Enough with the toxic cycle of clothes clearouts and binge-buying. It’s time we repaired, restored and renewed the things we love
What does it say about fashion that I’ve been writing about clothes for more than 20 years, but my favourite T-shirt has a hole where the collar has come loose at the seam and I have no idea how to mend it? That I have a cupboard full of fashion show notebooks, but my sewing kit is the kind you find in a hotel room? I’m sure it’s not anything good, right?
Yet I love my clothes. Throwing any of them away seems to me scarcely less bleak than burning books. Call me an incurable romantic, but I believe I could live happily ever after with the clothes I have now. I’m not ruling out the odd moment of weakness – I’m only human, and occasionally lose self-control in the presence of hoop earrings or anything leopard print. And sometimes stuff wears out and needs to be replaced. But I’d love my wardrobe to live for ever.
