Holding grace for addressing irresponsible purchases

Katie wears a dark blue sleeveless maxi dress with a monkey and palm tree print. She's holding a white cotton clutch bag with a wooden handle, and wooden platform sandals with a cream leather upper. She's standing on a side street in Bilbao with a large old building behind her.

I’m being honest, this outfit contains what I’m currently considering some irresponsible purchases.

The dress: past season designer in a final sale, purchased for an event. And I didn’t even wear it in the end because it was unseasonably cold weather. If I could go back, I’d leave the dress for someone else who’d wear it more and I’d rent something instead. It’s no good for the environment, my wallet, or the limited space in my home for me to wear something only once in the 10 months I’ve owned it.

The shoes: past season designer in an online outlet sale because they were a great price. But they were more than I could afford at the time and I prefer wearing flats to heels anyway, so these mostly go unworn. Now when I look at them I’m reminded of the waste I created (the resources to make them, the money to buy them…) to get these in my wardrobe.

The bag, happily, is second hand from a charity shop, and a responsible decision. It’s also a New York designer, but I didn’t know that until I got it home and saw the tag inside that I’d missed in the store. It’s a great size and has been perfect for summer evenings and beach days.

In the past the unworn dress and shoes I avoid wouldn’t have bothered me. But as I learn more about the way our clothing is made and the resources that go into producing them, the more I think that shopping as I did is irresponsible and selfish. And it’s something I’m working on to change my behaviour, one decision at a time. Because making sustainable choices is a learning curve, and we need to hold grace for ourselves when we realise we can do better.