Creating A Circular Wardrobe.
Join me on my journey to creating a circular wardrobe, saving the planet and my wallet…
What is the “circular fashion industry,” and why is it one of the hottest topics in fashion right now?
Breaking it down to the basics, the idea behind the circular fashion industry is a concept that we’re all familiar with by now — Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The circular system applies these principles to fashion and one’s wardrobe. With sustainability being at the forefront of the fashion industry and a big buzzword on everyone’s mind, this idea of circularity is key to eliminating waste and pollution to the environment.
The fashion industry alone produces approximately 13 million tons of textile waste every year. This makes the fashion industry one of the biggest polluters and the second largest consumer of water. When we throw clothes away, they’re almost never broken down because most of the garments we own aren’t of natural origin. This means that your cotton shirt probably also contains synthetic fibers that make it almost impossible to break all the way down once going to the landfill.
The thought of less shopping and wearing the same clothes for the rest of your life is daunting, but that’s certainly not the way it has to be. You can still have a circular wardrobe and stay chic at the same time — here’s how.
How Can I Have a Circular Wardrobe?
Staple pieces are important in a circular wardrobe because they’ll be your go-to, ride-or-die layering pieces. These are pieces that will never go out of style that you can adapt to every trend you want. Investing in these pieces now will save you money in the long run, as you can say goodbye to buying new pieces every season!
Season-less pieces are another key essential in a circular wardrobe. They’ll be piees you can wear year-round, whether you’re layering them in colder weather or styling them solo in the summer. Remember that an essential part of creating the perfect wardrobe is investing in pieces that will last.
5 Key Pieces to Invest in & Build Your Seasonless, Circular Wardrobe…
1. Plain Tees and tanks are amazing because you can layer them or wear them alone - these will never go out of style.
2. Day-to-Night dresses are always a great option.You can wear these during the day with sneakers and a jacket for a more casual look. For your evening transformation, try adding some heels for a more upscale look.
3. Blazers are another great outerwear staple that will never go out of style. They can easily dress an outfit up, even if it’s just jeans and a tank top!
4. Denim! Everyone should have an amazing piece of denim in their closet (or multiple). Denim has always been and will forever be a closet staple.
5. Sneakers - Comfy and casual, a good pair of sneakers is a must-have for every wardrobe.
Buying Second Hand…
Buying second hand doesn’t always have to mean searching through your local thrift store for hours for a hidden treasure. There are so many online thrift stores now that make it super easy to find just what you’re looking for with one search. Buying secondhand extends the lifespan of clothes so they don’t end up in a landfill just yet.
7 Easy Steps to Get You Started…
Step 1: Analyse your style and lifestyle.
The most important step to build a wardrobe that you will love is to know your style. Ask yourself these questions:
- What staples predominate in my closet? Are you wearing them or do they just take up space in your closet and remain unworn for several months?
Step 2: Track what you like to wear for 30 days.
Step 3: The closet clean-out.
Think of your circular wardrobe as your “go to” rack of things you love to wear everyday based on your lifestyle.
So, with this said the closet clean-out is very simple, organise your clothes into these categories:
All year basics
Spring and Summer
Autumn and Winter
Donate/sell pile
Step 4: Map out your circular wardrobe and create a wishlist for missing items.
Now that you have selected your essentials and donated what you don’t love, it’s time to create a visual or mental map of your capsule or capsules to help you shop less.
Step 6: Re-wear before you have the urge to buy again.
Let go of everything that doesn’t boost your confidence or doesn’t make you feel good, even if it was something you did like to wear in the past, our bodies evolve and change, and so do we so it’s okay to let go.
Step 7: Invest in quality over quantity.
If you want to become a more intentional shopper it’s important to educate yourself about the quality of fabrics on the clothes you buy as well as the effects of throwing away clothes. If you must buy something new you can shop secondhand or support ethical and sustainable brands that are making clothes from recycled materials as well as natural and organic fabrics.
Sustainable fashion sometimes may be more expensive than traditional fashion, but this is only because sustainable brands commit to paying a fair wage to their workers and they source premium, natural or recycled materials.