Wednesday, April 19, 2006

WANT and NEED

Have you ever wondered what the difference is, or have you just always got what you wanted?
The spring clothes are in the shops and a little feeling inside me jumps up and says...I want one of those and one of those and one of that. Then I check and wonder whether I actually need the clothes, and in fact, I do not.
Whatever happened to planning our wardrobe. Clothes used to be handsewn and family members used to be allocated certain clothes to make. Usually only similar patterns were used and the scraps of material would be used to make quilts. Nothing was wasted and small garments could be made out of clothes that were outgrown. Or they were carefully washed and folded, given to new family members etc. I suppose only one set of clothes was needed as smaller sizes would be available. What has changed is that material is as expensive as buying the finished article, people no longer have sewing skills and patience to make clothes that fit them.
I can resist the urge to go and buy new clothes. I can delight in the wardrobe that is full of the clothes I bought last year and years before. I recently received a full bag of clothes from my friend who has lost a lot of weight and am thus recycling my clothes and having something different to wear.
Who does an audit of their wardrobe? Who keeps classic, classy and good quality clothes in their wardrobe? What we have lost, is the care and attention that went into making the clothes and the appreciation of the time and effort so that we look after the clothes.
Clothes do not make a man.....sure...I get that. The media do a brilliant job at making me want things, sort of makes you lose your mind.
Then there is the opposite emotion.....I need to exercise....but I do not want to.

Today, with every decision you make to buy something, ask yourself whether you really need it, can you buy it second hand, can you make it and then make a responsible choice....as you are response able.

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