Everyone has their green sins and one of mine is clothes

I don’t buy much stuff from the high street but I do rummage in second hand shops on a weekly basis. Actually, to be completely honest, if I spot just the thing in Zara or Topshop, I rarely hold back. So I’m keen to take the Wardrobe Refashioned Pledge - launched by a website that stylishly combines craft and thrift - to abstain from buying commercially manufactured new clothing. I'm especially pleased that it doesn’t forbid charity shop shopping.

Below is the pledge...

The Pledge
• I __________________ pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 / 4 / 6 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoated, recylcled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings! Signed__________________.

What I really like about this idea is that it gets you digging around in the bottom of your wardrobe and jazzing up old clothes. In my experience, spend an hour trying stuff on and making a mess of your room and you'll unearth all sorts of forgotten gems. It is also an exercise in the kind of restraint that being green requires. I'm starting this week. Let me just nab a pair of those boots I saw in Office first.

On the same thread, I officially became a swisher last night when I attended my first 'swishing' party - another word for clothes swapping for the uninitiated. Hosted by Futerra, a gaggle of girls rocked up with old clothes that we hung on a couple of giant rails. There was wine and lots of eyeing up of each others frocks. When the swishing officially began, we were allowed to grab anything we wanted. Just imagine. Free clothes. And jewellery. And shoes. To take away forever. I left wearing a whole new outfit. The best thing I heard over the evening was a Futerra employee telling me that the company keeps a rail in the office for staff clothes that are no longer wanted. What a terrific idea! Although I'm not sure if anyone in my office would been seen dead in my wardrobe mistakes.