As leaves start turning 50 shades of brown and the unbearable Texas heat settles into tolerable humidity, it may be time for to revamp your wardrobe. Here are some tips for transitioning into fall style without adding damage to our planet.
Get Thrifty
Thrifting is a great way to recycle clothing. While the idea of sifting through endless piles of clothing for specific fall items may be intimidating, it is likely you’ll find treasure you didn’t know you needed in the first place. If the idea of walking around aimlessly still scares you, try shopping online at stores like Depop or the Asos Marketplace for your new style.
Be a DIY queen
Need a crop top, cut an old shirt you don’t wear. Want to join the bicycle short trend and have leggings with a hole at the bottom, cut them. With some scissors or fabric, you can transform any old piece of clothing into something new. This allows you to have a unique and personal piece, while recycling old clothes. Next time you’re procrastinating on that paper, check out Pinterest for some fashion project ideas.
Up Your Social Game
How many times have you browsed instagram for style inspiration or sat through a whole Youtube haul just to wish you had funds to buy everything? Media influences everything, including our style. Transitioning into a more sustainable lifestyle can be difficult. By filling your feed with eco-friendly fashionistas like Wear I Live or Unfancy, you’ll get motivation for starting your new wardrobe.
Invest, Invest, Invest
As much as we love good quality clothing, our wallet sometimes has other ideas. Believe it or not though, saving up for well made clothing can actually save you money and save our planet in the long run. Think about it. It would be better to pay for high quality leggings than to keep spending $5 pairs that keeps getting a hole in the same spot of your inner thighs. Fast fashion, trendy cheap clothing, contributes to textile waste. So do yourself and the environment a favor and invest in some pieces that are closet staples.
Downsize
When a new season comes around, you probably can’t wait to hit the stores to indulge in all the latest trends. Try to hold off and instead make sure you have the basics you need, instead of everything you want. At the beginning it may seem you need that extravagant coat, yet you’ll probably end up wearing the same trusty denim jacket all year round. If you’re looking to recycle old clothing, brands like Madewell, give you discounts for bringing in things like that old pair of jeans sitting at the bottom of your drawer.
Building a more sustainable closet is not always easy. With cute trendy clothing offered all around us at such affordable prices, it can be hard to resist temptation. However, every little thing counts so maybe start by thrifting just one pair of jeans or checking out ways to incorporate some brands with little environmental impact in your closet.