Sustainable fashion is all about choosing quality items over quantity and avoiding impulsive purchases. When we know how to avoid impulse buying we can create a better wardrobe for ourselves with clothing that we truly love and need. Keep reading the story to discover tips and tricks for how to buy less and better for yourself […]
Haven’t we all felt overwhelmed by the amount of clothes in our wardrobes and thought: “what was I thinking?!” It’s not a nice feeling especially when, despite the huge amount of garments we own, we feel like we have nothing to wear!
This is Gaia from @ssustainably_ and here I’m sharing with you some tips that helped me — so you can also shop mindfully and make sure you’re only bringing home things you love
Start by figuring out your style
To buy better I like to start from my wardrobe. What kind of garments do I like? What looks best on me? What shape/silhouette enhance my figure best? What do I feel most comfortable in? What colours look best? Figuring out my style has proven to be essential for me to become a more conscious consumer. The days of buying just anything I laid my eyes on are over.
Rearrange your clothes
When my wardrobe starts to feel overwhelming, I usually divide the clothes I love and wear often from those that are totally not my style. By doing so, I can understand what my favourite clothes are and notice what about them I like, in order to have a clear idea of what to look for next time I go shopping.
Decluttering is also good for our mind, Researchers at UCLA’s Centre on Everyday Lives and Families found a direct link between cortisol, the stress hormone and clutter!
Focus on what you really need
I’m not a minimalist, but coming to terms with the amount of clothes I own, made me realise that I bought many things without giving it much thought, I now try to focus on what I really need and question every purchase reminding myself of all the resources that went into making that item.
I have come to the conclusion that clothes shouldn’t be the frivolous buys that I quickly accumulate at the back of my wardrobes; they should be thoughtful purchases I care about and treasure for a long time.
How to do this on Renoon: look for something specific in the app and save all the filtering in your “saved searches”. This will help you keep the focus on what you really need.
Start buying according to your style
After doing my best at decluttering (which doesn’t mean disposing of anything I no longer like) I like to make a list (mental or physical) of what I need in my wardrobes. Here comes the tricky part…trying to stick to that list when I go shopping isn’t always easy. I like to remind myself to choose versatile items instead of trendy ones that will quickly become outdated. This doesn’t mean that I only buy plain boring beige basics, it means understanding my style and buying what looks good on me so that it’s more likely to last. Our bodies and our preferences might change, of course, but well made garments will be able to be resold or donated.
How to do this on Renoon: add the brands that you find matching your style to your list. This way you can keep an eye on them in the “following” section of the explore and avoid distraction.
Finally, what? browsing online?
Most of us have replaced physical shopping with virtual, online browsing. Having a lot of choices can be overwhelming which is why I love the new Renoon app that allows you to save your favourite brands and set your preferences so that you only see what’s relevant to you instead of feeling drowned in infinite product pages.
I find that using filters when browsing online is essential to not be distracted by irrelevant products.
Another aspect of mindful shopping is learning to just browse. This one was quite challenging for me as I always felt like I was missing out if I didn’t buy anything when going shopping, but it’s important to appreciate just looking at clothes without the need to always buy something.
How to do this on Renoon: we are designing a new feature in the app that will help you create your “collections” and keep them organized. Send us your opinion in the meantime.
Waiting is not always easy but so important! If I see something I like, I try to keep it in mind and if I still want it within a week/month then I go ahead and buy it. Also something I categorically avoid is shopping when I’m sad or upset, I used to always browse online shops whenever I felt low, and often bought items just to feel that rush of excitement. It is hard to break old habits, and I often find myself doing the same thing, but the happiness that comes from purchases is short lived and not a real way to deal with negative feelings.
Now if I can’t be rational with my purchases I don’t tempt myself but step away!
Your takeaway
This is a lot of information but the takeaway should be, don’t be hard on yourself, it’s okay if you make impulse purchases that weren’t ‘on your list’ , just putting more thoughts in your buys goes a long way.
Ask yourself do I already have something similar? Can I find x item secondhand or perhaps I could rent instead of buying if I need something just for one occasion? What company am I supporting with this purchase? Questions like that can guide you in your purchases and help you distinguish really useful buys from impulse purchases which you’ll regret soon after.
Remember that how you buy is more important than what you buy, you shouldn’t deprive yourself of anything, if you really like something and you know it’s going to last and you’ll wear it and love it for many years, then go for it.
Sustainable fashion is all about choosing quality over quantity and avoiding impulsive purchases. Changing the way you shop will lead you to a better wardrobe and you’ll no longer feel like you have nothing to wear.
