Reduce, reuse, recycle

Posted in Daily Outfits.

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Topshop dress, H&M tights, Primark tee, Primark cardigan, thrifted belt, Chockers boots, Primark necklace, thrifted ring


Are you guys any good at recycling? I’m not. I can get along with putting my cardboard and plastic in the green bin, but I can’t say I’m a regular at the bottle bank. Which is terrible, I know. Must try harder.

What about recycling clothes? That’s where I think I redeem myself. I never, ever throw clothes away, unless they’re completely ruined or stained beyond the powers of Persil. I’m an eBay aficionado, a charity shop donator and a hand-me-down sister. Every few months, I’ll purge my wardrobe of all things unstylish, unwearable and unloved and give them away through my tried and tested channels. I’m utterly ruthless – nothing escapes my critical eye. So what if peg leg trousers are ready for a comeback? Be gone! Maybe I will wear a white skirt come summer but right now it’s February! Get out!

This inevitably leads to fashion mourning. The white skirt was covered in purple pansies and would’ve looked positively dreamy with the grey boots I’m wearing today. And yes, peg leg trouser did make a comeback… and yes, I could’ve worn them with my black leather jacket and heeled brogues. Hindsight, dear followers, is completely useless.

Have you ever gotten rid of something and immediately regretted it? Those shoes you gave to your sister and tried to steal back under cover of darkness? Or the cute clutch you donated to charity and bought again a week later? (Yes, I’ve done both of these things…) I’d love to know!

34 Comments

Victoria

I tend to cling on to things and NEVER ever wear them again but I always think ‘one day…’.

I regularly chuck old things out but usually because they don’t fit me or they are holey. If something is in tact it stays with me till the bitter end, hehe 🙂

xx

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Kelly/PlaneBeauty

I never get rid of clothes. They just sit there and gather dust which is really bad. It took me months to throw out my old clothes when I lost two dress sizes.

Love the outfit today, I’m wearing grey tights too, SNAP 🙂 xx

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Loulou

I do hate parting with precious clothes too, but have never rebought an item I’ve given away. Sometimes I do get stuff back from my sister, or my mother… what goes around comes around in the family! I recently rediscovered an old velvet skirt with a hole in it and am going to reconstruct it, which is one of the better ways of hanging onto old clothes which have seen better days or which you have outgrown in some way.

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Leah

I had major regrets too… I gave a lot of stuff to my sisters then had second thoughts now. I love to recycle clothes these days.

I love your dress and boots. xoxo

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Vintage Vixen

Oh, I try so hard to be ruthless. I iron it and photograph it ready for eBay and then decide I want to keep it.
I’ve bought back my stuff from the Charity shop, too.
Vix
xxx
PS Loving the hem on your frock…is it DIY?

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Sabine

Expensive things – into boxes to be looked at every 1/2 year. Cheap – wear until the end or off to Oxfam. Sure, sometimes I give away something and regret it afterwards, but I tend to hang on to clothes because in my experience in fashion everything comes back… So happy you haven’t given away the dress and the boots!

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ellamarie84

I think I’m kind of a hoarder actually. I hang on to stuff for sentimental reasons even though I’ll never wear it again..MUST stop 🙂

I LOVE the grey tights and boots, it looks stunning! Love that floral pattern too. I wish I could dress like you can everyday 🙂

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pip a la chic

I never used to throw out clothes, but I have made a habit now. I lots of poor family living in the Philippines so I send most of my clothes over there. Alot of it is clothes that doesn’t fit. Clothes that I know I won’t wear, out of fashion and still has the tag I sell on eBay. Heres a post I did a while ago on de-clutter your wardrobe. x

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Cafe Fashionista

Ohmigosh Jen, I LOVE the hemline of your dress! So fabulous!

I’m actually pretty good at recycling; but when it comes to clothes I have a problem. Typically I’ll put things that I haven’t worn in quite some time into one pile. Then, a month later, if they’re still untouched, I finally give them away. It gives me a chance to think about whether or not I want to part with them, or keep them around!! 🙂

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E is for Eleanor

Yes, this is me. Give away, realise my mistake in horror, steal/buy back.

My mum is also exactly the same! :s Must me in my genes, which is good for me because I get all her cast offs for a while before she claims them back again!

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Dolly Daydream

I really like the shape of your dress it is awesome I loved how you pulled in the waist with that belt. I am seeing loads of people rocking brogues/those boots/ doc martens with florals. I would love to try it but I have not got any of these shoes. I am on a shopping ban or a shopping diet as my mother calls it. I am envying so many clothes at the moment.

From Dolly
http://dollydaydreamsdomicile.blogspot.com

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Susan

I’ve done the trying to sneak stuff back from my sister thing! Things I don’t really like look lovely on her and then make me want to give them a second chance! I am okay at recycling stuff, but quite crap at recycling clothes. By the time I’ve finished with them they probably wouldn’t be wanted at a charity shop, what do you do with stuff that is too worn to pass on to someone else? Or do you just call it a day?! xx

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daisychain

I get waaay too sentimentally attached to my clothes and accessories. I’ve bought back so many things from charity shops; and where I live that often costs more than I paid for them in the first place!

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Alex

I’ve well known at work for shouting at people who throw envelopes and paper in the bin so yup, I’m quite hot when it comes to normal recycling.

I’d never chuck clothes in the bin. They go into one of two piles – charity shop (if still wearable) or fabric recyling (if they’re too knackered to pass on). Takes a lot for me to part with stuff though – I’m a terrible hoarder.

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Kel

That dress is fab! and the boots and tights, oh the whole outfit is great!

I tend to keep all my clothes. I’ve a t-shirt I’ve had since I was 10, that I’ve cut and restyled about 3 times and even though it’s like a bit of rag I still won’t throw it out.
I’m such an idiot, I’ll sell a top on ebay then actually feel sad when I send it out, even though I haven’t worn it since 1998! loser!

x xx

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Em x

Cute outfit as ever! I’m good at getting rid of clothes, i’m always filling bags for charity and ebaying things, i like to think of where they will go and who will wear them next x

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Samantha

Ohh I love how you donated a clutch and bought it back a week later! I had a huge clearout when I turned 18 before University and I really miss a lot of the things I got rid of! Luckily I managed to find a few of these items on ebay at bargain prices. Now however I’ve learnt my lesson and anything I think may stand a chance of a comeback is being held onto (I’m still waiting for poncho’s to come back ;D)

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closet365

Well that’s exactly why I never get rid of ANYTHING! haha. I’m so afraid I’ll miss it later!

The outfit is simply charming though. I love the palette of spring colors!

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Gizelle | Vanilla Ice Cream

i make sure that when i let go of my clothes, i don’t look back..however, when we had a garage sale at home, i couldn’t help but ask my buyers if i could buy back what they bought…LOL. 😀

ps. i feel so stupid for not having followed you..i thought i already was since we’re basically commenting back and forth..hehe. now, i am. 😀

♥ vanilla ice cream ♥

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dinoprincesschar

Yep, I’ve done that too, I’ve been known to buy back a pair of shoes I sold on ebay, several weeks later when the buyer decided they weren’t for her. I still haven’t yet worn them !

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CherryBlossom

Not really, I tend to take all my old clothes to charity shops (throwing good clothes away is a sin! A SIN!) so I feel good in that hopefully someone else will have fun in the clothes that I no longer want!

Love your outfit, your boots look gorgeous!

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LadyBug

I too never throw clothes away, unless the are ruined beyond anyones use! A few times in a fit of laziness I have given things away to chairty shops just because it was easier than ebaying it! When getting rid of things its more mourning because I can’t fit into it/it doesn’t suit me! I am a hoarder and struggle to get rid of anything with a vague emotional attachment to!

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Marz

I love this outfit! It’s a great feeling to recycle clothes I think.
I recycle all the time; my mom is paranoid about it, so I guess I’ve picked up her habits

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angelinthecupboard

I am about to sell a truly gorgeous skirt on eBay (in about 4 hours’ time to be precise)… and I am already mourning it as it is one of the most beautiful items of clothing I have ever owned but is sadly too big for me! Sob. Whoever buys it will be one very happy lady. As you can guess, I am a major hoarder.

p.s. we miss you on the fashion thread. come back…

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