Today I bought a new dress (not just new to me, new new, not just tags on in a charity shop...in a real shop) in the last 2 years I have only bought well researched underwear and socks or very specific items that I have searched for 2nd hand for months before finally giving in and carefully picking out the most sustainable option..
I really have no excuse for today´s purchase, it is not an essential item that I had been thinking about for months...it is a whim that came to me last night, which when I searched on adverts (which isn´t supposed to be the first step) I had even found! ...languishing in the back of someones wardrobe...that I would be rescuing from the waste stream...but still when I saw a similar dress on the sale rail in Patagonia...I just had a quick glance to see what it was made from before grabbing it to try on (and buy).
I am not consumed with guilt over my purchase, I do believe that I will get a lot of wear out of it...that it is seasonally versatile, goes with a lot of stuff I have and could potentially also be worn as a jacket (although I plan to post later about how garments that can be worn several ways usually only end up being worn one way and you shouldn't use that to justify the purchase). It also came from an environmentally and ethically conscious company (although they do use merino), is made from organic cotton (mostly) and was last season stock -so potentially someone else could have impulse bought it because of the price reduction and then just let it sit in the back of their wardrobe with the tags on (even when I am writing this I know that is a poor excuse).
Maybe this is just a sign that my success so far has just been down to not looking in the shops! If you don´t see it, you can´t be tempted. I can take that into account as I move forward.