I know it’s no longer Fashion Revolution Week, so it might not be on the ball for me to talk about this. However, I do believe that issues of fast fashion (and the environment) is one that we should always discuss. People always say that fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world—after oil—but, apparently, that is not entirely correct—it’s the fifth. That being said, it’s still one of the top five, meaning we are still in dire need to make some real changes on the industry.
Luckily, more and more people have seemed to become aware of this issue and changed their ways. There have been various challenges popping up here and there, like the 10×10 challenge, project 333 and shopping bans, which, with the affinity the internet has for challenges, may actually intrigue more people to wear what they already own. I myself have had a no-shopping year in 2016—which has roughly continued to this day. It’s been very fun and fulfilling to wear what I have, using each item to their maximum potential. And you know what? You could do it too!
Declutter Your Wardrobe
I think one of the first steps you could take is to really have a wardrobe full only of items you would actually wear. Take everything out of your wardrobe and really look at them. Ask yourself, “Am I going to wear this again ever?”—or, if you’re into Marie Kondo, you could ask, “Does this item still spark joy?”
If you haven’t worn the item in over a year or it no longer fits you, have the courage to get rid of it. Get some trash bags, boxes or any storage item of your choice and divide them into different categories—things you will sell, things you will donate and things you will hand down to someone you love. You can try these methods of discarding your clothes—without sending them to landfills.
Give Yourself a Style Challenge
One of my biggest prides in being a blogger is the ability to style a piece of clothing in many different ways—would’ve put it in my CV, if I could. Blogging has helped me unlock so many untapped potentials of my clothes and wear them in several unique ways. You can do it too!
Give yourself a challenge for a certain amount of time or a number of stylings. You can always give 10×10 challenge a try or make a capsule wardrobe with items you already own. Not only will this give you a fresh outlook on your clothes, but it’ll give a unique twist to your personal style. You’ll be surprised how abundant you have it already. Feel free to check out my mixology for inspirations.
Make Alterations
Often we don’t feel excited about our clothes, because we only love a certain element about the items. For instance, we may like the fabric of a certain dress, but not the length or the sleeves. Or maybe our clothes don’t allow us to flaunt our best features.
Before you go ahead and throw that item out, perhaps you can make changes to it, so you’ll love it better. Take in that waistline, perhaps, or shorten the hem. These changes can be relatively easy to make—and they don’t necessarily have to permanent, if you’re scared to take the leap—but if you’re not confident about your skills or feel lazy, you can always go to a tailor with your ideas. Here are some easy DIYs you can do, by the way.
Learn How to Care
Okay, I’ve got to admit: I’m not very good at this one either. However, I do believe that caring for your clothes properly can be a game changer. It can be as easy as figuring out which of your attire is dry-clean only or not iron-safe, but you can also take it a step further and find out exactly how to care for leather or what is the safest way to launder your bra.
If you know how to appropriately care for your clothes (and accessories), they tend to stay pristine and last longer. Of course, when something keeps looking pretty much like they’re brand new, we would be more excited to wear them out and about—a much better option than things that are literally falling apart.
Show It Off
Probably not the best advice—I don’t think it’s healthy to live for other people’s approval—but, to a degree, it has worked for me. Here’s the thing: everyone likes different things. It’s possible that an item you find hard to style turns out to look good on you in the eyes of others.
Even though you might find a t-shirt or a pair of pants to be rather mundane, others might disagree. Different items can invoke different reactions in people—and that may spark an old love in you. Of course, what I mean by this is, when you have an item you’re unsure about, try wearing it when you meet up with friends or show it on social media. Who knows? You may come to love the item.
Well, I hope that has been helpful and eye-opening for you guys. I’ve been living with pretty much the same wardrobe for the past 3 years or so—and I still can’t get enough of my own clothes. Everyday I find a new way to style my clothes and unlock more of their potentials. In fact, a lot of you guys have said to me that, despite the fact that I barely add anything new to my wardrobe, you don’t feel bored seeing the same items over and over again. You can do that with your clothes too! Of course, if you ever feel the need to shake things up, here are some alternatives to shopping fast fashion that you can do.
Let me know some other ways you’ve been rekindling old flames with your wardrobe!
I know it’s no longer Fashion Revolution Week, so it might not be on the ball for me to talk about this. However, I do believe that issues of fast fashion (and the environment) is one that we should always discuss. People always say that fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world—after oil—but, apparently, that is not entirely correct—it’s the fifth. That being said, it’s still one of the top five, meaning we are still in dire need to make some real changes on the industry.
Luckily, more and more people have seemed to become aware of this issue and changed their ways. There have been various challenges popping up here and there, like the 10×10 challenge, project 333 and shopping bans, which, with the affinity the internet has for challenges, may actually intrigue more people to wear what they already own. I myself have had a no-shopping year in 2016—which has roughly continued to this day. It’s been very fun and fulfilling to wear what I have, using each item to their maximum potential. And you know what? You could do it too!
Declutter Your Wardrobe
I think one of the first steps you could take is to really have a wardrobe full only of items you would actually wear. Take everything out of your wardrobe and really look at them. Ask yourself, “Am I going to wear this again ever?”—or, if you’re into Marie Kondo, you could ask, “Does this item still spark joy?”
If you haven’t worn the item in over a year or it no longer fits you, have the courage to get rid of it. Get some trash bags, boxes or any storage item of your choice and divide them into different categories—things you will sell, things you will donate and things you will hand down to someone you love. You can try these methods of discarding your clothes—without sending them to landfills.
Give Yourself a Style Challenge
One of my biggest prides in being a blogger is the ability to style a piece of clothing in many different ways—would’ve put it in my CV, if I could. Blogging has helped me unlock so many untapped potentials of my clothes and wear them in several unique ways. You can do it too!
Give yourself a challenge for a certain amount of time or a number of stylings. You can always give 10×10 challenge a try or make a capsule wardrobe with items you already own. Not only will this give you a fresh outlook on your clothes, but it’ll give a unique twist to your personal style. You’ll be surprised how abundant you have it already. Feel free to check out my mixology for inspirations.
Make Alterations
Often we don’t feel excited about our clothes, because we only love a certain element about the items. For instance, we may like the fabric of a certain dress, but not the length or the sleeves. Or maybe our clothes don’t allow us to flaunt our best features.
Before you go ahead and throw that item out, perhaps you can make changes to it, so you’ll love it better. Take in that waistline, perhaps, or shorten the hem. These changes can be relatively easy to make—and they don’t necessarily have to permanent, if you’re scared to take the leap—but if you’re not confident about your skills or feel lazy, you can always go to a tailor with your ideas. Here are some easy DIYs you can do, by the way.
Learn How to Care
Okay, I’ve got to admit: I’m not very good at this one either. However, I do believe that caring for your clothes properly can be a game changer. It can be as easy as figuring out which of your attire is dry-clean only or not iron-safe, but you can also take it a step further and find out exactly how to care for leather or what is the safest way to launder your bra.
If you know how to appropriately care for your clothes (and accessories), they tend to stay pristine and last longer. Of course, when something keeps looking pretty much like they’re brand new, we would be more excited to wear them out and about—a much better option than things that are literally falling apart.
Show It Off
Probably not the best advice—I don’t think it’s healthy to live for other people’s approval—but, to a degree, it has worked for me. Here’s the thing: everyone likes different things. It’s possible that an item you find hard to style turns out to look good on you in the eyes of others.
Even though you might find a t-shirt or a pair of pants to be rather mundane, others might disagree. Different items can invoke different reactions in people—and that may spark an old love in you. Of course, what I mean by this is, when you have an item you’re unsure about, try wearing it when you meet up with friends or show it on social media. Who knows? You may come to love the item.
Well, I hope that has been helpful and eye-opening for you guys. I’ve been living with pretty much the same wardrobe for the past 3 years or so—and I still can’t get enough of my own clothes. Everyday I find a new way to style my clothes and unlock more of their potentials. In fact, a lot of you guys have said to me that, despite the fact that I barely add anything new to my wardrobe, you don’t feel bored seeing the same items over and over again. You can do that with your clothes too! Of course, if you ever feel the need to shake things up, here are some alternatives to shopping fast fashion that you can do.
Let me know some other ways you’ve been rekindling old flames with your wardrobe!