Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying New Clothes

Impulsive shopping. We all have been guilty of this. The marketing and social media worlds are really good for making us feel that we ‘need’ new clothes every week. We feel pressure to be on trend and with the fast fashion at its peak, it’s getting easy to buy a lot of clothes for little money. But these clothes end up in the closet, worn once and never again. The fashion industry is the second dirtiest in the world. This industry is responsible for big amounts of water consumption and CO2 emissions. The textile dyeing is a huge polluter of water due to the toxic chemicals that the production involves. Fashion is a complicated business involving long and varied supply chains of production, raw material, textile manufacture, clothing construction, shipping, retail, use and ultimate disposal of the garment

If you want to be more of a conscious fashion consumer, consider asking yourself these questions before buying anything new:

1. Can I find it second-hand?
Check your local second-hand stores and charity shops before you go to a fast fashion store. You might find just what you are looking for in a perfect condition.

2. Do I already have something similar in my closet?
If you already have something like this, there is no need to add it to your wardrobe.

3. Can I match it with my current wardrobe?
If you need more items to combine, consider if it’s really necessary. Buying something new should not mean that you need to buy a bunch of new things to go with it.

4. Will I wear it regularly?
I’m a big fan of Olivia Firth’s 30 Wears Campaign, which encourages people only to buy things you think you will wear at least 30 times. If you can’t see yourself wearing the item on a regular basis, rethink the purchase. The key is to look for clothes and shoes that blend into your wardrobe. This way, you’ll maximize your clothes and create a stylish and functional wardrobe.

5. Is the style one that will last?
Trends are very cruel. They make us believe we need them in our lives. But will that investment be on trend next spring? If not, skip it. Experience has shown us that these trendy pieces will end up a year later in the donate pile. Trends are manufactured by the fast fashion industry and change quickly.

6. What is this piece made of?
If the fabric is synthetic, rethink your purchase. If you really need that piece of clothes, try to look for a version with natural fabrics like cotton or hemp. Investing in higher-quality materials means a higher-quality experience wearing the garment and less guilt about its environmental toll.

7. Does it fit perfectly?
If you don’t feel comfortable right after you tried the piece on, there is a chance that you are not going to feel comfortable wearing that piece ever. If you are uncomfortable in the item or you don’t like it 100%, it’s not worth spending money on.

8. Do I really like it?
If after 10 minutes you are still debating whether you should buy an item it or not, it’s probably because you don’t really love, or need the item. The best is to leave it and walk away. When buying a new item, you should always be confident in your purchases.

Consider these questions next time you are going shopping. This way you will become more conscious of the purchases you make and won’t suffer from buyer’s remorse again.

With Love,

Alisson