Nothing New November Week 4 Challenge

Vote with Your Dollars. And a Surprise from Goodwill!!

Buy less. Buy better. Buy with purpose.

Welcome to WEEK 4- the final week of our challenge. I hope you are having fun, challenging your creativity and styling skills, and have expanded your awareness of what sustainable fashion looks & feels like. I also hope you will continue with much of what you have learned and practiced over the last few weeks.

By repurposing what you already own, and shopping secondhand clothing, you are doing good for the planet. When you choose clothing that already exists- no resources are wasted, no pollution amassed into the atmosphere- you are essentially starving the landfill.

Wear your values | It’s personal - it is your chosen skin.

Thank you AGAIN to everyone that has contributed and taken part in this Challenge. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s never too late. Any bit you can partake- 10%, 40%, 60% etc.- is making a difference. Please share this with your friends and help spread the word!

Join the movement. It’s easy. If you shop, try secondhand, snap a pic, share it here, tag @iamlauramadden and use #nothingnewnovember for a chance to be featured.

I want to encourage you to vote with your wallet. This challenge is about raising awareness of how we can use fashion for good... this is taking a stand for the environment by choosing fashion that slows down the avoidable cycle of excessive waste, pollution & the drain on our planet’s resources. 

What you wear says a lot about who and what you believe in. 

Challenge 4: Shop secondhand*

I know this might not be for everyone but if you’re really concerned about doing what’s best for the planet, while still looking your best, you might want to consider it. At the same time, secondhand shopping is some of the best shopping I have done. Nowhere else will you find the largest array of genres, styles, sizes, brands, etc.

Shopping secondhand is one of the best ways to curate a look and a wardrobe that is all your own. This eliminates the worry of showing up at the party wearing the same look as another. Secondhand shopping gives you that one of a kind feel- because there really is only one of everything. Win-win. Good for your closet and the planet.

"If everyone bought one used item instead of a new article of clothing this year, we would minimize carbon emissions to the tune of half a billion cars being taken off the road for a year." Forbes 

What I love about secondhand shopping is there’s this element of serendipity, like your luck has come through when you find 'the one.' You can’t just order something up- it has to be found.  

For me, the fact that the fashion industry is trashing the planet burns a hole in my heart. It is unacceptable, and I believe it is avoidable. We can do better. So, I stick with what I know best, and I feel entirely confident that shopping secondhand is the most sustainable way to shop.

Secondhand shopping is like making the uncool cool again, reinventing something that was left behind- giving it new life. It’s called reFashioning. Try it. It’s really fun to challenge your creativity. At the end of the day it’s the best thing for the planet. It is sustainable fashion. Without question, it is.

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By shopping secondhand you are:

• supporting your local economy (most cases)

• reducing waste

• conserving resources

• decreasing the demand on the fashion industry to produce cheaper clothing faster

• taking a stance to support a more just and responsible fashion industry

• starving the landfill

• saving money

I understand that shopping secondhand might not be for you. It doesn’t mean you can’t still curate a conscious wardrobe if you only want to shop brand new. I have my ways! I swear by shopping with intention. Being conscious of what you’re buying- why, where, from whom.

Stay tuned for next week's BLACK FRIDAY post for details on my sustainable shopping tips- no matter where you choose to shop!

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This is not just about saving money- though yes, in most cases you will. This is about only buying what you need, want and will use. This is about taking a stand for the environment and the next generation to come. 

Even though our November Challenge may be concluding, there is no reason you can’t continue challenging yourself to use fashion as a force for good and do what’s best for the planet. Encourage your friends and family to join the movement with you! You know the drill- if you’d still like to share the love and share your pics, tag me @iamlauramadden and use #nonewclothes for a chance to be featured. I’ll be leading additional No New Clothes Challenges in the coming months. Count on it! XXOO

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We are making this week's challenge easy for you! And surprise!- I'll be speaking on sustainable fashion TOMORROW, 11/23!

*Reclaimed Fashion at Goodwill is back this fall! Join us and our fashionable influencers from across the valley as they share their expertise on everything from thrifting, body confidence, sustainability, and reselling. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping, connecting, and learning about thrifting tips and the ways you can get involved in the community. Do you have a question for one of our panelists? Keep an eye out on our social media pages to find out how to submit your questions. (See website for details and full lineup)

Saturday, November 23

2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Priest & Elliot Goodwill 7850 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ 85284

Don't miss this!!

Fashionably Green A panel on sustainability 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Have you ever wondered how you can dress fashionably while making the best ethical use of your clothing? Join our “Fashionably Green” panel to learn about sustainability and ecological integrity.

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Clothing: Goodwill

Photography by Gene Watson provided by Goodwill