Style Doesn't Have to Hurt

All of a sudden "sustainable fashion" has just become a thing - activewear made of recycled plastic, ethically sourced cashmere, dye-free cotton, and eco-friendly denim...The idea is great, but the price tags are shocking. Looking at a $85 basic white tee the other day, I just felt like the only way I could rationalize buying it was to think of it as some kind of donation. But then I'd probably just make a donation to a trusted charity.

Not everyone can afford the kind of sustainable fashion the way it is being marketed today. I have no doubt that the industry will scale one day, driving down material and manufacturing costs to make eco-friendly styles more accessible and affordable (and, if I'm allowed to be greedy, more stylish too). But before that happens, sustainable fashion shouldn't be associated with a privileged lifestyle. Neither should it mean buying even more clothes.

Ultimately, sustainable fashion, at its core, is a smarter way of wardrobe management. Here are 5 tips that everyone can use to stay in style in a more earth-loving - and budget friendly - way:

1. Wash consciously. Let's start with something inevitable. If we must do laundry, why don't we do it right? Replace your liquid detergent with water-less alternatives, such as powder-based solutions. I've also seen cleaning formula pressed into a sheet of lightweight, soluble paper. Ditching the traditional liquid detergent not only helps reduce the use (and waste) of plastic containers, but also makes shipping more energy efficient, now that the package weight is significantly reduced with the water content taken out of the product. There are also household items you can use cross-functionally, such as baby shampoo. Hand wash wool, cashmere and silk in cold water with baby shampoo (or mild adult shampoo) to save yourself one trip to the dry cleaners, which can be harmful to the health and to the planet. You don't have to purchase additional products for special fabric care - this is advice from someone who grew up where the finest silk in the world is made.

2. Help your clothes fight aging. A white poplin shirt never goes out of style. It can be worn in so many different ways and paired up with anything to create a new outfit. It just never gets old. However, it can look old, if you don't treat it the way it deserves. I can't remember how many clothes I wanted to throw away because I thought they looked old - wrinkled, pilled, yellow and stained - even though their styles, patterns and silhouettes said otherwise. Give your clothes a second chance by giving them a nice and easy treatment, be it a quick steam, a good spray of tepid water, a thorough scan with a fabric shaver or a 30-min soak in the whitening solution, which you can choose from a variety of eco-friendly brands or even make with baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice. Just like our skin benefits from anti-aging efforts, so do our clothes.

3. Break the hormonal spell. What comes with impulsive shopping? Impulsive dumping. My relationship with my clothes seems to be hormone-driven: when I first see something in the store I just love it so much that I must have it, but then after wearing it a couple times, I can quickly lose interest. I still judge myself for being that way, but I've also found an easy trick to prevent myself from impulsively getting rid of something that I've impulsively bought in the first place. Try keeping a "legal separation" bin in your wardrobe. Before you sell or give away a piece of clothes that's no longer attractive, just leave it in that bin and never look at it again. Revisit the bin after three to six months, and you'll be surprised what kind of magic time has done to it, as most items in there just look wearable again. If you've ever been in a romantic relationship, you know what I'm talking about.

4. Borrow (or steal). Boyfriend jackets, mom jeans, daddy sneakers, grandma sweaters...I wouldn't be surprised if the next trend is annoying sibling PJ pants. You see, the fashion industry keeps re-inventing those names just so you feel connected and are willing to pay for that sweet connection. Why not look around your house and see if you could actually borrow something from the people that truly connect with you? I always start with accessories: dad's plaid cashmere scarf, hubby's high school baseball cap, and mom's hippie leather belt. Then there're jackets, shirts, sweaters, shorts...anything...just experiment. Put on a confident smile, and your outfit is complete. The beauty of "something borrowed" is precisely that unique unfitted look, coupled with the right amount of self-assurance.

5. Get creative. Upcycling, or reworking an old piece of clothes can be easier than you think. You don't have to get a sewing machine and restructure the whole piece. Most of the time it's all about the details. If you like doodling, get an acrylic marker and try it on a pair of jeans. There are a lot of things you can try sewing onto an old shirt or sweater: beads from a broken neckless, pompoms and jacquard ribbons, just to name a few. If you enjoy doing embroidery while binge watching Netflix, try adding to your shirt a small, unique logo of your own, a word that inspires you, or a couple of tiny patterns on the tip of the collars. It doesn't have to a masterpiece. Something as simple as replacing the old buttons with bolder ones could transform a commonplace top into a statement piece. You can even tune up the craziness by using different buttons if you keep a collections of spare ones like I do. Just have some fun with your old clothes, and you'll find yourself wanting to keep them much longer. It's not about how much of a style elevation you give to them, but a special attachment that grows out of the creative process and the sense of uniqueness they present.

Sustainable fashion is supposed to empower the earth, but ultimately it should also empower people. Instead of worrying about the pricey "consciousness" that isn't yet accessible to everyone, why not take pride in how you can love the planet in your own ways while sticking to a style that shows who you truly are? Style doesn't have to hurt - neither the planet, nor your wallet.