Picture this: you and your girlfriends are getting ready for a night out. Your makeup is flawless and your hair is looking story-worthy. You go to pick out the perfect going-out top to complete your look and the night takes a turn; you have nothing to wear. After a frustrating thirty minutes of looking high and low in your closet, you decide to do some damage to your wallet and conclude that some online shopping is needed ASAP. Here’s the harsh truth, it’s okay to repeat an outfit or two. Trust me, the Earth will thank you.
Overconsumption Hurts the planet
The trend cycle is moving faster than ever. It seems like every other post on my social media feed is the newest must-have shirt you need for a night out on the town. Usually, people turn to fast fashion companies to stay trendy since it’s more affordable. To keep up with consumers’ demands clothing companies have to produce products at a faster rate, which causes an increase in used resources and waste. What is shocking is Time Magazine reports that the clothing company Shein pushes out two thousand to ten thousand new styles of clothing each day. The Public Interest Research Group reports that one cotton T-shirt takes 700 gallons of water to produce and releases the greenhouse gas equivalent of driving a car for ten miles, now imagine how much waste Shein alone is creating with their demanding production. Read more in-depth about the damage fast fashion has done to the environment here.
It’s expensive
Now I wouldn’t sit here and bash the going-out top without having fallen into the trap myself. I remember my first semester I was ecstatic about finally being free to go out whenever I wanted but most importantly wear whatever I wanted. I consider myself pretty mindful of my shopping habits, but my mindset shifted and I suddenly needed every cute top I found on the shelves. As a broke college student, I see why people would pick to order huge amounts of clothing on Shein or Amazon every time they feel as if their closet is missing another cute top. It’s exciting seeing so many trendy pieces of clothing, that are often dupes for more expensive brands, readily available to consumers. However, all the money spent buying multiple low-quality pieces of clothing could instead be invested into one high-quality piece of clothing. Investing in quality clothing items will save you money in the long run. Choosing to buy a quality piece of clothing means putting more thought into what you put into your closet, compared to buying a shirt because it’s cheap, cute, and readily available. Most of the time those cheap cute shirts will end up being thrown out because low-quality pieces fall apart quickly. Meaning it’s time for another shopping trip or clothing order, a consumer cycle that hurts your wallet.
Deinfluence yourself
I cannot even count how many aesthetics TikTok has made popular within the past year. Last I remember Mob Wife was the aesthetic everyone should adopt, or maybe it’s something else now. Nonetheless, to go with these new aesthetics come endless influencers guiding their followers on what to buy to achieve a certain look. I am all for finding inspiration through others, but when storefronts or codes come into play I find myself thinking, this is just another way for them to get money. So what I guess I am trying to say is yes, use social media to find inspiration but be mindful of what influencers are trying to push to their audiences.
Also, the best looks come from curating an aesthetic that is personal to you. Pinterest is my favorite way of finding tops that I can see myself wearing and not just buying because a TikToker told me their must-have shirts for the season. Standing out is more fashionable than wearing what everyone else is wearing, so be authentic to you!
Switching your style up can be done sustainably
I know that style is not a stagnant thing, that’s what makes it so exciting. There is nothing wrong with wanting to spice up your closet with a new top when you feel uninspired by your clothing. That being said, here are a few ways to change up your look sustainably:
- Thrifting is always my go-to. The thrill of finding something personal to your style is a feeling like no other. Plus, it can be turned into an activity you can do with friends!
- When I want something specific or don’t have good finds in thrift stores, I always turn to online resale sites like Depop, Poshmark, Thredup, and many more. Be wary of resellers though, many like to jack up the prices of popular items or brands.
- Borrow tops from a friend. Most of the time we surround ourselves with people who dress similarly to us. This is a perfect way to spice up your outfits without spending a dime.