Let’s face it—shopping for clothes has never been more tempting. Fast fashion brands continuously develop new products daily, and we are always just a click away from a new, better deal. But honestly, what if I tell you that how we shop also impacts our pockets and our planet?
If you are tired of buying clothes that are not necessary, expensive, or used only once or twice, then it’s high time you correct yourself. Whether you’re looking to buy a new item of clothing or are in the process of updating your wardrobe, I’ll share some basic yet practical steps towards making a more mindful fashion purchase in this blog. We’re tired of unsustainable fashion, and the countless clothes people don’t even wear anymore. The time is right to discard the buying craze and start building a sustainable wardrobe.
Fast fashion: Know the True Price
Notably, potential risks are defied before the purchaser reaches the final step of placing an order: hitting the button with the declaration “add to cart.” Fast fashion operates based on cheaper and, often, relatively stylish products that are produced and sold in large quantities. Still, they are inexpensive when we buy them, but the long-term costs are much higher in terms of money ethics and environmental impact.
Fast fashion leads to wastage, pollution, and exploitation of labor. The clothes are usually low quality; one is bound to discard them after a few uses. Non-reusable clothing creates tendencies to buy many such garments, and the next thing you know, your wardrobe is filled with clothes you hardly use.
In other words, by altering your attitude and being aware of the circumstances of such purchases, you will be willing to make more rational decisions.
Understand Your Personal Style
The best way to curb over-purchasing habits is by clearly understanding personal fashion preferences. When you are clear on what works for you and your lifestyle, it is easy to dismiss trends that do not fit within these parameters or your closet. Now imagine colors, cuts, and silhouettes that make you feel confident and comfortable in your skin.
Ask yourself these questions:
What pieces do I already wear regularly?
Which items make me feel good when I wear them?
Do I lean toward casual, professional, or more designer dresses attire?
As we fine-tune this part of our identity, it becomes much more straightforward to shop by investing in tried-and-true classics and then playing with pieces that reflect trends that are evergreen instead of making temporary wardrobe purchases.
Adopt the One-In, One-Out Rule
A basic technique to get rid of impulse purchases is the one-in-one-out method. The next time you want to purchase a new designer dress, top wear, bottom wear, embroidered sarees, or any clothing of your choice. Consider making a vow to yourself that you must give out the clothes you will not use to a second hand dealer or charity home. This assists in maintaining proper order of the clothes and avoiding clutter resulting from buying clothing that is optional in the wardrobe.
Like in any other aspect of life, quality is better than quantity, and this is achievable if you minimize the number of clothes you possess. Besides that, it also instills the sense of mindful purchasing of another item—do you want that thing, or are you just buying it because you’re bored?
Do a Wardrobe Audit
Think about what you already possess. You may realize you have many clothes you have yet to use, but they sit in your closet. Each wardrobe audit means going through your clothes, shoes, and even accessories to see the ones you use frequently and have been keeping for no good reason.
While you go through your wardrobe, ask yourself:
Do I wear this item regularly?
Does it fit me well and suit my lifestyle?
Is it created from quality material that will last long?
If an item is not playing the above roles, it may be time to let go of it. With the help of the audit, such tendencies as buying more things “because you need more clothes” will not sabotage you as often.
Fix Your Budget (And Don’t Break It)
Everyone has a budget for every aspect of their life, including food and bills; the same applies to clothing. Having a specific, well-defined budget to be spent on fashion makes you stick to good quality fashion items and does not compel you to buy unnecessary fashionable items.
The first step would be determining and allocating a yearly, monthly, or seasonal clothing expense and keeping a record. Ensure quality differentiation between needs and wants. Do you need some new warm coat for winter, or are you just impressed by the latest fashionable campaigners on pullovers? With the help of a budget, you need to ask yourself whether the purchase is essential before you make the check.
Invest in Quality Over Quantity
There is no better way of creating a sustainable wardrobe than focusing on quality rather than focusing on the vast accumulation of clothes. While fast fashion is characterized by cheap pricing and high turnover, quality fashion is built to last. Buying quality garments and accessories—good jackets, proper wardrobe staples, and durable footwear—will require you to buy significantly less.
Better materials are usually used for quality pieces like cotton and mulmul than those used in cheaper pieces of clothing. The stitches in quality pieces are stronger and more lasting than those in more inexpensive clothes. The quality pieces can be worn differently than the more affordable pieces. It also means that they may be slightly more costly than the regular ones of their type but they will put less pressure on your pocket since you are less likely to be replacing them more often than the regular ones.
Create a Minimalist Wardrobe
Minimalist wardrobe is a wardrobe containing a small number of perfectly decent clothes, and, most importantly, clothes that can be worn interchangeably. The ideal wardrobe can be made that would suit every occasion as well as every season and all this without shopping frequently.
For creating a capsule wardrobe, start with a set of core essentials: non-distinctive shirts, all-purpose skirts, business-formal trousers, well-made jackets, Indian ethnic wear and shoes that match all the rest. With fewer items in your wardrobe, you will appreciate having quality clothes and avoid casual and unnecessary purchases.
Take Your Time and Avoid Impulse Purchases
Several cheap, hasty, and spontaneous purchases realize fast fashion. However, impulse buying does not make one happy in the long run. To prevent this, agree that you can only purchase an item after a specific time. If you have set your heart on an item, the best thing to do is to wait for the next twenty-four hours before you purchase it. This pause will help you rethink whether to buy an item or if you have a temporary want.
At this time, ask yourself that : Do I need this? Does it fit my style? Will I wear it regularly? If you are still pumped up with the item after one day, and it will suit your needs well, then go for it. If not, you’ve just avoided making an unnecessary purchase that you could have regretted later.
Embrace Sustainable Brands
But if going for new products, it’s crucial to settle for companies embracing sustainable production, ethical labor standards, and well-made products. Most ethical fashion brands design clothing items with organic materials and offer information about the manufacturing procedures. Although these items may be initially expensive, because you are paying for the quality and the values of a more responsible fashion system.
It is always better to check for labels like Fair Trade, GOTS, because the brands that aim for sustainability will mark themselves with such seals.
Shop Smarter with JOVI India
If you’re looking for a brand that values sustainable clothing and promotes slow fashion, JOVI India is the perfect choice for you. Our collection of designer clothes for women, formal ethnic wear for Indian women, ethnic wear for Indian women, cotton Anarkali suits, and co-ord sets are power-packed with quality and style statement for the modern woman. Our vision is to make good fashion not trends for a season.
At JOVI India, we think with a concept of elegant simplicity that can remain in fashion for generations. Visit us today for our affordable wholesale women's clothes and kids' wear that is fashion like you have never seen before.
