Page 32 - Masala Lite Issue 156 December 2023

SUSTAINABLY I Will ‘Shop My Own Closet’ When I Feel the Impulse to Buy
STYLISH Every time you feel like buying something new, try and clean your own cupboard and
Something New:

you will be surprised that you will
find clothes items that you can mix
and match, and wear more often.
Sustainable Fashion The impulse to buy something new
is more out of boredom and habit
Resolutions for 2024 than necessity. Once you identify
that, you can save yourself money
and have fun ‘shopping’ from your
Aparna Sharma gives us six resolutions to consider. own wardrobe. The journey into
I Will Try a ‘No New Clothes’ Challenge in 2024: building a sustainable wardrobe
automatically becomes a healthy
Begin 2024 by taking a ‘no new clothes’ challenge for the first three months. Try to and mindful practice which can
mix and match and wear what you already own and avoid impulse buying. If three
help your mental health too.
months feels really overwhelming, try one month and if possible, continue for the
next two months. I did a whole year of no new clothes in 2020 when I decided to I Will Normalise Borrowing Clothes from Friends and Family:
commit myself to circular and sustainable fashion. Similar to a diet, it works like an
This is a simple and easy way to avoid buying something new. If you feel uncomfortable
amazing mental detox.
borrowing, you can always ask them if you can rent it, or borrow it and give it back
I Will Try Swapping Clothes in 2024 Instead of Always Buying New: with a small return gift as a token of appreciation. This works out very well when
the person you are borrowing from is not in the same friends or work circle as you.
People constantly ask me how swapping works. Most people have fears and doubts
This is also a sustainable solution when you have a wedding to attend and there are
about wearing someone else’s used clothes. After swapping the clothes, you can
take it back home and wash it with Dettol and hot water. My daughters and I have many functions, as this will save you a lot of money.
been using swapped or thrifted clothes for more than three years, and we have not I Will Become a Proud Outfit Repeater in 2024:
had any skin issues or other problems until now.
Alia Bhatt recently repeated her wedding sari for the national award ceremony, and
A lot of Indians believe in karma and think the previous owners’ karma comes with their we also saw celebrities like Nicole Kidman proudly repeating her Chanel outfit for
clothes. This same logic can be applied to buying new from brands which continue to the Met Gala this year. Social media has made people feel that they need new outfits
use slave labour and destroy the environment. The karma of supporting fast fashion constantly, but you can change that narrative by repeating more and using the hashtag
brands which don’t provide transparency or traceability also comes with those clothes. #proudoutfitrepeater, while styling it or accessorising it differently.

I Will Try Thrifting More in 2024 and Avoid Constantly Buying New: Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Allow this month to prepare yourself to
embrace 2024 with a more sustainable approach to your fashion choices. Remember
I wrote an article listing all the thrift stores in Bangkok. Please DM me or Masala
Magazine in case you want the link for that article. There are many thrift stores that being stylish and being trendy are different – you can be eternally stylish and
across Bangkok now and you can find beautiful pre-loved clothes which are mildly sustainable. Meanwhile, the only trend you need to follow in 2024 is embracing
sustainability.
used, and look as good as new. Thrifting is a sustainable way of bringing in clothes
into your wardrobe and it is more economical than constantly buying something new.
Aparna Sharma is a non-conformist who believes that fashion must become a
force for good and style must meet sustainability. She breaks down the
nuances of slow fashion and how we can stay stylish without being trendy.

MASAL A LITE ISSUE 156 - DECEMBER 202 3