The internal conflict of wanting to be utterly fashionable but knowing that the fashion industry has such a huge impact on the environment is a real one. There are so many way to keep up with trends while ensuring that your carbon footprint isn’t through the roof. After speaking with some of the amazing members of the Sustainable Living Society at DCU, we gained some incredibly useful insights. These are some of the tips they suggested to help keep the drip, but lose the moral guilt.
Discipline Yourself:
You do not need to buy every single item that pops up on your IG feed. Being disciplined when shopping means asking yourself before purchasing: Do I really need this? Is this a cheap piece of clothing that will last one or two wears, or is it good quality that will last me years? We shouldn’t be afraid of an outfit repeating, especially if it’s a banging outfit. And we definitely should not buy fast-fashion outfits with the intention of wearing them once!
Second-Hand:
Depop, eBay, Vestiaire, Shiopella and swap shops have made it easier than ever to buy second hand! If you really want to keep up with trends, typing fast-fashion brands into the Depop or eBay search bar will show you hundreds of second-hand options of pieces you may already have your eye on.
This worked with Social Media Officer, Amy Phillips, in finding a pair of Motel Rocks trousers that were purchased second-hand from Depop rather than buying directly from the fast-fashion company.
Alternatively, your friends and family are always there to borrow from. It may sound very ‘2nd year heading to a local GAA club disco’ of us to say borrow as many outfits as you need from friends. Especially if it’s for festivals or big nights out where an outfit would be worn once before being forgotten about.
Beware of Green-Washing:
As the desire to be more cautious of our impact on the environment grows, so does the need for companies to try and squeeze money from an environmentally-friendly audience. Brands such as H&M and Primark have started movements such as ‘Join Life’ and ‘Primark Cares’ to create the impression that the company is ethical. However, we know these companies to be underpaying staff overseas, and it’s only a small portion of their pieces that are environmentally friendly.
Don’t Buy Into Trends:
Trends are temporary, but staples are forever. Remember that what your buying could easily go out of fashion next week. Invest in pieces that you know are timeless, higher quality and versatile. This could be: a leather jacket, your perfect pair of denim jeans, a boyfriend blazer or a staple dress. This will save you money in the long run too, and all these pieces can be styled differently depending on accessories and make-up.
This can be seen with Social Media Officer, Emily Callan, in pairing a Primark blazer casually with leather trousers. This blazer can be seen as an outfit staple as it is easy to dress up or down, and is neutral so will suit any combination of colours.
Don’t Bin It:
Don’t throw away any clothes you don’t want to use anymore! Charity shops will happily accept all clothes whether they’re in good condition or in need of some reworking. This prevents clothes from ending up in landfill. Alternatively, if something rips, tears or breaks, binning it is not the answer. Yes charity shops will accept broken pieces, but if you would still love to wear the outfit, then fix it up a little! Many clothing alteration stores will fix any ripped seams or broken zips for you, and usually only at a small price!
Stay fashionable, stay sustainable!