Emily Kielthy: I gave up shopping for one year — you can too

For those of us with new year’s resolutions to spend less, decrease our carbon footprint, reinvent our sense of style or be rid of bad habits, this may be the ideal time to give fast fashion a miss

Emily Kielthy, who gave up buying clothes for one year, with some of her favourite jackets. Picture: Moya Nolan

I was in Aldo on Mary Street, Dublin 1, asking for the manager. One month previously, I had returned an unnecessary pair of over-the-knee suede boots and, on this afternoon in December 2019, I was still waiting for the €120 to appear back in my account. A 20-something at Christmas time in Dublin, I was stone cold broke.

An apologetic supervisor told me the return had been processed and sent me to my bank branch — AIB on Chapel Street — to check on the money. In the bank, a customer service agent talked me through my statement and pointed out to me exactly when the €120 reached my account.