I recently posted on my Instagram that I was focusing on how I am consuming fashion. In the last few years, in between pregnancies, nursing, losing, and gaining pregnancy weight, I have been buying cheap fast-fashion. I have been impulsive and just bought clothes because they were cute without thinking about how it fits into my entire wardrobe. It was for a season of my life, though. Sometimes during the pregnancy and the nursing cycle, it’s easier to be impulsive; it’s easier to find what fits and makes you happy. Honestly, I don’t have an issue with that. It’s a weird part of life in regards to body image and wearing clothes. But now that I am on the other side of it all (Piper stopped nursing last year), I am ready to start being more intentional, more mindful, and more sustainable with my purchases. I am still researching fast fashion and sustainability, but I hope you will follow along on this journey with me.
Changing my shopping habits
My shopping habits haven’t always been so impulsive. I’ve always been cautious about the money I have spent on clothes and loved the hunt for a fantastic bargain. I would spend hours in Macy’s clearance section in high school and college, trying to find a piece of an overlooked designer or higher-end fashion. I bought my prom dress for $20 after being marked down several times from $200. It was probably a dress made for the Winter Formal season, but I didn’t care, I was 17, and I felt like I found the deal of the decade.
After high school, I learned that 2nd hand shopping wasn’t terrible, and I could find some fantastic gems. I even started reselling some of the pieces that I found on eBay, which was more of a rush than finding items for myself. I once sold a too small for me new with tags $300 Anthropologie dress that I bought for $20 for $100 in minutes of listing on eBay Buy It Now. I miss those days, the days of buying and flipping. I allowed myself to purchase dresses 2nd hand to wear to an event once because I knew I could turn around and sell it. These were the days when women were hoarding Anthropologie catalogs and searching for clothes from several seasons before, though. I don’t know if the Anthropologie resell market is like that currently, but it funded my fashion addiction.
I still think about those long mornings in thrift and consignment stores, and I’m trying to find a way back to the hunt and thrill. But I probably won’t get to shopping mostly 2nd hand yet. I’m already short on time, and if you thrift already, you know that it can take hours to find that perfect blazer. Ultimately, I would love to see 20% of my wardrobe come from 2nd hand channels, and with online resources like Thredup and Poshmark, I can casually browse while watching a show on the couch.
I Am Not Perfect
Will I have a perfect sustainable wardrobe? Probably not. This year’s goal is to buy 50% of my new wardrobe from ethical and sustainable fashion brands or second hand. However, I have a few questions I will be asking myself before I add a cute new top to my cart.
Questions I Plan to Ask Myself Before Buying New
- Do I own something like this article of clothing? And if I do, why do I need another item like it?
As of right now, I’m still rebuilding my wardrobe. Somehow that meant to buy six different white t-shirts. - Does the piece fit my current wardrobe needs?
- Is it well made?
I’m currently researching materials that are used in clothing production. But this summer, I would love to focus on buying linen pieces. - Will this new addition to my wardrobe be easy to clean?
I want my clothes to last, and for that to happen, I need to have clothes that fit my lifestyle. I don’t go to the dry cleaner. - Do I like the new piece, or am I considering it because it is on sale or trendy?
As a style blogger, it’s hard not to give into sales and trends since it’s kind of my job to share. But I need to be better about sticking to my style and needs.