Dry January is, at least in the UK, an opportunity for people to give up alcohol for a month to recover from some of the excesses of the holidays. It is in that same spirit that during January, Permanent Style will not write about any new clothing.
The idea is to encourage readers to value what they have, to focus on looking after it, and to perhaps reflect on the retail excesses of Christmas. Upcoming articles will talk about which clothes stand the test of time, how good clothes can be repaired, and how to restyle and reconsider things that are already in the closet.
I will be doing the same, not buying any new clothes during January and instead focusing on what I already have. I know I have a problem with buying too many things – with shopping as a form of entertainment – and I think this will be productive and healthy.
Of course, I’m not going to tell anyone else what to do. Many people don’t buy too much or are only at the beginning of their sartorial journey. What readers do is entirely up to them.
But it feels very much in keeping with the spirit of Permanent Style to promote quality clothing by talking – for four short weeks – only about how that clothing lasts and how to wear it.
And in the long run, it can only help encourage people to make the kind of considered decisions PS has always advocated.
Many articles will remain the same. There will be a distinct lack of Top 10s, however, and one or two more on how great things age. Reader profiles will ask how the subjects look after their clothes, and which ones have lasted the best. There will be a new Style Breakdown project looking at overcoats.
I think it will be interesting to take a step back, especially as everyone else is flocking to the New Year sales.
Perhaps you’ll actually get around to washing those sweaters, or have a go at darning. Maybe you’ll try wearing one piece of clothing every day for a while, and discover new combinations.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and experiments. As ever, it’s invaluable to me and the other hundreds of thousands of people reading – who might never comment, but always love hearing from everyone else.
I hope you find Dry January useful and interesting, perhaps even inspiring. We start on Wednesday with a piece about organising outfits.
