Trying to build a more sustainable wardrobe? Here are 11 easy ways to have a more sustainable wardrobe.
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We live in a world of overconsumption and overproduction, especially when it comes to the fashion industry. Because of this, 21 billion pounds of clothing end up in landfills each year.
We all have made the mistake of purchasing unnecessary items, falling into the rath of fleeting fast fashion trends and rotating our closet every season with new items. Everyone does it. It’s completely normal. It’s part of keeping up our self-image and presenting ourselves to the world, but we can all take steps to do better and have a more sustainable wardrobe.
This post is all about how to have a sustainable wardrobe.
How to Have a Sustainable Wardrobe:
1. Shop less
The number one way to have a more sustainable wardrobe is to shop less. Even if you are shopping second-hand or sustainable brands, overconsumption still fuels the production rate.
Shopping less can be hard, but below you will learn more tips to consider and questions to ask yourself when shopping to help you purchase less.
2. Only purchase pieces you love
You’ve probably heard the saying “if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.” It’s a great saying, not just a good saying, especially when in the fitting room. If you don’t love it in the store, you definitely won’t love it once you bring it home. Every item in your wardrobe (when styled properly) should make you feel like your most confident self.
Ask yourself if this piece fits in with your personal style, or if it is just a fleeting trend you’ve been influenced into liking. My new way of determining if I should purchase an item or not is to ask myself, “Would I be proud to pass this piece down to a future daughter?” Or, if you don’t plan on having kids, “Will I look back and feel proud I wore this? Is it something I would pull out of my closet and talk about if I were on a Vogue closet tour video?” It really puts things into perspective. If you won’t be proud of it in years to come, it’s not worth wearing now.
3. Consider how pieces will fit in your wardrobe
When considering purchasing a new item, think about how you will style the item. I often make the mistake of purchasing items without thinking about how I would style them, then I end up not wearing the item and feeling like I have nothing to wear, despite having an overflowing closet of clothing. You may think the solution is to buy full outfits when you shop, but it is more sustainable, and more true to yourself, if you are able to style the piece with other pieces in your personal wardrobe.
Instead of purchasing full outfits at a time or blindlessly purchasing random pieces without considering how you’ll style them, make sure you can style the item at least 5 ways in your current wardrobe before clicking “check out.” If you don’t own the items you imagine yourself styling the piece with, give it a second thought.
4. Consider where you’ll wear the item
Also, consider where you’ll wear the item. It’s great to think, “I’ll have this saved for a special occasion,” but if you let yourself make purchases like that too often, you’ll end up feeling like you have nothing to wear in your everyday life. I often make the mistake of purchasing clothes that I see on Instagram or could see myself taking a photo in, but they don’t fit into my everyday life. I try to combat this by imagining where I’d wear a piece, but I am also working on making my everyday, real-life style more true to myself by only wearing outfits that I’d also share online or outfits that I am proud of rather than wearing easy-out outfits I don’t feel my best in.
If you have to purchase additional items to make the piece work, or don’t see yourself wearing it, it’s probably not the right item for your wardrobe and lifestyle, and it probably does not fit your personal style.
5. Only purchase pieces that fill a need in your closet
When you’re getting dressed, pay attention to the lacking areas of your wardrobe, and make a list. For example, if you find yourself wishing you had a good pair of trousers every time you get dressed, add it to the list. Then, when you’re shopping, ask yourself, “Does this item fill a need in my wardrobe.” If it doesn’t, consider the above tips to determine if you really need it.
Another thing I like to ask myself is, “Will this item make me not want the original item on my wishlist.” For example, If you really want the Balenciaga city bag, but are considering a similar moto bag, will that bag make you not want the Balenciaga? For this specific question, I have ultimately determined that a similar bag won’t make me not want the Balenciaga, so I shouldn’t waste my money purchasing a cheaper, probably worse quality and less ethically made bag that I ultimately won’t want forever because the purchase will only fuel overproduction.
6. Get items fixed
So often, there are items I love that if one small thing was changed, they would be perfect. If you purchase an item you love that is simply too long, a little too big in the waist or has sleeves that are slightly too long, get the item hemmed! Even if the garment needs more work than a simple fix, take it to your local tailor and see what can be done with it, that is, if it has already met the above requirements and you have determined it is the right piece for your wardrobe.
The same thing goes for items you already have in your closet. If you have determined you would wear the item more if it fit better or was cut differently, get it changed! I’ve seen tailors make amazing transformations before. But only put in the effort of tailoring the item if you know you’ll wear it. I’ve gotten items tailored hoping I would love them after, but then never ended up wearing them.
7. Shop second hand
Shopping second-hand is so much better than shopping fast fashion, and it truly helps you find your personal style. I have purchased some of my all-time favorite pieces second-hand. You can shop second-hand through websites, such as Poshmark, Ebay, Depop, Mercari, The RealReal and Curtsy, and at thrift stores, such as local thrift stores, Goodwill and Salvation Army. You may think that shopping at thrift stores is “stealing from the poor,” but, in reality, thousands, if not millions, of pounds end up in landfills, even after they go through thrift stores. Shopping from thrift stores helps keep clothing out of landfills.
… But don’t over-shop. When thrifting (or shopping sales) I like to ask myself, “Would I buy this item if I had to pay shipping for it? Or if it was at full price?” If the answer is no, you probably won’t keep the item in your wardrobe long enough to justify purchasing it. Think about it. The quicker the over-turn of items in your closet, the more you shop. The more you shop, the more it contributes to overconsumption and, in turn, overproduction. Slowing your consumption rate is the best way to have a sustainable wardrobe.
8. Shop sustainable brands and small business
When you do need to make a new purchase, try to shop small or sustainable. Good On You is a great resource that will help you learn how sustainable and ethical your favorite brands are and discover new brands.
9. Rent clothing
Did you know there are several rental services subscription companies? Brands such as Rent The Runway, FashionPass and Nuuly allow you to rent pieces on a one-time basis or a set basis, such as weekly or monthly. These services are perfect for when you are looking for something for a special occasion, such as a wedding guest dress.
10. Learn to care for your clothing
Once you have built an authentic wardrobe that is filled with items you love that fit your personal style, the best way to be more sustainable is to take care of what you already own. Taking care of your clothing by washing it in cold water, hanging delicate items to dry, washing your clothes less (only if truly dirty) and paying attention to care labels can help it last longer, meaning you won’t have to buy as much.
11. Shop your wardrobe
As I said before, the best way to have a more sustainable wardrobe is to shop less. You can easily do this by changing your mindset when digging through your wardrobe to the mindset of “shopping your closet.” Look at your pieces and get excited about the opportunity to wear them again. Challenge yourself to style them in new ways. Get excited about pulling out last season’s items for the new season. Love your wardrobe.
Great blog filled with valuable information that is so important for sustainability!