We have grown accustomed to keeping track of how many steps we take each day, our sleeping patterns, and how much time we spend staring at our phone screens. The totting-up pattern is now also making an appearance in our outfits.
Fashion enthusiasts are promoting the idea of online tracking one’s daily attire over the course of the following 12 months in order to track how frequently each item is worn, which would reduce consumption and result in cost savings.
Some people post regular mirror selfies to social media, listing each outfit they are sporting. Others conduct clothing inventories, compiling thorough spreadsheets that divide items into cost-per-wear categories.
Apps that allow users to upload pictures of their current clothing and accessories to make their own online wardrobes are also becoming more popular. According to a Whering spokesperson, uploads from users with more than 600,000 items submitted in the first four days of January alone have increased by 34 % year over year.
The pattern of attire tracking is being driven by proponents of sustainability like author Aja Barber. She says, “It motivates me to use my entire wardrobe. It tells me how much I’m wearing specific goods and it encourages us to try new bands and catalog the journey.”
The creator of the shopping email Magasin, Laura Reilly, released a list of all she purchased in 2023 last year along with an accompanying cost-per-use analysis. A Bottega Veneta bag that was originally purchased for more than £1, 000 worked out for about £14 per use, whereas a dark Gap tank top costs about 14p per use.
The “75-day difficult style problem” on TikTok has gained popularity, with the hashtag garnering more than 390,000 views in its first five times. It’s a style spin on an already well-known health issue, and it was coined by New York-based style analyst Mandy Lee. Lee has asked participants to record their appearance each day and refrain from purchasing something fresh, as opposed to working out for 75 consecutive times.
As more groups, including those between the ages of 12 and 27, look for an alternative to quick fashion, these types of recording trends signal a change in consumer behavior. These practices include consciously purchasing goods from secondhand stores as opposed to, say, showcasing sales from merchants like Shein, which on average uploads a staggering 10,000 items to its website each day.
Otherwise, the tracking trend takes into account additional conservation issues like “no purchase January” and “30 wears,” which advises at least 30 days wearing a piece of clothing to demonstrate its environmental impact.
Daily tracking is a way to prevent old habits from resurfacing, according to Hannah Rochell, the creator of slowette .com, an online store that promotes sustainable fashion and who previously participated in an annual shopping ban. It’s assisting me in comprehending the kind of clothing I wear. It’s a means for me to update and tell myself that I already have enough clothing.
Lee’s issue is open to everyone from teenagers to retirees. Lee asserts that “you can’t buy your way into style.” For many people, tapping “add to cart” while scrolling has developed into a routine. This issue aids in breaking that cycle so you can concentrate and value what you already have.