THE MINDFUL DRESSER

We use clothing to portray who we are… or more accurately, who we think others think we are.

The act of getting dressed is, therefore, a social one. We don each shirt, shoe, and sock while considering where we will go that day, with whom we’ll meet, and the expectations these places and people hold for our appearance. We use like clothing like an armor to project a self we want others to see. This armor can be protection, disguise, comfort, a proud symbol, or a cage… depending on the day, the look, the activity.

By paying attention to these encounters and interactions with clothing, we begin to engage in mindful consumption.

BE YOU.

The Mindful Dresser will encourage you to honor who you are, so you may live into your full potential.

BE MINDFUL.

The Mindful Dresser will help you shape an expressed identity ethically, sustainably… mindfully.

01 GET IN THE KNOW

The Mindful Dresser website is designed to help clothing users acquire, use, and dispose of clothing in a way that honors the protective, aesthetic, and expressive value of clothing while making environmentally-friendly and socially-just consumption choices.

A MINDLESS INDUSTRY

The fashion industry is a $3 trillion marketing machine built on planned obsolescence and consumer mindlessness. Its supply chain is vast, often the subject of human rights concerns and an environmental dilemmas on the planet. It is a major part of the fourth largest consumption category after food, fuel, and transport. How we purchase, use, and dispose of this product has significant environmental and social consequences.

Fashion industry FActs

ECO-FOOTPRINT

○ 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions

○ 20% of industrial water pollution

○ 20% of wastewater

○ 25% of all chemicals in the world used in textile production

○ #2 consumer of world’s water supply

THE HUMAN REPORT CARD

HUMAN
REPORT CARD

○ 80% of workforce made up of young women, ages 18-24

○ #2 at-risk product category for modern slavery, after electronics

○ Reliant on voluntary oversight to monitor supply chain

○ Over 90% of workers cannot negotiate their wages and conditions

WASTE

○ Produces twice the clothing than it did 15 years ago, and consumers use it 40% less

○ 85% of clothing is sent to landfill where it will take hundreds or years to biodegrade

○ 60% of the clothing deposited at charity shops is never re-sold

○ Generates waste by producing too many clothes = burning or landfilling due to proprietary concern

○ Waste also accumulates in consumers' closets, becoming an emotional burden

02 PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

Stories are being collected about individuals who use their spiritual or religious experiences to simplify their clothing consumption habits.

CALL FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

Spirituality is a meaningful motivator for many. This study explores how spiritual or religious beliefs influence clothing habits. If your choices around clothing or appearance are guided by such beliefs, you may be a good fit for the study.

My Year with Real Constraints

I (sort of) did (tried) it (kind of)!

My Year with Real Constraints

Curious how setting a hard limit on shopping could change your habits—and your mindset? One writer tried Tiffanie Darke’s #Ruleof5, inspired by the “Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable” report, which challenges those in affluent countries to drastically cut back on fashion consumption. What started as a personal experiment turned into a deeper reflection on motivation, storytelling, and those sneaky justifications we all make.

Read Blog

03 GET INVOLVED

Whether you are interested in conducting research yourself or becoming involved as a research participant, this website provides opportunities to learn more about this important research endeavor.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

The intersection of spirituality and sustainable clothing consumption is increasingly becoming a recognized area of consumer behavior research that deserves attention.

Research Highlights

COVID-19

Research has shown that Covid-19 dramatically affected how people shopped for clothing. For a substantive segment of the global population, the pandemic inspired a shift in attitudes among clothing users, inspiring an embrace of minimalism, gratitude, greater consciousness, decreased fashion desire, and a desire for longevity and style confidence.

CLOTHES SHARING

Could clothing renting and resale platforms promote sustainable fashion consumption? Probably not. Research reveals that the primary motives to engage in clothes sharing via online platforms are saving money, saving time, finding desirable product assortment, utility, and no burden of ownership. Any time we can avoid buying a new product, the planet wins; however, research shows that these emerging platforms are not necessarily fostering a culture that values secondhand. Instead it is seen as another way to buy fast fashion at a cheap price.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Though being female with a high interest in fashion trends have both been shown to increase one’s clothing acquisition, an interest in fashion need not contradict sustainability. Research shows that even a high interest in fashion may increase an intention to adopt emerging sustainable fashion business models that reduce material consumption and services like styling or repair to support clothing longevity. Even a desire for distinction from others has been correlated with greater acceptance of new models, such as redesigned clothing, clothing repair, renting, swapping, and style consultancy services.

STYLE CONFIDENCE

Research shows that clothing users who are style confident are significantly more likely to practice wardrobe engagement (e.g., closet organization, sorting) and preservation (e.g., repair, careful storage) strategies. Style confidence can be fostered by strengthening one’s style longevity, aesthetic perceptual ability, creativity, appearance importance, and personal authenticity.

EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT

Research has shown that emotional attachment is a key element that supports clothing longevity. A garment’s utility and the memories we make with it are important drivers to establishing this emotional relationship with our clothes. One of the key challenges, however, is to keep these items in use, as some of our oldest clothing items are often relegated to storage.

FASHION DETOX

Research has shown that taking a prolonged period of time away from shopping altogether is an ideal way to jump start sustainable consumption. Taking a “detox” results in a better understanding of your personal style, tempers your desire for more, and reduces temptations. The Fashion Detox has been implemented in multiple countries and is recognized as a Sustainable Development Good Practice by the UN.

MINIMALISM

Research shows that adopting minimalism can enhance well-being and decrease depression, which includes decluttering, cautious shopping, choosing longevity, and focusing on self-sufficiency.