It’s sadly ironic when the #XR52 clothing boycott becomes easier as the climate crisis means it’s too hot to wear clothes… On a brighter note, our rebels are noticing a marked shift in their mindset towards fast fashion. We’ve also learnt that we need to take a trip to Bristol…

It’s going great for me. Not been difficult at all as now whenever I look in through the door of fast fashion shops I just cringe at the amount of each item there is… why would you want to wear the same as everyone else?! For instance ‘the dress’, which has become a thing because so many people have bought it and are wearing it… it has its own insta! Anyway rant over 😆 back to me! I’ve even stopped buying clothes from charity shops for now because through this boycott I’ve got so interested in capsule wardrobes and really loving and wearing your clothes to death instead of only wearing the average thing about four times (a statistic I have no reference for but I heard somewhere 😆). Oh and I did an inventory thing of my wardrobe which was cool! Love and rage x
Ellie

I wore a dress today I’ve had about 20 years! Still looks good! So I guess I’m doing the boycott accidentally! But to be fair I consciously haven’t bought anything new since I learned about the fashion industry’s part in the climate crisis.
Sheree

I too am finding that I have less interest in what’s in the fast fashion shops. I do sometimes browse to get an idea of current styles that maybe I can use to upcycle my wardrobe! So far so good but I still need more practice! Also it has made me look at my current wardrobe with new eyes and appreciate what I already have.
Carol

I still haven’t really noticed… Which is great for me, but less interesting for the blog! 🙂
Miriam

I had my first real test this month when I went to Freeport to get Byron a coat to take on holiday. I know he’ll get a couple of years out of it so I didn’t feel too bad buying it as finding specific stuff for kids is still quite tricky. There are lots of “bundles” to buy online but I think I need to search out individual items much more in advance.
I also bought myself some new hikers 😬 My last ones were bought when I was pregnant, so 2009, and they’d fallen apart. I really couldn’t find a way to avoid it. I don’t suppose they are the most ethical either as I wanted to ensure they had no animal parts in, but couldn’t afford the fancy ethical ones that are now available.
I took my supply of groovy hiking tops and trousers with me and was actually quite pleased knowing all the different places they’ve been now. It’s been quite interesting letting the same clothes become part of the memories that I make.
Lynne

I have taken advantage of being very close to Gloucester Road in Bristol for this month’s house-sit. One Friday afternoon, I wandered down in the sunlight soaking up the atmosphere, zigzagging into every charity store along the way – there must have been 30 or so.
I liked looking for slightly different items, something a bit fun or quirky and quite enjoyed it. In this relaxed way I came out with dusty pink skinny jeans from M&S for £2.50 that fit well and an off-cut cute little top for £5.
The contrast with the men’s selection is marked; Jamie could barely find anything. Is this the gender bias in fast fashion coming through?
Sophia

I recently looked back on some old photos from 8 years ago where I was wearing a pair of shorts I still have and love! Sadly my jeans and leggings keep getting in holes in, even after I’ve sewed them back up, so I think it’s time to try and find some in charity shops… I ended up buying some waders a few days ago, but I don’t think they count as fast fashion! Plus they’re for litter picking and river cleaning, so I feel fine about it.
Laura

Are you reading to join the #XR52 movement? We’re switching from fast to slow fashion in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss and poor treatment of those working in garment factories. Join in on social media using #XR52 #XRChelmsford. See the original post for more information.