Dry January is, at least in the UK, an opportunity for people to give up alcohol for a month to recover from some of the excesses of the holidays. It is in that same spirit that during January, Permanent Style will not write about any new clothing.
The idea is to encourage readers to value what they have, to focus on looking after it, and to perhaps reflect on the retail excesses of Christmas. Upcoming articles will talk about which clothes stand the test of time, how good clothes can be repaired, and how to restyle and reconsider things that are already in the closet.
I will be doing the same, not buying any new clothes during January and instead focusing on what I already have. I know I have a problem with buying too many things - with shopping as a form of entertainment - and I think this will be productive and healthy.
Of course, I’m not going to tell anyone else what to do. Many people don’t buy too much or are only at the beginning of their sartorial journey. What readers do is entirely up to them.
But it feels very much in keeping with the spirit of Permanent Style to promote quality clothing by talking - for four short weeks - only about how that clothing lasts and how to wear it.
And in the long run, it can only help encourage people to make the kind of considered decisions PS has always advocated.
Many articles will remain the same. There will be a distinct lack of Top 10s, however, and one or two more on how great things age. Reader profiles will ask how the subjects look after their clothes, and which ones have lasted the best. There will be a new Style Breakdown project looking at overcoats.
I think it will be interesting to take a step back, especially as everyone else is flocking to the New Year sales.
Perhaps you’ll actually get around to washing those sweaters, or have a go at darning. Maybe you’ll try wearing one piece of clothing every day for a while, and discover new combinations.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and experiments. As ever, it’s invaluable to me and the other hundreds of thousands of people reading - who might never comment, but always love hearing from everyone else.
I hope you find Dry January useful and interesting, perhaps even inspiring. We start on Wednesday with a piece about organising outfits.
Morning Simon
A very happy 2024 to you and everyone at Permanent Style!
Quick question…do you have the merchant/ cloth information for the green Harris Tweed cloth shown in the second picture?
Sure, it’s my Zizolfi jacket covered here
Hi Simon. A pitch perfect start to the New Year. Brilliant.. Looking forward to your company during Dry January and beyond.
Thank you Daniel
Happy new year to everyone. In the spirit of dry January, these are the brands that Permanent Style has introduced me to. The short list only includes shops I have bought from.
Stoffa. The perfect place for lovely and elevated pieces. Their move onto Mr Porter makes their back catalogue available.
Adret. You will always get a great conversation and inspiration from a visit and outstanding service.
Mes Chausettes Rouge. The service and the range are a sheer joy.
Oily Jack. This came to me from a reader’s post and were even better than I hoped. Outstanding in every respect and perfectly embody the spirit of the time.
Oily Jack’s repair work is excellent too. I’ve had my Barbour jacket patched up twice and been very impressed each time.
Happy New Year and what a wonderful idea. I look forward to reading the articles this month.
Great shout, Simon, looking forward to the articles this month.
Over the last 6 months or so, I have slimmed my wardrobe by at least 50% for a number of reasons, sustainability/reducing excess being one of them (others being to reduce my choice in the morning, saving money, retaining only clothes which will age well and suit my lifestyle – which involves 2 young children – and being happier with the clothes I choose to keep). I highly recommend Marrkt, which I used for most of my sales.
I must say that it’s a constant battle to thin out your wardrobe, and I’m not immune to new purchases (I sold about 15 shirts and replaced them with 3 of your OCBDs). However, I think it has made my much more mindful about new purchases and almost gives me permission to get really nerdy about them.
How lovely to hear, do let me know what you think about this month’s articles as they progress Guy
Hi, absolutely concur on Marktt. I use them when I’ve decluttered. Great service.
Yes, Marrkt is great! I’ve sold a few pieces through there, bought a few and browsed many, many more. Their daily drop is part of my routine now.
Funnily enough I feel their format has helped me buy less: I can enjoy browsing top quality garments but most of them won’t be in my size, so there’s an enforced waiting period, finding what items and styles catch my eye and then waiting for something suitable in my size to pop up.
As I’ve mentioned, PS and the comments thread is great for that too: discussing and appreciating clothes rather than just browsing through online sales or eBay where the only way to engage is to buy.
Owning an increasing proportion of great quality items and even just thinking in terms of value and quality has made me buy far less. If I’ve got something that I can’t imagine bettering (or even just looking for something of that quality) then I’m far less likely to impulse buy something in the sales just because it’s a fraction of the RRP.
Morning Simon,
A very happy 2024 to you and your Team.
My goal this year is to buy less, but above all to acquire quality and timeless pieces.
Wonderful
Great initiative. I totally support this.
I unfortunately are considering buying an item I dont own, a pair of black jeans. I am looking for something ”cold” that I can use with the grey dartmoor, a grey crewneck and maybe a white or grey shirt with a sport coat in grey herringbone tweed. I want something that, at least in time, will be more of a dusty charcoal color than a ”hard” black.
I am not in a hurry so I am doing my research. But I have two questions. 1) should a black pair be slimmer or in any way different from a pair of raw denim (my go-to-pair is the NW1 from Blackhorse Lane). And 2) how would you compare brands like Blackhorse Lane and Rubato for a pair. Brycelands is a bit difficult to Sweden.
Best, and s Happy New Year to you and your family..
Thank you Carl, you too.
Personally I would have the same cut in black. Unless you like a more extreme fit in indigo, I wouldn’t change.
I haven’t tried the Rubato black but I’m sure they’re good. The Blackhorse Lane ones in black I struggled with as the Italian denim didn’t fade much. If it’s the same (Candiani) I’d go with Rubato
Thanks Simon!
Have a look at Denime, Son of a Stag stocks them., I bough mine by chance in Tokyo in 2010 or so and they are still going great.
Cannot recommend the black denim by indigofera (“gunpowder black”) enough. It is a 14 oz Japanese Selvage with warp and weft being dyed black. Fades to a nice charcoal. They make a variety of fits and availability is good (at least in Europe).
I bought the Rubato ones (still appreciate what others recommended here). The fit was excellent and I hope that they will fade as they should. Well done Carl and Oliver!
Hi Simon,
Happy new year!
I believe the past two years I received an email in January detailing upcoming additions to the PS shop for the coming half-year. Does this mean that you will release that list in Feb this year?
That’s normally in February anyway Daniel – it was Feb 6 last year
I shop for clothes twice a year in the January and summer sales and the savings are often 50% or more. Most of the clothes and shoes in my wardrobe are over 20 years old. My wife washes my jumpers regularly and darns any holes. “Dry January” is a bit odd coming from someone who travels the world to spend a small fortune on bespoke clothing and shoes. If you are truly serious about dealing with your problem of buying too much, just commit to not buying anything this year and make do with what you’ve got already.
Hi Kent,
That sounds like a great approach, and lovely to have a wife that’s so useful with the maintenance side.
It wouldn’t really be feasible for me not to buy anything, as my experiences are what Permanent Style is based on and readers value personal opinions on products, old and new. The coverage also needs to cater to readers with a range of styles, from different parts of the world.
But a month off feels like a healthy break, as I know that necessity can easily slip into a justification for more than I can possibly wear and enjoy.
Thanks
Simon trying these things and the level of detail in review mean readers can make an informed decision and hopefully be less wasteful.
I like this a lot: I have always kept most of my clothes over many years as I know tastes change and I find myself enjoying wearing again jackets or coats bought 15 20 or 25 years ago and which have remained unworn for many years. A bit like having your own vintage surplus… Recently coats became longer again, trousers wider: back to the 90’s! Then shorter coats and slimmer trousers will spend some time in storage…
Very interesting concept, looking forward to how you approach it.
As for wearing the same clothing on multiple days I find this is easiest with trousers, both because smells are less of an issue and they’re less conspicous than tops. When at home I do though often wear the same top for a few days as long as it doesn’t smell. I don’t think this is particularly innovative but my wardrobe is bifurcated between more casual cotton clothing for wearing in this way and mostly woolen items for professional/formal/special occassions.
Sounds sensible Phil.
In terms of wearing something multiple days, I meant something more like a coat or shoes perhaps, where you could experiment with what you wear with it every day and try different styles.
Ah I see. Definitely very applicable to coats as many might only have one or two. Also although it’s almost a menswear cliche at this point, a navy blazer is ideal for this.
Hello Simon, happy new year! Really looking forward to what the year brings for PS! Also, love this idea!
I’d love to see an article about high quality grooming and skincare, considering I’ve just started paying attention to that.
Cheers
Ok will do, thanks Marc
To Marc and Simon,
Simon, I thought I’ve read before that you will not cover skincare but i left a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrElyY7MFVs of course opinions change over time. I am following the advice in the linked video.
Ali Abdall, My Evidence-Based Skincare Routine
Also “Maybe you’ll try wearing one piece of clothing every day for a while,” ***blush***
Hey David,
Thanks. Yes I wouldn’t cover skincare myself, I’d get an informed columnist in that area to do it, just in a PS manner. And it would be a one-off, like my piece about my beard.
I think this is a good approach. I am trying to get more into the habit of creating new combinations with what I already have in my wardrobe before buying something new. That sounds like a basic thing but I find it’s easy to keep repeating “safe” combinations. I especially try to see if a “gap” in my wardrobe could be filled with a new combination of existing clothes rather than buying a new piece.
One thing I find PS is useful for is seeing which pieces you consistently use more often. For example, I saw that your Anthology herringbone tweed jacket has been more frequently shown in your outfits than some of your other jackets, which gave me the inspiration to try to find more combinations with my grey herringbone tweed jacket. If you could write something about how to get more use out of existing pieces (without the useful but somewhat two-dimensional menswear blogger cliche of “1 piece, 3 ways”) that would be interesting and in the spirit of your Dry January theme.
Thanks Alan, and OK I’ll have a think about that
I think research suggests that people who go dry in January make up for it in February, as they feel they “deserve a treat”. Let’s see how the clothing equivalent concept works out.
Oh dear, I do hope that doesn’t happen!
In general though I do think that is the case, and personally I would usually cut down on something rather than cut it out completely. It tends to be a better longer term solution.
In this case of course, it’s much easier to make it a focus for everybody for a month, and have us all talk about it. Readers themselves can try and just cut back a little, if they want to of course.
I think it’s a good idea! For what it’s worth, I recently followed your how to handwash knitwear video and it worked really well. I was surprised how much fluff the cashmere shed.
With heavy cardigans the recommendation was to dry clean. Would you leave specific instructions with the dry cleaner not to press it with an iron? I try to avoid dry cleaners as I tend to find everything comes back shiny.
I don’t think that would be much of an issue with a chunky knit, more finer knits and tailoring, but you could certainly ask
Happy New Year.
I would also say that shopping a lot is a form of emotion regulation. (Our brain basically works by making predictions. So not “I buy something because I am bored”, but “I buy something because I have the expectation that it will make me feel good” or “I buy something because I have the expectation that it will improve my unpleasant condition”. Since you don’t have this form of reward/reinforcement with dry January, I think it will be much easier if you get alternative sources of positive reinforcement. For example, raw jeans could be such a reinforcement, as they could be seen as a clothing project that only pays off with time and effort. Or the creation of an emotional connection to clothing. Just abandoning a reinforcer without creating a new one doesn’t work so well in the long run). Hope that didn’t come across as too know-it-all.
Not at all Jeldrik, it’s interesting.
I do hope that some of the things we will cover, such as polishing your shoes, repairing a piece of clothing, or appreciating something you already have in new ways, could all be alternative sources of positive reinforcement. That certainly works for me – even something as simple as polishing my shoes gives me an emotional connection to them and makes me as excited about wearing them as I would be with a new piece of clothing.
Yes, I agree (especially repairing).
I would also say that certain images of clothes can make you see them in a new light. For example, I rediscovered my old, quite wide army chinos after seeing a picture of Aaron Levine wearing his.
A great example, thanks
Due to my profession, relocating for extended periods to a foreign country, I often do not buy new clothes during these contracts. I rely heavily on what I pack is trustworthy, used and of more use to come.
Since I am living out of a suitcase, I am in no position to purchase anything new. My space is limited. Whatever I buy would not fit into my luggage when I return home to Scandinavia. I come and leave with what I need, for 6 months.
I developed a system of what I can bring with me, and what I can not. I enjoy the feeling of being organised like this.
In terms of tailoring my list tends to consist of the following, not counting neckwear, accessories, shirts, shoes and all other bumflufferies.
2 Grey Suits – Unoffensive and suitable for work and socialising, mix-matching easily. They are in different shades and fabric, but the same single-breasted cut.
2 Blue Blazers – Varying in style and cut, but for the sake of uniformity are of the same colour. Usually this means a single breasted in a cashmere-wool blend, and a double breasted hopsack with brass buttons.
1 Knitted Blazer – With the ever growing need of home offices, as well as commuting, the knit blazer is a valued companion that shows off the hours at the gym were for something. They are also a tad contemporary, and I do want to be seen as the young professional I am.
1 Tweed Blazer – A daily wear that is easy to pack and manage, suitable for a more active day. Great with knits and adding maturity to a young face.
1 Bold sportscoat – Something a tad too out there that adds personality, as well as working as a black tie rig in a pinch. A rather frequent possibility in my line of work.
1 Non-blazer – A tailored piece that isn’t quite a suit jacket in any sense. But it is easy to wear professionally. I feel that some days a suit jacket can separate you from the crowd, if they are going for a different vibe. Depending on clients, guests or staff I might need something a bit more casual. That said, my one criteria is it works well with a tie.
These tend to make up my professional wardrobe, and I am sure I can gain some needed insight with the articles to come.
By all means, Simon, change my list for the better!
Interested in the bold sportscoat you’re sometimes doubling as a black tie rig. Sounds good for travelling as you wouldn’t want to cart a full dinner suit around just in case. Any sharing about the colour / cut / fabric that it is in?
Which one David?
That is exactly the thought, David.
At the moment I have three which I count as “bold”, all of which are single-breasted.
A cream cashmere-wool blend with grey windowpane checks with an unconstructed cut.
A rust-coloured corduroy, with rather fine wales, in a full canvas.
A bright yellow linen sportscoat for the summer, also in a full canvas.
Oh, and what I would find interesting would be a post about your most worn clothes in an average month. (Feel free to copy this comment into my comment from just now)
Interesting idea, thanks Jeldrik
Happy New Year to everyone!
I love this idea, as it promotes some of the things I really admire about PS (longevity and caring for items).
As it happens, I have a quick example to share. Just recently I had a couple repairs made to one of my finest polos and my selvedge chambray shirt. I considered just buying replacements because I love them and get a lot of wear from them, but between the cost and previous PS discussions about care/repairs and even how it can add character, decided to go that route. Glad I did, and it does make me feel more attached to my clothes rather than just seeing them as dispensable. I look forward to continued discussions along these lines this month.
Fantastic, particularly nice to hear on PS things
I think that’s a great idea, to focus a month on taking care of and appreciating what you have. I know that is at least as important as acquiring more clothes! (Blasphemy, I know!). And, other than the suit that I have already ordered that will be finished this month, I’ll try to join you in a dry month 🙂
Nice to have you Simon
This time last year I had a similar intention to slim my wardrobe, only purchase quality pieces and further develop a personal style while ignoring how others look. All in all I have been quite successful, with my biggest measure of success being NOT purchasing clothing that I later look at and think “Why the hell did I buy that?” I did slip up 2-3 times but I am sure that one slip up can be salvaged by wearing the piece on a holiday I am taking in late February to Mexico.
Simon- admirable but might I offer a different perspective. PS has always emphasized artisans & craft. Better, not more. This comes through in each of your posts. You don’t buy excessively or frivolously. And sometimes you don’t buy at all. And we don’t have to buy. And most of us likely don’t. But a few might. And those purchases may help one of these artists remain afloat. You simply open the eyes of a global community to artisans who might otherwise struggle to break through the noise of fast fashion. Now there will be 12 fewer opportunities each year for those artisans to get on the radar of hundreds of thousands of PS readers. Just something to consider. Happy New Year. Love what you do here each and every week.
Thank you Robert. It’s a good point, though I think that could be used to justify a lot of purchases of clothes. I do think it’s unlikely that any artisan will miss out in the long run either, and the kind of caring for products we’re talking about here also pushes people in the direction of that kind of clothing
Hi Simon,
Happy New Year, to you, your family and the PS Team.
I think this is a very good and interesting idea. Apart from any sustainability platitudes (after all if you already have something you’ve gone past that bit) some blogs go on about, this appears to me more about practicability, education and avoided expenditure. I’m looking forward to it as I have shamelessly lifted your ideas (with similar pieces) over the years! I also wholeheartedly recommend Marktt for selling the good quality pieces one longer needs
Your point about shopping as entertainment really resonates with me, I-have the same hobby!
As for dry January for me, we shall see. The drops from the Real McCoy’s are always a temptation.
All the best.
Hi Simon
Regarding wearing the same thing frequently, it is a great idea and from experience a lot of fun. I am currently doing it with a heavy brown Donegal blazer I recently ordered from F. Caraceni. This was not planned, as It is the only jacket I brought along with me to Southern Italy over Christmas, where the weather has been unexpectedly warm. We decided to extend by a week to avoid cold and grey in Switzerland and I have been wearing the jacket almost every day for the last ten days as outerwear since the overcoat I brought is too heavy except late at night. It has been fun to wear the jacket in ways I normally wouldn’t have and the constant wear has broken in the jacket in a way that it would have otherwise taken a year or so.
Happy near year!
Andrew
Happy New Year, Simon and all PS readers. Coincidentally, I have just recently embarked on a program to wear everything I own. The idea is to combine items in new ways, sometimes to make the outfit more contemporary, and sometimes just to be more interesting. If I find I just don’t want to wear something, it goes to a new owner. I also find that taking good care of clothing and accessories is genuinely worthwhile. I wore the same pair of shoes to my nephew’s Christening and wedding, 24 years apart. Buy carefully and tend carefully. PS helps me do both.
Wonderful to hear Tom
“Wear everything i own” – so simple. Excellent.
Happy New Year. Excellent and thoughtful way to start the new year.
Hi Simon,
Happy New Year to you and all the team at PS.
This initiative is a great idea – a whole month to focus on everything we have already rather than buying new items. Let’s look at repairs/alterations/resurrection of things we have but perhaps don’t wear as much as we could.
As an example, I had 2 pairs of tan-coloured boots that I practically never wore. These have been transformed into far more useful boots just by dying them a rich dark brown. 2belts received the same treatment. That cost me about £15 instead of all the replacement costs.
Much as I love reading about the acquisition of beautiful clothes I am at the point where I don’t buy many new pieces now , mostly I’m replenishing my wardrobe, not expanding it. (Perhaps learning to deal with past mistakes in a better way).
I am on the waiting list for a grey Dartmoor though….
Have a great 2024.
Dear Simon
Happy New Year.
I must say that, Dry January, sounds like a very good idea. A time to take stock-physically, mentally and sartorially. Without this sensible pause, it all can become a bit of a disorganised jumble. So I’ll be using Dry January to, hopefully, rest, reflect and plan for the year ahead.
Best wishes to all at PS for 2024.
Thank you Leo, you too
Somewhat related–in the spirit of buying less and better–how important is it *really* to rotate shoes? If I had one pair of shoes or boots to wear throughout the week to the office, put trees in them every night, and give them a break on weekends, would they really be worse off than if I had two pairs, or would they simply wear out twice as fast?
They would be a bit worse off Eric, as they wouldn’t entirely dry out. You might not notice that for a year or more of doing that, but they would not last as long as they would do if they were rested.
It’s not a huge thing, but worth avoiding if you can
In the late 1990s in my New York days I stopped by the old Syms — a once well-known nationwide discount remainder retailer that went out of business some years ago — and came across two thick wool V neck sweaters laying haphazardly on a Sale shelf.
I knew nothing about clothes or style but they struck me as “good”. The brand Alan Paine said “Made in England” and “Luxury Knitwear”. That seemed promising, as it was roughly my ancestral heritage and I thought of my ancient family and rainy bogs and hills where Keats and Wordsworth hiked in sweaters like these. Knowing nothing even of sizing, I bought them — both way too large and baggy — for about $25 each.
I wore both, ignorant of fit, for years. I loved them both. I discovered I could “shrink” them by tossing them in the washer on “Hot”. Each wash they tightened a bit. And they were tough enough with their thick well-knitted wool to hold their form wash after wash. After about 20 years I wore holes in the navy sweater, and had a tailor patch them with leather. Then I wore those out to the point there were holes under each arm and the elbow patches were falling off, probably 22 years of use. When I finally threw it away it seemed like a beloved dog had died.
For the less-worn burgundy sweater I bought elbow patch material myself when the elbows wore through and took it to the tailor, who sewed it on. And I carefully sewed the small holes that later grew under the arms myself with needle and thread from my mothers sewing kit.
On this New Year’s Day 2024 I am wearing the red sweater as I type this in the southern Appalachian winter. Probably 25 years since I bought it. It is no longer a sweater. It is a time machine or a talisman. When I wear it I am there 25 years ago and all of my NY life seems simultaneously in memory, then back somehow over centuries walking on hills I’ve never seen. There it is, for me. Like a good bourbon by the fire with imagination and transcendence.
I have tried to buy another from Alan Paine but they don’t make them anymore like this, probably a concession to market pressures and the need for profit.
Oh well. . . I’m still happy with what I have. Holes are forming along the perimeters of the elbow patches from the force of wear but I know how to fix it. And I will.
There is nothing I could buy that would be better than this.
Wonderful story Mark. I suspect they’re not made like that anymore partly because no one treats their knits in that way anymore.
So excited by this idea. I’ll start after just one sale… lol.
I applaud the initiative and urge readers to consider making a charitable donation with their savings. For reference, Open-Philanthropy publishes free to access research on especially high-impact charities around the world.
This seems timely as I have just finished my year-long commitment to purchasing no clothing items during 2023. My goal was to focus on enjoying what I already had, and reduce the time and energy I was spending on thinking about unnecessary purchases. I also spent a lot less money, which was nice. I made two exceptions during the year. One was to buy an item I didn’t have (swim shorts), and the other was to replace a sweatshirt that was literally falling apart (50+ repairs and threadbare).
During the first six months, I was tempted to buy several times, but after that my desire faded, and I had more time to focus on other interests and pursuits. This included improving my clothing repair skills – both hand sewing and machine sewing.
Happy New Year.
The last year was,for me, a real experience in reducing both waste and unnecessary purchases. Your comment about shopping as entertainment struck a cord.
So,I have reduced to a business capsule and a smart casual capsule with just a few seasonal outliers -big coat,shorts sportswear and will see how it goes. Hopefully,I can replace one for one the consumables (shirts,summer polos and beachwear).
So,we will see how it goes. I was a little shocked at the bare hangers,but the clothing bank was happy.
Simon, a couple of readers, including Peter mention slimming down their wardrobe.
I know this is not the end of the spectrum you tend to focus on, but when you give decent clothing to charity, do you know if most of it would end up being reworn? Or do they get so much that lots just gets recycled / turned into decorators rags?
Hey David,
I think most of it ends up being worn, at least as far as I know. I took some things in before Christmas and they were very keen for it – perhaps because it’s usually higher end than the other things they get, so it’s more likely to be bought and more likely to fetch some good money for them.
Not sure how many others they have but Oxfam has an Oxfam Originals branch in Manchester for vintage
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shops/oxfam-original-manchester/
just down the street from the normal Oxfam.
Jon
Simon and everyone in the PS community, Happy New Year!
An interesting and useful idea, particularly if the moths have been in the wardrobe. I particularly connected with your comment, Simon, about polishing shoes. In that regard, might I suggest that useful consideration be given to waterproofing: regular polishing is simply not enough to battle the typical British winter, what’s the best treatment to stop the damage? Also, many of us will still have jackets we bought off the peg hanging in the wardrobe that no longer match our size or shape, in the spirit of dry January where can we go to have these altered or repaired – recommendations would be useful?
Hey John,
On waterproofing shoes, see this article on wet weather.
On altering and repairing, have a look at this article on ‘clothing resources’
Thanks
Happy new year to you, your family and your PS team!
Lovely idea of a dry January!
How about trying no new purchases for a year? I appreciate the centimeter of this theme but the idea of not buying anything new for 4 weeks actually frightens me in the sense that this may be a challenge? At least 1 new item of clothing or shoes every month of the year – year after year? That seems to much. I am only assuming here as I can’t rummage through your wardrobe in person but I would guess you have at least one of every item that would be needed for every circumstance throughout the year. Why not therefor try not adding to this just because you want to but rather wait until you absolutely need to. As I said above – a real challenge would be to go 52 weeks not just 4.
Hey Henry,
I agree, it would be. Not really feasible for me given how Permanent Style works, as mentioned above, but that would be interesting and something some other readers have already tried, as one reader says just above
I think if anything your position justifies it more. Lead by example etc. I imagine PS’s carbon footprint is relatively small in comparison to other businesses but actually probably quite high on an individual basis considering you are one of only a few beneficiaries. Someone who works for a larger firm say may actually have a smaller share of the overall carbon output than you do with PS. Just food for thought but with all thing climate related I think we should lead by example rather than say ‘I can’t but others could’. We will make very slow progress if those in high profile or leadership positions adopt this mentality.
Thanks Henry. I agree, it would certainly make a bigger difference, and perhaps this will be the start of something like that. Unfortunately the fact it’s just me doesn’t make it possible for me to cover everything that readers want if nothing new is tried out. Perhaps in the future when the team is bigger
https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/carbon-in-your-closet-exploring-cotton-and-biogenic-carbon-sequestration/
Reducing the climate impacts of cotton production are important; however, current climate change calculations have yet to include the benefits of carbon temporally stored in the cotton clothing you wear. The science on the benefits of temporally storing carbon is still evolving, but the research shows that capturing carbon in products such as your T-shirt reduces the warming of the atmosphere and creates a benefit for the environment.
Sequestering CO2 from the air through photosynthesis and storing it as cotton has the effect of reducing the warming gasses in the atmosphere while using those same molecules to keep you warm on a cool day.
Maybe Simon is lowering overall CO2 levels by buying more clothes and actually has a negative carbon footprint.
I think you’d need to include a lot more things in the calculation though David, right? All the carbon emissions of production and transportation, and the effects of it breaking down after it is disposed of
Great concept. I think most of us that read PS struggle with this. It can be really hard to let go of items that have been part of one’s life.
Love the idea and looking forward this January journey. I assume we will not polish shoes with champag
That old chestnut! No I don’t think so.
A slight twist: I will also not be buying any new clothes during January, but instead trying to size down and fit into what I already have. Damn you once again, December!
Hi Simon,
Happy new year to you and all PS readers! The adumbrated program sounds promising!
Many thanks for your unwavering dedication!
John
Happy New Year Simon. Every month I revisit photos on my iPad from the same month going back to 2016. Today I noticed that I bought a beautiful pair of Merola blue carpincho cashmere lined gloves from No Man Walks Alone in January 2016. My rule with gloves is that they normally only touch my hands and the steering wheel of my car. They are still in mint condition and have no doubt that they will remain that way for years to come as long as I don’t touch anything in NYC. I am not precious 😎Please believe me!!
I like the idea of going back through previous years of that month – it must throw up some nice ideas
Interesting topic. I have found buying clothes quite addictive. Now that I’ve built up my wardrobe, my plan is to only make three purchases every six months, only one of which can be a larger one (meaning beyond a shirt, polo, etc).
I struggle a lot with avoid looking at shirts. I almost feel like I want them in all sorts of combinations, and it does often feel redundant after purchasing.
This is a great idea, not least as a way to reduce waste. I’m regularly surprised that items I thought didn’t “work” once I’d bought them can suddenly fit into an outfit. It’s (almost) as enjoyable as the hit you get when you buy something you’ve been after – and probably researched online for a ludicrous amount of time!
After years … nay, decades of procrastinating and acquiring more needless items to clog my wardrobe, I have finally decided to start from scratch. But with a clear strategy based on PS key building blocks. Looking forward to the journey and more wisdom from the dry January series.
Sounds healthy BB, though I have to say I like many of your current clothes as well!
Thanks for all the encouragement Simon!
This christmas I was wearing a black western style belt (with my black Berg & Berg Western shirt and my Fullcount Dartford jeans). I bought this belt when I was 17. (I thought it looked badass with my cheap black suit and my not cheap black/cream Versace tie.) Which means it is almost 20 years old. I am proud of how old it is and the fact that I did not outgrow it.
I would imagine for many, myself included, that the percentage number of items that we actually wear regularly (say at least 2-3 times a month) is well below 50%. Personally, I have been quite ruthless over the last two years, getting rid of at least half of my wardrobe. You have to be strict, my rule of thumb is anything not worn in the last year goes.
It also gives one a clear perspective on your tastes and which items of clothing are genuine staples that you cannot do without, when you are really committed to assessing what you truly wear and value.
I sell higher value pieces, but anything with a resale value of less than half of what I paid goes to the charity shop.