4 Tips on Transitioning to a Sustainable Wardrobe
So you’ve heard about sustainable fashion and want to support it yourself. That’s fantastic, but figuring out where to start can be a bit of a challenge. There are so many Instagram fashionista, wardrobe gurus, amazing brands, and slow fashion blogs out there that it can all get a little overwhelming. So if you’re worried about dipping your toes in the slow fashion waters, we’re here to help. Here are four tips on transitioning to a more sustainable and eco-friendly wardrobe.
Donate What You Don’t Wear
As with any big change in your life, it’s always best to start small. Trying to change an entire wardrobe over at once is a lot, but changing a smaller, more minimal wardrobe becomes a lot more manageable. To do this, you need to be conscious of what you actually wear and what is simply sitting in your closet taking up space. An easy way to do this is to hang up everything with the hanger hook facing in, and as you wear the pieces switch the hanger hook to facing out. Within a relatively short period of time you should be able to see what you actually are wearing. Donating or clothes swapping the rest will not only help you declutter, it’ll help you figure out what your color pallet is, what styles you really like, and what to focus on when it is time to switch your wardrobe.
Shop for Classic Looks
Next, when you’re favorites are starting to get worn out and it’s time to replace them, look for pieces that are timeless. One of fast fashion’s big tricks is to get you chasing after the latest trends, but did you know that clothing is usually only worn 7 times before being discarded? Chasing trends is a surefire ticket to that 7 times and done unsustainable lifestyle. Classic looks are versatile, seasonless, and easy to look good in, and so if you are going to get you #30wears or #100wears out of an outfit you want all of that. Luckily both vintage shops and sustainable fashion brands will be filled with classic essentials for your wardrobe, so timeless quality won't be too hard to find.
Learn to Mix, Match, and Layer
The next big tip to going sustainable with your fashion is learning to mix, match and layer. Sustainable fashion pieces are often investment pieces, in that they’ll save you money in the long run but will cost a little more up front. A natural consequence of this and the #wear30 movement is that you’ll be wearing the same pieces quite a bit, but doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a uniform. Getting creative with your outfit mixing will let you take each piece much further while keeping your outfits fresh. We highly recommend following #shopyourcloset and lookup up closet shopping tips for unusual but working outfit pairings, odd ways to wear dresses, and other fun ideas for making your sustainable fashion go that extra mile.
Accessorize
And finally, remember to accessorize. Sustainable fashion means more than just the dresses and blouses. A stylish bag by Rust & Fray, exotic earrings by Jacto Jewelry, or a classic wool hat by Yellow 108 will keep you fashionable and sustainable. Fun accessories will also help improve your #30wears game, as the right accessory can completely revolution a look. Also, if you are in the mood to do a little DIY, upcycling accessories tend to be some of the easiest ways to reuse an old piece of yours. Check out this tutorial on how to upcycle some old sweaters into a brand new scarf!
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