like the numbers like number of items and the cost, right? Like when you did your, your screen time. Because numbers are like a tangible thing. And you see like, oh, okay, that's too much. That's more than I want. I saw someone on YouTube she created a rule for herself to Just to bring in one new item a month, right? I have another friend who does like a one in one out policy.

Hannah  15:08  
So if

Brandee Nichols  15:10  
I have that, because what if I don't want to get rid of anything I just want to add to?

Hannah  15:15  
I don't know. Yeah.

Brandee Nichols  15:16  
I feel like some of this I'm hearing myself talk. I'm like, Well, this is silly. Just like stop. Well, knowing.

Hannah  15:22  
I don't know that early, silly. Like, what are you? Because like, what's your emotional connection to the new wardrobe? Like, what? What do you want? From your exploration of style? Like, what is it giving you emotionally?

Brandee Nichols  15:37  
It's fun, but I'm feeling like, good and close again. Yeah. Because it's like a fun expression of I don't know, whatever I'm feeling like that day or like, we're just really like these colors together. Yeah, just feeling good. Close, like, Yes. and creative. Creative. Yes. creative outlet. Sure.

Hannah  15:55  
Yeah. Is it about in terms of like, feeling good about yourself? Is that to do with, for you? Is that mostly to do with yourself? Or is it also like, the outside world as well? Like, I

Brandee Nichols  16:09  
mean, I, it's more for myself than other people. You know, I give someone compliments an outfit. It's like, oh, thank you. Yeah, I like enjoyed putting this together. But I'm not seeking that out. Like, I'm not getting dressed so that other people will think any certain way. Or notice or so maybe,

Hannah  16:24  
in terms of the creativity, like maybe, because I guess you're saying you're still in that stage where you're using other people's inspiration a lot. Maybe you could aim like a, you could aim to sort of develop that more. So it's like more coming from you. So maybe, maybe that could be a way to have that fun and creativity, and like development, right, in a way. But without introducing new clothes.

Brandee Nichols  16:52  
It'd be like finding inspiration, not necessarily like an outfit like, right thing two colors together, for example, or

Hannah  17:03  
I saw or someone on Instagram, she was talking about, like setting aside like a half hour on the weekend to just like play around with her wardrobe. And seeing like the combinations just like trying things on you have had like saving photos and trying you know, obviously she was talking about having like one formal outfit one casual, but obviously doesn't really fit your lifestyle. But, you know, trying out of those like half hour sessions like trying to,

Brandee Nichols  17:31  
I've heard people say it yet play dress up more. And you're

Hannah  17:36  
Yeah, it's too early. I don't really. I don't think I ever do that.

Brandee Nichols  17:39  
No, I like the idea of it. But it feels like Oh, I'm gonna make a mess. And I have to like put all the clothes right. So I'll just wait till the next time I need to get dressed and fit. What I want to wear then. And then I don't make as big of a mess. But yeah, maybe that should be like a dedicated afternoon to just. Yeah, so try everything on but just Yeah. At least try. Actually try some like the outfits. Maybe I've created any app. Yeah, but I haven't worn yet. Yeah. Because there it is different, like a flatlay of like, different pieces is different when you're actually like wearing them. Yeah.

Hannah  18:12  
So it seems like in terms of the why is the intentionality that? I mean? Why?

Brandee Nichols  18:20  
Yeah, I just feel like I'm being too influenced to consume unnecessarily. Okay. So I think I need to somehow, like reduce that input.

Hannah  18:32  
And be more kind of Yeah, more self centered, maybe? Yeah.

Brandee Nichols  18:36  
I think maybe my first step should be to delete Vinted. And maybe like, I'll just say, like, I'll just do it for this experiment. It's not like a forever thing. Because I think maybe that's why I've like struggled with it in the past, going back and forth. I've just deleted it. So okay, I'm not just not going to use it anymore. Yeah, doesn't work. Hasn't worked. I think maybe I want to rewatch like a documentary to about like clothing industry. Because like I said, I haven't just been buying secondhand things. I definitely want that to there was one point where that was, like, knows if it's not secondhand. It's like, not at all. There. Obviously, there were exceptions, not with every single thing, but it was more so than it is now. And I don't I don't, it doesn't need to be that extreme. Again, I think the intentionality piece, I think is the most important when like, consuming anything. And like longevity of it. Yeah. Because, I mean, the most sustainable wardrobe is the one you already have. So I want to lean into them more. And then we like not that I'm shopping at Primark but there's that we did an episode on that and fast fashion in general. So I think just rewatching something to like, remind me like how there are people behind all of these things and to value them more. I think that are that intentionality piece. Yeah. So do you have an idea of what success might look like? In terms of this like reducing I don't know, I'm hesitant to put like any sort of like numbers on it. Because yeah, that always makes me feel that too, like limited and then if I don't meet that, then I feel like I've failed. So maybe it is more of an like an emotional check in. But then numbers should play a role somehow.

Hannah  20:20  
I just don't know what they are. I mean, maybe that's something we could talk about it the next check in maybe you can take some time the next few weeks to sort of Yeah, to like, sit down and have a look at how many things you've purchased in the cost.

Brandee Nichols  20:35  
Yeah, I like the one a month that feels reasonable. Yeah. Oh, already read. For like a shorter action. Sorry. I'm like switching gears a bit shorter action. I will reread. Consumed Bowser Barbara, I just bought the physical book, I listened to her audiobook narrated by her narrate it's the right word. But I want to reread that and that talks about the clothing industry, fashion industry. So I think that will be helpful. And I also need to, we've talked about Alex donating decluttering like your wardrobe, like that's not the best thing to do a lot of negative impacts on that. So I need to now going back to like your success looks like and the Y bringing in more intentionality before acquiring something new or secondhand. Like what's going to happen when I don't own this or don't want to own this anymore? Am I prepared to sell it? Is it sellable? Because we can find something like cheap, even if it's like from vintage but samsara like, you're not gonna it's not worth reposting. Yeah, I'm trying to sell it for five euros or whatever. That's not worth the energy to me. So yeah, I don't know. I feel like I've gone off on a bit of a tangent over last year, bring her back in Hana. Yeah. So I don't know if there's just lots of things I think I can do to help shift the mindset. So

Hannah  21:59  
it's kind of sounds like, okay, so you know, that this is, this is something that's something that you want to change in your life. I think you do have a clear why. And then you do and seems like the specific actions that you've mentioned, you know, the, you know, being creative with your wardrobe. Perhaps reducing down to one item a week, month, when I don't have a month. Yeah, that sounds like a lot when I tell my mum, deleting Vinted so there's like the actions. I guess maybe like some idea of, I think maybe the slightly unclear but it's like the what's like the overall aim, which I guess you did? Was condominium. Less related more to that emotional. Yeah. Or to like to consume, to consume. Yes. Okay. So yeah, consuming less. And then how,

Brandee Nichols  22:52  
what steps can I take to like, help me feel good about the level of consumption? I guess. Yeah. That makes sense. I don't know. Yeah. All while living in a very consumeristic capitalist society. Yeah. I want to build Yeah, build the muscle against that. Okay. And I don't think kind of a big Yeah, I'm just gonna, it's not gonna be like, Oh, I've got the muscle and I'm done. I don't go to the gym. But I think people who do like it's something that you you just have to keep doing over time. So think so. Yeah. I guess the short term and goal is to just feel like I'm in a better place, whatever that looks like. And then it'll be like, just something to then get back to the point where it's like, no, I don't need anything. I don't even need to open the app. You need to open like vented or whatever. You need to look for like I'm not thinking new item first. It's not like oh, everything I need. It's fine. Stopping an adult toddler. Yeah, what's your name? I

Hannah  23:53  
want it now. Wasn't it Veruca Salt? Yeah,

Brandee Nichols  23:57  
I couldn't remember the name. I didn't wanna say it wrong. Yeah, I

Hannah  24:00  
think that was it.

Brandee Nichols  24:02  
So short time goal, feel better about consume less and feel better about

Hannah  24:09  
the things that weren't used? And assuming Yeah, okay. And how are you going to measure that? Or how I feel about it? I don't know. Okay. Like I guess Yeah, I mean, I guess what we talked about in the phone episode like how you're feeling about it now and then seeing how you're feeling about it. And a few months you feel good? Do you clear? Nothing? So I'm,

Brandee Nichols  24:35  
I'm okay with like a general direction. Okay. I don't need like a specific, like, get to less than three hours a day on the phone or like, that's great. I'm getting that down or anything? No, no, no. Just emotional check in general direction. Of Yeah, just building the muscle against capitalism.

Hannah  24:58  
Yeah, expensive market.

Brandee Nichols  24:59  
Seeing strategies and now

Hannah  25:02  
lots of money being spent to make sure that we keep continue spending more money. Yeah. All right. Yeah.

Brandee Nichols  25:09  
I think for the next episode, I don't know what's like a good action. I think I throw a few out before. I want to start rereading, consumed by auto barber I think. Yeah. And maybe watch, either rewatch a documentary about the fashion industry or find a new one. delete and delete vintage. Yes.

Hannah  25:30  
All right.

Brandee Nichols  25:32  
Is that too many shouldn't be one. Next thing?

Hannah  25:34  
I don't know. I think those as can be simultaneous things. Right. Okay. Or at least maybe the NBA, or documentary documentary or the book? Yeah. And yeah. Awesome. Cool. So

Brandee Nichols  25:49  
stay tuned for the next check and update not sure what our next episode will be. It'll be something different from these. Yeah, these new themes? And then we'll check in. Are we gonna do like a combined check an episode, or separate?

Hannah  26:05  
I think so. I feel like probably the, I guess we were thinking with the check in episode that is likely when we start implementing some of the things we want to do. Other things will pop up. Because that is the way of things read when we when you try and form a new habit. Or try something new. And then suddenly you're like, Oh, no. Yeah, but those might be quite similar, or they might be quite different. But we kind of just wanted to have a conversation about how we're, we're getting on with those things.

Brandee Nichols  26:35  
Yeah, sounds good. Alright, so stay tuned for that. And, yeah, have a sign off anymore either.

Hannah  26:41  
Yeah.

Brandee Nichols  26:44  
Practice. Yeah, we're

Hannah  26:45  
very out of practice. But

Brandee Nichols  26:47  
that's Cue the music. That works. 

Hannah  26:52  
Bye guys!

Brandee Nichols  26:52  
Bye!

Hannah  26:54  
thank you so much for listening to this episode of the tea on sustainable living. Now, go share it with a friend, a co worker, a partner, a family member,

Brandee Nichols  27:03  
your cat, someone on the street, whoever you think could use a little more support on their sustainability journey,

Hannah  27:09  
share it, you can send them over to our website, theteaonsustainableliving.com Or find us on Instagram @theteaonsustainableliving.

Brandee Nichols  27:17  
Until next time, tea you later. Get it? Tea you later? As in, see you later? So punny...

Hannah  27:23  
Brandee!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai