BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE WARDROBE

How to save money and the planet

Story by Hollie Briceno

Illustration by

Ray

Alarcon Marquez

As a self-professed shopaholic, I've spent ridiculous amounts of money on clothes over the years, and I'm not proud of it. We fall into a cycle of constantly buying clothes because the fashion industry conditions us to do so. It's common to buy an outfit for one event, buy too much, or keep items in our closets that no longer fit.

According to Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner, author of “You Are What You Wear,” we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. If getting dressed in the mornings has become stressful and you think that buying more clothes is the solution: STOP.

Here is how to shop on a budget without sacrificing style and keeping your money where it belongs: in your wallet.

Clean Out Your Closet Shop At A Thrift Store

Before you start shopping, you’re going to need to remove every single item out of the closet. This is the only way to really see what we’re working with. You will want to go through and decide what to keep and what to donate or toss. I’ve found that the three-bin rule works best: one bin each for donation, keep and toss.

• Get rid of any duplicate items.

• Toss any items that are worn, frayed or have holes.

• If you haven’t worn an item in a year or it doesn’t fit you, donate it.

• If the item is new, or designer, look at selling the item on an online market like OfferUp.

• If it’s too hard to get rid of something, store those items away and out of the closet so it’s not taking up precious closet space. This will give you the room you need to see and store everything easily and neatly.

Shopping at thrift stores can be overwhelming, but if you approach the search strategically, you may add some incredible things to your wardrobe for a fraction of the cost of something brand-new.

• Go in with a list of what you want to purchase.

• Check the rack near the fitting rooms for hidden treasures.

• Try items on, even if it’s over your clothes.

• Inspect items for damage or stains.

• Shop on the “right” day. Thrift stores will usually put out newly donated items during the week when it’s slower. Also, you may want to check and see if the store offers a sale price on a specific day, like discounts for students or seniors.

• Be selective in your choices. We don’t want to keep wasting money on clothes that might be worn once.

Host A Clothing Swap 5 3

A clothing swap is ideal for friend groups who are around the same size, but anyone can participate as variety is great for swaps.

• Set rules ahead of time. Bring a set amount of clothing or take an item only if someone takes one of yours.

• Setting a date is key. Give people time to go through their closets, but not too much that they forget.

• Make it into a party, like we did. Everyone brought a bag of clothing and food. We ate, listened to music and watched fashion shows as we “shopped” each other’s closets.

• If there is anything left over, donate it. It’s a winwin for everyone.

Learn Proper Clothing Care

Create A Capsule Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is a limited number of interchangeable, complementary classic clothing pieces that don’t go out of style. This enables you to put together a range of ensembles for any occasion, and with a limited number of items.

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Be A Savvy Online Shopper

Breaking the online shopping habit may be challenging, but there are more effective approaches that will result in savings.

• Search for coupons to save money.

• Add things to your cart, but do not buy them right away.

• Comparison shop to purchase the same item for less money on a different site. Be mindful of shipping costs since shipping can cost as much as the item if you aren’t careful.

Many of us have fallen victim to “fast fashion.” We spend more money on clothes that don’t last and are replacing pieces after a few wears due to poor quality. These cheap clothes affect our environment. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing alone. Being socially conscious of where our clothes come from and taking better care of our garments can go a long way to saving us money.

• Spend more on quality pieces to decrease your cost per wear. Those $15 jeans that you wear once or twice due to trends or poor quality cost more than the expensive pants that are worn longer, reducing your cost in the long run.

• Let whites clothes soak in Oxy-Clean in warm or hot water for a few hours before washing. This will revitalize their brightness and remove most stains.

• Wash your clothes in cold water. Hot water can wear down the clothing fibers, reducing their longevity.

• Add less detergent to the load to make your clothes last longer and prevent build up.

• Use the proper detergent for dark clothes, which can protect their color.

• Clean your shoes after wearing them to preserve their look.

• Use a fabric shaver to easily remove fabric pills and lint.