Keep the Piece : Buying Clothing with a Longer Lifespan
Shopping is hard. Even if you love clothes, trying to find items that are both worth your money and still on trend can give even the most fashion forward people a major headache. The unfortunate realities of fast fashion and microtrends (thanks Tik Tok) have left many flipping their closets multiple times a year, getting rid of items that could have lasted many more wears. According to The World Bank, over 62 million metric tons of clothing was consumed in 2019. As our society continues to succumb to the phrase “out with the old, in with the new,” the impact of getting rid of the “old” is quickly catching up to us. An article by Princeton University analyzing the effects of fast fashion discovered that 57% of all discarded clothing ends up in landfills. So, even if it seems better to donate to the Salvation Army or Goodwill than just throwing your clothes away, there’s still a rather high chance that your Shein top will end up in the same place regardless.
While the clear answer to this issue is to just shop sustainably, it should be acknowledged that sometimes, especially for college students, it’s not the most feasible option. The high price points of many of the most sustainable brands make fast fashion seem more realistic for many people who barely have enough money to eat something other than rice and chicken for the 4th time this week. But, as I’ve personally navigated the rocky road between having a clear conscience about contributing to the world ending and staying “on trend,” I’ve learned to keep a few things in mind while shopping to aid me in buying pieces that serve as timeless staples while reducing my environmental footprint.
Basic is Better:
If there’s one thing I’ve noticed, it's that my most basic, plain pieces of clothing are the ones that last the longest in my closet. Whether it’s a yellow halter top or a good pair of black (not skinny) jeans, these pieces have the most versatility and in turn, get the most wear. We can draw inspiration from fashion figures such as Caroline Bessenet-Kennedy, Princess Diana and Jennifer Aniston (aka Rachel Green), whose styles have stayed relevant throughout the years.
Quality over Quantity :
In an age where you can get a going-out top for less than $10, it can be ever enticing to stock up on every trend that comes your way. However, with a low price point comes low quality and in turn results in the constant replacement of pieces. Even before I was fully aware of the detrimental effects of the fashion industry, I was a great justifier for spendier purchases. The phrase “it’ll even out” became a slogan I used when talking to friends, when trying to convince my mom that I was actually responsible with my finances, or to make myself feel better when I dropped a little too much on an item I knew was higher quality, but also at a higher price point. Instead of having to constantly replace your leggings that cost $15 every 3 months, you can instead save and splurge on a pair that may be in the range of $80-100, but will last you a year or two - and in the end will even out. While this does take a little financial planning as a college student, it is a way to be more intentional with your purchases and slow the rise of overconsumption that is predicted to happen in the fashion industry over the next 10 years.
Identifying Long Lasting Trends:
With fashion all over Tik Tok, Instagram and Pinterest , the accessibility to new trends, cute clothes and influencers is greater than ever. This combined with the ease of Apple Pay and Auto-fill makes it almost effortless to make purchases online. The development of microtrends has risen in popularity due to these platforms and in turn has left people with clothing that quite frankly has a best use by date attached. I have no vendetta against social media, as I see it as such a great source for inspiration, but it’s important to be able to identify when a piece of clothing will have a lifespan that’s more than just a few weeks. The main way I do this is by not impulsively buying specific pieces that everyone seems to be wearing and instead trying to focus on trends that are broad in category and can have many variations. Wide-legged jeans, high-top sneakers, cropped sweaters and workout sets are all items that are technically “trendy” right now, but have enough versatility to last months and even years in your closet.
With these few things in mind, it is much easier to be more intentional about making clothing purchases, which is not only beneficial for the environment, but your wallet too. While staying on trend can be stressful, being able to change your perspective while shopping can allow for less focus on what everyone else is wearing, and instead transform what is “trendy” at that particular moment into your own personal style.
Image 1: Pinterest
Image 2: Pinterest
Image 3: Pinterest
Image 4: Aritzia
Image 5: Girlfriend
