Bargain Shopper Blog

By Jennifer Kang

For investment-dressing shop-till-you-droppers, the notion of buying nothing new is, well, nothing short of scandalous. After all, for many of us shop-savvy fashionistas, life is often defined by the thrill that comes with the purchase of a fashionably frugal item that just happens to be in-season and new.

So, fashion-devotee shoppers, if I remind you that October is Buy Nothing New month (www.buynothingnew.com.au), you’ll probably stop reading this blog in about two sentences’ time, wouldn’t you? Well, aside from the fact that I have two sentences to recapture your attention, the good news is, this month-long campaign, which raises awareness about conscientious consumption, isn’t about going without a must-have addition to your wardrobe, nor is it about buying nothing new, never.

It’s more about reassessing what you really need, considering where the stuff you purchase comes from and where it eventually ends up – fashion-purgatory-esque, wasteful landfill – as well as what your alternatives are.

“What are the alternatives,” you ask? Well, there are plenty – from clothes swapping and swishing, to renting, recycling and up-cycling, there are many ways to integrate the ‘Buy Nothing New’ shopper’s mentality into your wardrobe, fashionably. Caught your attention, have I?

Swish and save

Loved the dress your friend was wearing on your recent night out? Borrow it in exchange for your friend borrowing the dress, jacket, bag or necklace of yours she loves. This is what we call ‘swishing’, an eco-fashionable and sustainable way to swap clothes, shoes or accessories with friends, family or acquaintances. Swishing is great for one-time wear items that you’re eyeing; in other words, things, which would usually require you to spend all your saved-up pennies intended for a net-a-porter purchase that you wear once and never wear again. You’ll be able to wear your friend’s dress once and return it... and you won’t have to spend a dollar, nor do you have to buy something new.

Savvy swaps

Swapping and swishing. Similar concepts, but oh-so-different in the recessionista’s dictionary. Unlike what is implied, clothes swaps usually entail slightly more formal clothes-exchange deals for the serious, savvy shopper. Swap-meets may require you to pay a small entrance fee for a market where you’ll be able to swap your old clothes for someone else’s. You’ll be given fashion-dollars (say, buttons as currency), to spend at the clothing swap, in exchange for your garments.

Recessionista renting

 Looking for a stand-out dress for the pre-Christmas social circuit? So am I. And when I told a shop-savvy work colleague that I was prepared to make a wage-slave move by spending a fortnight’s worth of my pay for a stand-out dress to wear at a black tie event, she sent me to fashion-oblivion when she told me about www.dressedup.com.au. How could I have not known about this amazing designer clothing hire site? Featuring dresses from the crème de la crème of Australia’s designers, you can browse through a huge collection of designer dresses, borrow them for small fraction of its retail price and enjoy it for as long as you choose.

Recycle, up-cycle, save cycle

Recycling and up-cycling aren’t as unglamorous as they sound. Purchase from op shops and use material from used items to make new ones (recycling) or simply fix or revamp ‘useless’ items that contribute to your garage clutter (up-cycling). You’ll prevent waste and you can uncover your hidden clothing or furniture design skills.

What are your favourite ways to go about Buying Nothing New this month? Share to save.