Is there anything innately wrong with wanting to look good or be in style? I think it depends but, don’t forget life lessons with Edna Mode (Incredibles). As she says, “I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.” While appearance can become all-consuming, fashion itself can be a way we validate personal expression and show self-care. It’s about individuality, though of course, fashion isn’t what makes us unique at the end of the day.
Entering into the conversation of sustainable fashion, one of the biggest hang-ups for me in the past has been the expense. It’s not unusual to be inspired when we see Instagram Influencers showing off their sustainable clothing yet, when I go to look at the brand, one shirt would cost half of my paycheck. So often I feel that I am being asked to choose between the environmental impact or the financial impact. There are clear and necessary reasons why sustainable clothing is often more expensive but, I have to be practical too, right?
Fast Fashion Frustrations
For the average American family, roughly 3.5% of their annual spending is on apparel. This number has actually remained fairly steady over the years. What has changed is the number of outfits that are owned, particularly by women. In 1930, the average woman owned 9 different outfits. Contrast this with today, where the average woman owns about 30 outfits. There has been a clear shift in clothing priorities.
This is a real personal journey for me. I’ve definitely struggled with fast fashion, particularly as it relates to sales. I don’t love spending lots of money on clothing, so the clearance racks are a big draw.
The “Wake-Up” Call
My fast fashion “wake-up call” was actually during a short stint of working retail. As a salesfloor associate, you are quick to pick up how the sale system works. It’s not about the quality of the product, but about your patience level. Do you want that item now, or are you willing to wait for it to be 70% off on the clearance rack (and possibly out of your size)?
The reality is, it’s probably only worth the sale price, though that doesn’t account for a fair-wage system for workers (we won’t get into that yet). Most of the time I was genuinely confused by the “cold shoulder” look, and I knew that “puffer” trash-bag jacket would probably be in most people’s trash cans by the next winter. So why would I spend my hard-earned money on something I didn’t really like?
Back to the Drawing Board
Ultimately, this isn’t about style trends, but about me. Time to sit at my desk and learn from those 1930s women. These are the questions I found myself left with:
- Are my spending habits under control (do I truly need the item)?
- Have I researched companies that are ethical and sustainable?
- Can I give clothing a second life instead (secondhand shopping)?
Of course, no one wants to stare at a paisley shirt (too 70s?) and ask all these questions, but maybe you should. This is a difficult journey because it involves a real change of motivations, as well as kicking instant gratification to the curb. I know I was afraid, afraid to have my eyes opened to all the problems with fast fashion, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to close them again.
Let’s look at some of the ways you can jump off the fast fashion train and still stick with a budget. Who says either the environment or the bank needs to break with your purchases?
What’s in My Pocket?
For any Enneagram fanatics out there, I am a type 7, so you can imagine that impulse control doesn’t come all that naturally. I am truly happy living in the dark when it comes to my finances (sorry, mom – you tried raising me well!). Unfortunately (or fortunately), finances have a funny way of creeping into the light and letting you know when you need to take a look at them.
When it comes to fast fashion, the retail industry banks on impulse buying. In fact, in a credit card poll conducted in 2016, 5 out of 6 Americans admitted to buying impulsively. Furthermore, this poll also found that roughly 50% of shoppers admitted to spending $100+ on an impulse buy, while 20% say they’ve spent $1000 impulsively. The industry itself enables impulse buying further with advertisement, careful placement of product, sales, and playing into consumer’s FOMO (“fear of missing out”).
I understand that the retail industry needs to make money, but I think as a consumer I need to have a plan. So, I’ll share my plan, and I hope to hear your plan in the comments below.
Minimize Wardrobe Goals
I enjoy the concept of a capsule wardrobe, but as a creative, it feels like assigning too many rules to my wardrobe. It’s also nearly impossible to have too many sweaters when you live in the Minnesotan tundra. That being said, I still stand behind the concept of a smaller wardrobe. Fewer items to work with requires me to be more creative about how I use those items.
There was a time when I had many pieces in my wardrobe that I theoretically liked yet would never wear for one reason or another. Maybe they weren’t really my color, or they didn’t fit comfortably (all Marie Kondo reasons to get rid of clothing). My advice: get rid of the clothing that doesn’t make you feel your best self (but do so responsibly). On the flip side, I think we all have those pieces in our wardrobe that we wear constantly, so why not have those pieces be your wardrobe? The truth is that no one really notices re-wearing of clothes.
Having a smaller wardrobe means that my wardrobe goals are also more specific. I know exactly what’s in my wardrobe and where there are holes (both literal and non-literal). Therefore, though sales are still appealing, I find myself less likely to fall prey to that “40% off everything that is overpriced, so we can lure you in with a sale” email.
Know Your Style
With the constant changes in fashion, knowing your style can be really difficult. That being said, it is really helpful to spend time figuring out what looks best on you in order to avoid thoughtless purchasing. There are many ways to do this including figuring out your best color palette, researching what is most flattering to your body shape, and reflecting your personality in your clothing.
Listening to healthy friends or family members in your life can also be helpful (just make sure it truly is uplifting advice!). Often times the people who love and know us best can see us more clearly than we see ourselves. I’ll never forget the day that one of my good friends said to me “Maggie, your style is so earthy-chic.” I laughed, but it’s stuck with me, and it’s become the way I see my style now too.
One of the most helpful tools in keeping track of my style and experimenting with it has been keeping a Pinterest fashion page. This page is a collage of both clothes I already own and clothing that I like. It’s a fun way to see how all of my clothes play together. This also keeps me from impulse buying. When I see something I really like online, I pin it to my Pinterest board first and let it sit for a while. That way I can truly see how it will work with my clothing, if it’s really my style, and if it fills any gaps in my wardrobe.
Plan Purchases
At the end of the day, I don’t have the money to be purchasing clothing constantly anyway, nor do I really need much. “Need” is a tricky term, as I recognize that I will always have more than I ever truly need. It’s a privilege to have the ability to enter into this conversation of having “too much.” A real moment for gratitude. That being said, there are clothing items that serve a purpose in my wardrobe. And it certainly wouldn’t be comfortable to go through a Minnesota winter without snow boots. So, how do I go about not buying new tennis shoes, a raincoat, and a work shirt all at one time? It’s all in the planning.
I like to plan my purchases ahead of time. It doesn’t always work out, but I do my best. I keep a little list on my phone called “Financial Planning” that helps me anticipate when certain expenses might roll around, and how I can line up clothing purchases with those expenses. I also try to purchase off-season, as many companies are trying to get rid of their items. Patience pays off!
Company Ethics
While spending my money responsibly is important, it is just as important to me that I am supporting a quality company. Now there are multiple things to evaluate when looking at a company’s ethics. Some key points to consider for me are: How do they treat their workers? Do they consider the environmental impact of their business? Is their product high-quality? Are they honest about their business practices?
I know that these questions are on many of our hearts and minds. Forbes reports that more than 6 in 10 consumers under the age of 30 care about and research company ethics. So, assuming that you care (because you’re still reading this), let’s look a little more closely at some of these questions.
Treatment of Workers
Hearing about hostile work environments and low pay for overseas garment workers is not new news for most of us. However, for many Americans, it’s generally not first on our minds simply due to proximity. It’s much easier to turn a blind eye to poor treatment of workers in East Asia, though simply not right.
That being said, the Department of Labor found wage violations at 85% of California retail factories they visited in 2016, with workers making as little as $4 an hour to an average of $7 an hour. Something to think about the next time you are tempted to buy a $2 Forever 21 Shirt. There’s a reason shops like that are able to sell their clothing for so cheap. Your desire to stay in fashion should not be at the expense of someone else’s paycheck and ability to feed their family.
I encourage you to read the business practices of the clothing companies you support. If the company cares about it, they will have an honest outline of how they treat their workers. Livable wages are certainly a large piece of this.
Honesty (Greenwashing)
Speaking of honesty, let’s chat about greenwashing. And no, it doesn’t mean using a green body wash or washing pesticides off of your broccoli. All jokes aside, many of you are probably already familiar with what this means. For those of you who aren’t, it’s basically a marketing scheme to make you think that a product is environmentally friendly by the way it is advertised and packaged when it’s really not.
A simple example of this is a plastic water bottle with mountains or a forest on it.
What I look for is quality green marketing. Is the company talking about sustainability, how their products are being produced, what they’re packaging with, recycling practices, and more? The more quality information they have on their business practices, the better. It just takes a few extra steps on your part.
Have any tips on how to weed out the good businesses from the pack? Let me know in the comments!
Environmental Impact
Bored yet? Too bad because we’re just about to start into the science, but not too much because too much science makes me cry. I just want to introduce you to the environmental impact items you should be on the lookout for when evaluating a company’s business practices. While there are many, some of the hot button topics include:
- Usage of natural resources (for example, water)
- How waste is handled (the goal is 100% recycling!)
- Transportation of goods
- Chemical Impact and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The goal isn’t that a company is perfect in all these areas, but that they demonstrate positive efforts and are constantly making improvements. I love receiving marketing emails about the strides a company has made in bettering their environmental impact. Now that’s a way to get me to buy something!
Quality of Product
Once you’ve decided that a company is worth supporting based on their business practices, it comes time to evaluate the quality of their product. What is it made of? How long is it going to last you? In essence, is it worth the investment?
“Cost per wear” is what we should evaluate instead of the cost of the actual item. One high-quality item that costs $40 dollars versus four $10 items that will only last a few wears is actually a better and more cost effective solution. This quote from Fashion Revolution is something that should be on all of our minds:
“Cheap prices make us believe they bring about savings for consumers. This may appear true in the short term, with a narrow focus and looking just at the money in our wallets, but all of us, as global citizens, will ultimately end up paying the external cost, the true cost for the unsustainable consumption and production of cheap clothing.”
We have a responsibility to care about the quality of the items we purchase. While there is a lot of debate surrounding what fabrics are actually sustainable, there does seem to be some consensus. Recycled cotton, organic cotton that is GOTS-certified, organic linen, and organic hemp all rank as favorites. Look to buy things that will last and remain favorites in your closet for many years to come. You will actually find it much easier to get dressed in the morning.
Secondhand Shopping
Before wrapping up, let’s talk about one of the easiest solutions to responsible shopping for both the environment and your finances: thrifting. At some point, thrifting became cool. Maybe it was because of Macklemore’s hit single: “Thrift Shop,” or maybe the 2008 recession forced the younger generation to get creative with their fashion choices. Regardless, secondhand shopping is the most sustainable choice there is (other than not buying anything at all!). You are taking something that already exists and giving it a second life.
The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing every year (Council for Textile Recycling) and compared to 15 years ago, Americans buy 60% more clothing yearly and keep it for half as long. This fact is easily proven in a thrift store. If you’ve spent any time at one of these stores, you will know that it’s not difficult to find brand new or gently used clothing.
One of the downsides to secondhand shopping is the need for patience. I’m not overly fond of sorting through lots of clothing with little to no organization. Some people love this! As a non-shopper, I prefer online thrift stores. I’ve mentioned Poshmark before, and this is just one such example of an online thrift store. There are many others out there.
I find that secondhand shopping is particularly good for me if I’m craving something trendy. That way I’m not investing my money into something that I may only like for a season or two.
Happy Shopping!
Shopping should be a happy occasion, but it should also be happy for the environment. So, let’s be good stewards of our wallets, our wardrobes, and our fellow workers. I plan to share some sustainable fashion brands that I’ve purchased from or am learning about in a future blog post, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, please share with me some ways that you shop sustainably and still celebrate your personal style. I’d love to celebrate with you in the comments!
Be Well. With Love.
merridee benham says
Hi Maggie,
I am supposed to be eating lunch because I have piano lessons this afternoon; instead I am enjoying your email, both informative and entertaining. I won’t even mention “my closet” because you already know about it having lived at our house for a few months. Thank you for your detailed and comprehensive analysis of our clothing purchases and helping us (me to rethink priorities). Since we are in Covid, I could get dressed up which I am longing to do, but then there would be no place to go. And it is easy to get sloppy when most of the time we are home, but I find getting semi-presentable, doing the hair, make-up is calming and helps our self-image and attitude. I have always loved your “look” and style; you make being presentable fun, and I do think you have a way with clothing selection. I love quality clothing but only if it is on the 40% off rack. Another thing…since I am a lot older than you as your grammie, I am coming to the place where I will wear what I want, even paisley
which comes and goes style wise, and I probably never will be current, but If I feel good and think I look as good as possible at this stage of life, there is a certain freedom in that. And besides style comes and goes. Having said all that…this morning I put one cute blouse in the donation bag because it no longer fits. Sorry for the long epistle…I guess I am missing you!!
Maggie says
I love hearing from you! It’s fun to hear how others think about fashion, especially across the generations. I say if you want to dress up just for you, go for it! Sometimes it’s important to look nice even if you don’t leave the house. I agree that it can do wonders for emotional health. Though, you are always welcome to FaceTime me if you need someone to see you all dressed up! Much love to you!