3 ways in which you can start your path to a more sustainable wardrobe and lifestyle that won’t break the bank or consume your life.  

By Sara Roberts

You’ve heard it all before, from the cute informative Instagram posts to the angry Tik Toks, that almost seem like witch hunts, shopping both sustainably and ethically has bombarded itself into your life, one way or another. Obviously, in a perfect world, it would be the standard to be able to go to your local shopping mall and not have to dissect and analyse if the shop you are going into is really being sustainable or not. But that is a utopia and the world we live in is next level dystopian. Ethical consumption is something that is very reserved to the privileged.  

It’s not easy to find brands that cater to affordable prices as well as inclusive sizes and finding the time to do research is not something that everyone can afford. So instead I present to you all 3 things to consider which are easy and accessible for everyone.

1. KNOW YOURSELF   

By picking one or two things from popular trends that you enjoy you are ensuring that the clothes you are buying aren’t just going to be discarded in a couple months when the trend is over. Feel strong about your choice enough so that you won’t care if you are the only person in the world wearing that outfit. 

Figure out what your personal style is to help you navigate current and future trends. 

2. DITCH THE THRIFT STORES AND GO ONLINE.  

Thrift stores we all know are notoriously known to not cater to more inclusive sizes and it makes going to these thrift stores undesirable which validly so leaves people with no other option than to go to affordable and size inclusive stores like Primark or H & M.  

But don’t fret, before going to these brands check out online thrift stores like ThreadUp who are changing the game with making cool vintage and thrifted clothes be more accessible for everyone.   

3. MI CLOSET ES SU CLOSET.  

So, you might not find things in thrift stores, or if you live in the UK charity shops, but you might find something that your best friend has. Sharing is caring after all and if you are both similar sizes and like each other’s styles then why not take advantage of that? You’ll be saving yourself some coins too.  

I personally share clothes with my best friend all the time because at the end of the day we are both broke but have an appetite to look good. Our own closets don’t always do it for us and sometimes borrowing that one dress or top can add that extra bit of fresh flare for free.  

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that it’s always a great idea to check with your loved ones or friends if they like any of your clothes before dropping them off at your local charity or thrift store. Simply donating the haul of clothes you bought because of a trend to your local charity every month doesn’t solve the problem, but at least borrowing clothes and encouraging hand me downs promotes slow fashion.   

I always want to encourage everyone to be sustainable where they can but for a lot of us it can be hard, overwhelming and stressful. A lot of companies and the media will try to tell you that the responsibility is on you to go green and in part, yes, we should all be doing our part. But please remember that those who hold the key for change, are the companies themselves and they need to be held accountable and take real action. Us regular civilians already have enough to cope with without the overwhelming sense of guilt that we are made to feel for not being able to achieve the ethical ‘perfect’ lifestyle. Just do your best and hopefully these three tips will help you as we strive for a better future.