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How to Shop Better

Sustainability in Fashion

By Holly HarrisPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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Sustainability has been a hot topic as of late, and rightfully so. While I have endeavoured to take steps towards living more sustainably in many aspects of my life; for example, using reusable products instead of disposable plastics and recycling the plastic I do use, using eco-friendly kitty litter and compostable doggy bags, buying digital magazine subscriptions instead of hard copies… I will admit that my shopping habits have not lived up to my environmental ideals. Here and there I’ve invested in sustainably made pieces such as my Reformation jeans, but then I’ll fall back to buying however many cheap items from ASOS just because I fall in love with the look.

So how do you fight the impulse to grab whatever happens to look pretty and move towards sustainability? That’s what I want to find out in the new year, but here’s what I know so far.

Number one: consider purchases for longer. Do I really need another pair of black boots, just because they give me that perfect Matrix vinyl vibe? I’ve bought 3 pairs of black boots in the last 6 months. All I actually needed was a good sturdy pair to replace the last ones I bought a size too small (because finding a cool and comfy pair of fashionable boots in a women’s 11 is hard work!). To think, if I hadn’t bought those three $80 pairs, I could have forked out around $240 for some really special boots instead.

I have made a one-week rule for myself – once I see something I want, I have to wait one week before I go and buy it. It normally works, but it doesn’t tend to weed out the things I want just because of the look of it, rather than the practicality.

It’s a struggle in a fast fashion world as well – everyone’s posting their cool new looks all the time on social media, and you think, they look so cool, I want to look like that, I’m gonna buy something new. It’s a certain kind of fashion that always works on the internet but not always in real life. Sure, those leather look sock boots will look amazing with this outfit, but wouldn’t I rather wear some flat shoes, something easy to walk in? I’m definitely guilty of taking a photo in heels and then switching to Doc Martens to go out…

It’s something I need to do better, but buying pieces that are both cute and practical in the long run is the way to go.

Number 2: don’t settle for ‘ok’ items. If it’s not singing to you, if it’s not quite a perfect fit, if the waist doesn’t sit quite right but then you think, if ‘it’ll probably look ok if I belt it’ and buy it anyway, and then you go home and try it with a belt and it just doesn’t look how you thought, but you’re determined that it’s good enough for you to wear. Then, a year later you’re looking through your closet, because you don’t know what to wear… and there it is, the not-quite-right piece with the tag still on, that you never wore and should have returned, or just not have bought it in the first place. Maybe that’s a little too on the nose. Hurts just a little to think about – again, could have saved that money to spend on something better.

I probably can’t count on two hands the number of items I’ve ordered online over the years that have not quite fit how I pictured, but I didn’t return them because I thought the effort to make it work would be less than the effort to just print out the return sticker and stick it in the post box. Most of those items lived in my wardrobe with the tag on and eventually get tossed in my little ‘items to sell’ crate because I’m mad at myself for wasting my money on them.

Generally, if you don’t love the way you look in something, you probably won’t wear it outside of the house. So make sure the pieces you buy fit you great, are flattering for your shape and will fit with other things in your wardrobe.

Number three: invest in quality products, rather than quantity. I’m happy to see that people are stepping away from the idea of fast fashion, but it’s still hard as a young person with not a lot of money to see a cute skirt for $20 and not want to buy it. To the point where I’ve noticed a lot of fashion YouTubers complain that as little as $30 is too steep for a mini skirt, because the garment feels cheap. The thing is, that is cheap. If you consider the cost of materials, manufacturing, labour, profits… $30 is probably not enough to cover that. Which begs to question, who’s getting paid to make them? Is it even close to enough?

A better world would see more people raving about the quality sustainable products they’ve invested in, rather than their new haul of the week. Pieces that are well made, by well paid workers, that will last at minimum a year or two and are versatile enough to be worn in a number of ways. Not the super cute pair of flare pants I got from ASOS that split at the seam the second time I put them on (of course, I fixed them, but I’m always a bit scared to wear them anywhere in case it happens again…).

What is sustainable piece though? Is it enough to pick something that can fit into a number of different outfits, or should I be checking the materials of every item I buy? Do I need to be researching each brand for sustainable practices? How do I force myself to say no and look for an alternative when the piece I already fell in love with turns out to be made of polyester, which will release micro plastics every time I wash it?

I know myself, and I know that I make excuses. I’ll admit that I looked into buying a pair of white sneakers from Veja, who use eco-friendly materials and pay their workers a living wage – but then chose to buy from Fila, who aren’t at all transparent about their practices.

That’s why I want to do better in the new year. It’s time for the planet to come first. I’ve got a lot of research to do, and I know I’m going to make mistakes and probably give myself too many free passes. But the point is this: if we all try to do just a bit better, we’ll be better off for it.

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About the Creator

Holly Harris

I'm a fashion stylist living in Melbourne, Australia. I'm passionate about sustainability and how to maintain a sense of fun and creativity in fashion while working against fast fashion and consumerism.

FB/IG: @hollyharrisstyling

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