This article was created in collaboration with Wear For Life, an initiative of the City of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, OBA and COSH.
The new fashion season is just around the corner. The stores are filling up with the latest items for the fall, so it makes sense that you want something new. But do you really need that? We challenge you to dive into your own wardrobe and shop in your personal store. Because it’s not for nothing that you once filled that store with all kinds of beautiful pieces. Time to start appreciating your own fashion collection again and enjoy it for longer. How exactly? We give you the tips.
How to be more aware of your clothing
Before we give you tips to enjoy your clothes longer, we want to emphasize why this is important. On average, you only wear a fifth of your clothes. Yes, really, 79 percent of them remain unworn in the closet. What a waste! In addition, so much clothing has already been produced that we can dress the next six generations. As a society, we can therefore get some ideas to postpone that purchase and do more with our current wardrobe. With the tips below, we will help you to to buy more consciously, to make your current clothes last longer and inspire you to to give your clothes a second, third or maybe even fourth life.
1 Know yourself, your style and your body
Whether you’re looking for new clothes or seeing your current items through new eyes, it’s good to think about why you’re buying or bought the item and whether it really suits you. If I relate it to myself; I look best – and therefore feel most comfortable – in, for example, high-waisted pants. One with a mid-waist or low-rise does not work for me and the casual look does not suit my style. If there is a trend that you see everywhere but of which you secretly know that that trend does not suit you style-wise or physically, then let it pass you by.
2 Hire a tailor
Has the damage already been done and do you have an item in your closet that does not suit you at the moment? Start looking for a good tailor. Whether you want to take in your clothes, have your trouser legs taken out, shorten a jacket or have a shirt made into a sleeveless top, a tailor is your best friend. Even in the case of a tear or other damage, you can often go to a tailor to bring your clothes back to life. Take a look at the website of Wear for Lifea campaign that aims to create more awareness around clothing consumption, for more tips on how to repair clothing or give it a second life in another way. On the website you can also find accessible tips and tutorials to teach yourself how to repair clothes. We like that.
3 Borrow or exchange clothes
We tend to buy something new for a special occasion like a wedding, but are you aware that you you can choose from many different wardrobes? Who knows, maybe a friend or family member has a similar style to your size and you can dive into their wardrobe. If you really want to get rid of certain clothes, organize a clothes swap with your environment. This way you can make each other happy with both new items and a cleared out wardrobe and you give your clothes a new life. Win-win!
4 Find it vintage
If you really want to add something to your wardrobe, see if you can you can buy vintage. First of all, you should not underestimate the quality of second-hand clothing. It is not without reason that certain items from the 70s, 80s and 90s still look beautiful; these materials are of high quality. In addition, it has been washed several times and will not shrink anymore. In addition, it is an older item that is no longer available in large numbers, which increases the chance that you will find a unique piece of clothing that you will not easily see others wearing. These kinds of gems really add something to your clothing collection.
3 Remember to cost per wear
Buy a white shirt for thirty euros or go for an identical-looking shirt for 120 euros? The choice seems easy, especially if your wallet might make this choice for you. But suppose you wear the cheap shirt ten times, because the item is not of the same quality – for example, it deforms in the wash or gets damaged quickly – then each wear costs three euros. The shirt for 120 euros that is much nicer and retains its shape and quality, you might wear 100 or 150 times. Wearing it once will cost you 1.20 euros or even 80 euro cents. Of course, you do not buy clothes based on the costs alone, but you should think about the cost per wear of a piece of clothing can help you make the right choice in a potential purchase.
4 Be aware of different materials
If you make such a purchase or find one in the depths of your wardrobe, be aware of the material. Natural materials such as wool, cashmere and (organic) cotton are better for the environment and nice to wear, but also delicate in use. It is therefore important to make the clothing easy to treatthink about washing or storing it properly. Clothes that only need a freshening up can easily be washed at thirty degrees. Nowadays there are even detergent sprays that make your clothes smell nice again. Use different detergents for different colours and materials and only use the dryer for clothes that will not shrink or deform as a result.
Plastic materials are stronger and less likely to get ruined during washing, for example, but are not produced in an environmentally friendly way at all. They are made from fossil raw materials such as petroleum. Synthetic clothing – such as sportswear, swimwear and all other clothing items with synthetic fibres such as jeans and sweaters also leave a microplastics loose with every wash and thus pollute the water.
Another point of attention for materials: pay attention to the percentage of elastane in denim, for example. Higher than two to three percent elastane and the denim fabric is hardly recyclable. In addition, with more elastane you also greatly compromise the quality of the fabric.
So from now on, think carefully about your clothing and the impact a new purchase has on the environment. Fashion should be fun above all, but as the above tips prove, enjoying fashion does not always mean a new purchase. Want to know more? Get inspired and informed on the Wear for Life-website.
