A minimalist approach to fast fashion

I’m going to start of by saying I am absolutely a work in progress when it comes to being a total clothing addict, it is extremely hard to change habits engrained over a lifetime without taking baby steps. I spent hours watching minimalist videos, taking inspiration from people who have a wardrobe with 10 items and I have made mistakes along the way. However, I have made my own rules (like we all should) when it comes to my personal approach to clothing, and how I can be more sustainable so I want to share with you some tips that may help you along the way.

Do an entire audit of all the clothes you own

Yes it’s painful, and it’s a long process, but it is extremely important to know what you have in your wardrobe. People often buy items because they have an overwhelming about of clothing to choose from, and actually forget what they already have. The way I do this is by taking absolutely every item of clothing I own and putting it on my bed. I go through each item, often trying it on, and deciding on whether to keep it. My deciding factors are usually; Does it still suit me? Have I worn it in the past year? Is it still ‘me’? I am a very sentimental person and this is usually my downfall, i’ll hold onto a jumper because it was gifted to me by someone I love or it has a memory attached. My advice? Be brutal. The person who gifted you the item would not want you to keep it if it no longer serves a purpose, that item could be perfect for someone else (will get onto that later on).

If you find after clearing out you are missing some items, write a list of what you need and stick to it

There may be items you are missing from your wardrobe after clearing out, so write out the things you need to have a ‘complete’ wardrobe and stick to this list. My rule is always use second hand resources first; Depop, Ebay, See if friends are also doing a wardrobe cull, look out for local second hand clothing sale events, go to charity shops. Always exhaust these options first, fast fashion is having an alarming impact on the planet - the fashion industry is one of the major polluting industries in the world. Production of crops, fibres and garments used in fashion all contribute to different forms of environmental pollution. If you can’t find it second hand, try and go for sustainable brands for the items you need, do your research on the ethics behind the places you shop and support brands that are leading the way in creating sustainable clothing. There are going to be times when money won't allow, or you can’t find what you need second hand, and you do end up buying something from a fast fashion brand - and thats okay, but it’s a case of being mindful, thinking about what you purchase and making sure it is the right decision every time.

Rehome the clothes that you no longer want in your wardrobe

Now you have everything you know you love, now you need to find a home for the clothes that you no longer want. There are so many options for this but as mentioned above, use online market places like Depop, Ebay, Facebook or Instagram. I always ask my friends or family if they’d like an item before I do anything. There are also events where people sell their second hand clothes, book yourself a slot and see what you can sell. I always do these things before I go to the charity shop, because as important as charity shops are, they can also become inundated with clothing and some may then end up in landfill as a result.

Once you have everything you know you love and will wear, create a ‘capsule’ wardrobe

I don’t know that I do the traditional capsule wardrobe technique, but there are hundreds of videos and blog posts on it if you want a more lengthy guide to this. If it is winter, your wardrobe needs to be filled with your winter appropriate clothing, the rest can be stored away for the season. This makes choosing outfits SO much easier, as everything you need is laid out clearly. I store my other clothing under my bed in storage boxes, and then when each season comes I switch out my wardrobe.

Rewear your clothes!

I cannot stress this one enough, the amount I see online, primarily on instagram where people buy an outfit for a photo/event/occasion and then don’t feel like they can wear it again because they have been photographed. This mindset is so incredibly damaging - wear your clothes over and over again, buy items that you can style with multiple outfits, life is too short to wear a jumper you love once because of instagram. It is also healthier for not only the planet but for your bank balance.

Unsubscribe to fast fashion brand mail lists

This one was biggest downfall, those damn emails with the very tempting discount codes and new ranges that I ‘absolutely needed' for the season. Unsubscribe. This doesn't mean you’ll never buy an item from them again, it means your blocking atleast some of the overwhelming pressure we are exposed to every single day as consumers. It is unavoidable to be advertised to, but you can stop it coming directly into your mail box, making the temptation a little bit less.

Now you’ve done all the hard work, think before you buy

You’ve put in all the effort, you’re happy with what you own, now it’s about maintaining. Think before you bring anything new into your wardrobe. Ask yourself some questions before you purchase anything new; Do I own something similar? Is this my style? Will it compliment what I already own? and the most important one - Am I buying this because I’m having a low moment? I can only speak for myself here but my shopping spikes 100% correlate with when I’m having a bit an identity crisis, and in my head another roll neck jumper is going to fix that - I can confirm it won’t. My rule of thumb is always leave at least two weeks before purchasing something, give yourself the time to mull over if you actually need the item. Majority of the time, the moment passes and I don’t end up buying the item because the impulse has worn off.

I hope this is helpful to somebody, like I said, I am absolutely not perfect but I really try to stick to these rules to manage and maintain my wardrobe, saves me money, time and I feel less guilty that my actions aren’t making matters worse when it comes to the climate issues we have.

Any tips you have are welcomed - I am always learning and it’s something I am incredibly passionate about so share in the comments!