We are living in a time when it’s become clear and obvious that our lifestyles have a serious impact on our environment, so most of us have started rethinking our habits and purchases, and trying to live more sustainably and responsibly.
One aspect of living worth revising is buying clothes. Trendy, low-quality has unfortunately been on the rise making the fashion industry the second biggest polluter in the world, right after the oil industry. Therefore, being more mindful of the garments you purchase can make a difference in your environmental impact.
One of the ways you can create a more eco-friendly wardrobe is to compose an essential collection of timeless, high-quality pieces that you’ll be able to wear over and over. Here are several tips on how to do it.
Pick neutral colours
When you’re assembling your essential wardrobe, make sure you include a variety of pieces that can work together. For instance, you should be able to pair your T-shirts or collar shirts with most of your trousers and jeans. The fool-proof way to do this is by picking a mostly neutral colour palette. By doing so, most of your pieces will be interchangeable.
Light and dark denim, beige slacks, and grey trousers make a great base for your collection of bottoms. For tops, you should stick with whites, blacks, greys, and navy blues for starters, but you can eventually expand it and buy some dark green, teal or even burgundy pieces if feel confident enough to wear them. What matters the most is that you always choose colours that will not clash but rather complement each other.
Use simple accessories to mix things up
The trick to creating an essential wardrobe collection that lasts throughout seasons, and hopefully for years to come, is to ensure you don’t easily get bored of it, and the way to go is to accessorize.
Design, style and clothing are interconnected and in addition to learning about forms, silhouettes, materials, production processes, social factors and customs that form the basis of a conscious and original design process, it’s all about interpreting the world around you and applying it creatively, as a new bachelor’s degree in fashion design teaches.
Most men usually underestimate the power of accessories. For instance, they have only one favourite watch, one pair of shoes, and one coat they wear. But, if you have two or three of each in your collection, you’ll be able to experiment with your looks so you never get bored.
Naturally, you should still stick to a simple colour palette but you can expand your wardrobe with a pair of black boots or a pair of elegant brown shoes, two watches in silver and gold tones, as well as a few ties in navy, burgundy and grey. With such accessories on hand, you’ll be able to give your look a slightly different vibe depending on how you combine everything.
Buy pieces that will last
To create an essential wardrobe that truly suits you, you need to be a smart shopper. This means that whenever you’re thinking of buying something new, you should think twice about whether that garment will last longer so you can wear it on different occasions and in different ways. Whether it’s a top of a new pair of slacks, think how well they would combine with your existing shirts and if they will work throughout the seasons.
If you purchase pieces that are restrictive and particular, you’ll wear them in one or two ways, and you’ll get bored very quickly. Consequently, you will soon decide to buy more clothes. So, in order to stick to your essential wardrobe principle but still be able to feel inspired by your clothes, it’s best to opt for pieces that you can already imagine combining in a variety of different ways.
Take care of your wardrobe
The final tip is to make sure you take good care of your essential wardrobe. Follow the label instructions regarding washing them, consider repairing those pieces that have started to show signs of wear and tear, and make sure you store everything properly.
The argument in favour of creating your essential wardrobe is to control and reduce your consumption of fast fashion. However, if you fail to take good care of your garments, they’ll quickly fade, get stained and lose their shape so you’ll have to replace them. If you manage to keep your clothing in great shape, you’ll prevent any of this from happening.
Creating an essential wardrobe collection comprising of a smaller number of your favourite pieces that work well together is a great way to reduce the impact you’re leaving on the environment. Moreover, it will be much easier for you to get dressed every day and look well put together. Relying on the tips listed here and you’ll be able to create a high-quality, sustainable wardrobe that truly works for you and your lifestyle.
Author’s bio: Jennifer Hahn Masterson is the Lead Content Strategist at Spread the Word Solutions, holding an MA degree in business communication. She is always doing her best to help her clients find their place in the ever so competitive business arena, insisting on long-term sustainability rather than on some questionable get-rich-fast scheme. You can check her out on LinkedIn.