This UAE blogger vowed not to buy clothes for a year

In January, self-confessed shopaholic Jessica Smit started her Ration the Fashion challenge to raise awareness for an important cause

Last year, Jessica Smit's life was quite different. The Scottish national, based in Abu Dhabi, was a self-confessed shopaholic and clothes hoarder, spending a large chunk of her monthly salary on her wardrobe. She would spend thousands of dirhams on clothes the day she got her salary, then allot whatever was left towards savings and other expenses. Sometimes, she would already have a virtual basket brimming with clothes, and buy it all the day she got paid. Or she would head to the mall with the aim to buy groceries, and come back with a new outfit or shoes.
Jessica Smit is a blogger - but not just any kind. She's also a green warrior, campaigning for the environment and against animal cruelty. Today, she's proudly vegan and even the beauty products she buys and reviews for her blog (www.foxesandfood.com) contain no animal byproducts and are not tested on animals.
So, when this eco-friendly beauty watched The True Cost, a documentary that explores the life of low-wage workers in developing countries making garments for fast fashion, last year, she was aghast. Which is why she decided to do something completely unheard of in the materialistic world we live in today - she made a vow not to buy any new clothing items for all of 2017. And so, her project, Ration The Fashion - One Year With No New Clothes was born.
With half the year over, we take stock of her personal challenge. Is it possible to stay away from the temptation of shopping in a country like the UAE? Hear it from her, in her own words.

HOW IT STARTED
I've always been really eco-friendly. Growing up in Scotland, we had a big forest behind our house and my sister and I would always run into it to collect all sorts of crazy stuff. I've always cared about animals too, and decided to turn vegetarian when I was 16. It was harder when I was living at home because my mum was cooking for six, but when I got my first place at 17, I bought only vegetarian food, and never looked back. So, the transition to veganism later was easy.
Last year, when I watched the documentary, I realised the effect fast fashion has - not just on people around the world, but on the planet - and I was shocked. At that time, I was buying a mass amount of cheap clothing. As they say, if something costs that little, someone out there is being paid that little. So, on one hand, I was this eco-conscious person but, on the other, I was wearing clothes that were as cheap as chips. I had a wardrobe obsession and didn't realise how much of a negative impact it was having on the planet and on other people. It was a wakeup call.
I wanted to use the blog as a platform to raise awareness for the issue, and the idea actually came out of nowhere. It was November or December last year, and I thought it was perfect since January was just coming up. I think the last clothing item I bought was in December - and then I went cold turkey. I haven't bought anything since January, not even a pair of socks.
The most challenging part was when I told people about it - the immediate reaction was 'it's never going to happen'. People were so sure that I couldn't do it, and that was deflating because it was something I was really excited about.  
When you take a step back, the first thing you realise is everything is basically urging you to shop. You see ads on TV or through Instagram accounts. Malls and radios are announcing sales. When I first started, I had to actually go on Instagram accounts and unfollow them to avoid the temptation. I had to clear my search browser history because ads kept popping up. It got difficult to go to malls because I would see something or the other that I really liked - and normally would have picked up - and I had to keep walking.


A PERSONAL JOURNEY
Since I took on this challenge, I could see my bank balance thanking me. This is my third year in the UAE, and my finances and savings are finally in order. Which is why I decided to use all the money I would normally spend shopping, and use it to travel instead. I wanted to engage with other people and show them how much of a difference Fairtrade clothes have on the lives of workers.
So, I contacted The Visible Factory, located in Dharamsala, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. I asked if I could come over and see the work they do and they agreed. So, I travelled to India for the first time and that was really cool. I spent a few days in the factories, getting to know the workers and interviewing them for my blog. There were some lovely people there who helped me by translating what the other locals were saying.
Seeing the difference in working in a Fairtrade factory as opposed to a sweat shop was amazing. The working conditions are great, the people are paid fairly, they get promotions and have career development.
On the second night, I actually stayed at one of the worker's house, along with his parents, wife and two kids. The lives these people lead are so different from the ones we have here, and I can't believe the things that we take for granted - like having a functioning ensuite bathroom. The kids were so happy - they didn't want video games or anything else, they were content to talk to me or braid my hair. They had so little, and they were so happy with it all. It was a humbling experience.
When I got back, I got rid of around 200 pieces of clothing. I was just looking at my wardrobe one day, and I realised I didn't need that stuff to make me happy. Some of these clothes are being donated to charity, others, upcycled. I'm also selling things through Shedd and My Ex Wardrobe.
I actually just got back from my second trip which was in Ghana. I went there to interact with the women behind Global Mamas, which sells handmade products and improves the lives of women in the region. That was life-changing in a different way. I realised that when you buy Fairtrade clothes, it goes towards someone's livelihood, someone's future. It can put a kid through school. 
 

RAISING AWARENESS
I've documented my journey through my YouTube channel. I believe that whether you're blogging about makeup or animals or food or photography, if you have a following, it's important to talk about issues that matter. Everyone has something they care about, whether it's animal cruelty or refugees, and I think bloggers can use their popularity to talk about these issues. Don't get me wrong - I love fashion bloggers. There are some great ones here. But if everybody is blogging about the same thing, nothing will ever change.
I believe that everyone can always do more. I've never cared for the term 'influencer'. I would rather provoke people's thoughts. I would rather inspire than influence.

THE DETOX EFFECT
If there's anything I've learnt in the last six months, it's that the money we spend impacts other people's lives... but most of the time, we don't see it. I've already researched places that pay workers fair wages and many are high street. I'd now rather have one dress I really love and can keep wearing again and again - and which I know people have been paid properly to make - than 12 cheap dresses.
Most of the time, people don't realise how addicted they are to shopping. They go to the mall and pick up all these clothes that they hadn't even thought of buying. The next time you see something you like, go home and sleep on it. If you still want it in a week, buy it! Most of the time, it's just impulse talking.
After six months of not shopping, I feel like I've been through a detox. Now, I don't even know what I'll buy first, once the year is over. Maybe some socks - I keep losing them.
janice@khaleejtimes.com