But that’s absolutely NOT about filling your basket with brand-new buys (although don’t feel guilty if you do ‘add to cart’.) Instead of limiting yourself to your comfiest clothes and lockdown loungewear, take a deep dive into your wardrobe and bring your long forgotten pieces – and those buys that remain BNWT, we know you have some – into circulation.
If you’re peeling off your tracksuit at bedtime – and stepping back into it the next morning – you’re not alone. It’s likely you’ve nailed a tightly edited capsule wardrobe during the state imposed stay home order without even thinking about it. Your minimal outfit selection might not be comprised of the ultra-stylish separates you put on your Pinterest board (we’re guessing it’s more thrown together than uber styled) so at this point in lockdown – we’re hurtling towards week nine – it’s time to branch out.
The most sustainable garments are the items you already own. (They still count, even if you’ve forgotten you owned them.) Shopping your wardrobe is the quickest way to stop yourself going for any unnecessary purchases during lockdown, when we are heading for a recession and you might already have something similar in your drawers already.
Fast fashion is a tempting respite from the monotony of our new life lived within four walls. Those super low price points and cheerful trend-led items are calling you. But just remember *why* they are super cheap and what they are made from (likely synthetic materials that shed micro-plastics in the wash and clog up the oceans.) So go back to what you already own.
Our new favourite hobby is using the extra time we saved on our shortened commute to try on and reacquaint ourselves with our wardrobe. It’s sensible to work out exactly what you own every season anyway but during this season’s switchover, use the time to try out new styling ideas and remind yourself of the gems you have hidden away.
Playing dress up is our favourite current waste of time along with putting on mini fashion shows (erm, perhaps that’s just us?). Try layering your super summery sundresses over t-shirts to make them appropriate for right now’s hot-then-cold weather; Pick a print and then play around with working out what other prints look right with it to master a quirky pattern clash; Reinvent your currently unworn work wardrobe by mixing going out items with sharp tailoring; play with rolling up the sleeves on your shirts in a different way or bringing your oldest buys to the centre of an outfit again. The experimental combos might not work but you can head straight back into the back of your wardrobe to change and you STILL won’t be late for work.
We’re loving looking at our new wardrobe in a brand new light at the moment… think of the rails as your very own private boutique, and dive in. Shopping your closet means you can find a sustainable and fresh new take on the spring season but without spending a thing. Win, win.
