Wear It Again, Second Hand Clothes, Upcycling, Repair

Fast fashion provides the message that wearing and outfit or garment a second time or even more is a fashion faux pas. Consequently, the overturn of trends accelerated with time, especially, on social media. Concurrently, the number of posts on one-item-multiple-ways decreased over time. The number of fast fashion post majorizes the social media landscape, while the slow fashion movement seems to be a small niche. What is slow fashion movement? Besides buying slow fashion it encompasses repeating a garment in multiple outfits, includes second hand fashion, and recycled fashion. When you belong to the people,

• Who want to wear a garment over-and-over again,
• Buy second hand to wear pieces that you love, but couldn’t afford first hand,
• Recycle old garments into new pieces as a hobby, 
• Are on a fashion budget, or
• Are concerned about the environment, its limited resources, and therefore, want to slow your fashion down,

You are lucky. This page provides you with resources, information, and much more to achieve your goal. You will find posts ranging from thrifting tips, over what to look for when shopping for second hand fashion to how to look modern in second hand clothing. Of course, you will also find tips to style multiple outfits with the same piece without looking boring, as well as tips to save time, and stay on a budget when consigning/thrifting. Slow fashion examples illustrate the concepts. Furthermore, this cluster page explains how to obtain the style you want to achieve while making your fashion sustainable. Finally, this page points you to possibilities of recycling/upcycling of broken fashion items.

 

 

Environmental Reasons for the Slow Fashion Movement

What is slow fashion movement without discussion of sustainability of resources. Fibers from “renewable resources” like bamboo, hemp or flax are considered as environment-friendly fashion. However, because the Earth has only limited resources, one can’t increase the production of these and other natural fibers like wool, cashmere, silk, cotton infinitively. The production of wool and cashmere, for instance, is limited by the area of grassland. Adding more animals would lead to overgrazing followed by soil erosion and impacts on the water cycle.

Growing of cotton, hemp, flax, bamboo requires fields. Increasing the area used for fiber production would be at the cost of decreasing the area available for food production or would require land-use changes. The former would be unethical in a world where still people starve. Science has shown that land-use and land-cover changes alter the water, energy, and trace gas cycles.

Using fertilizers can increase the production of cotton. However, any fertilizer may finally get into the groundwater, rivers, and ocean. Here it may enhance the growth of algae, and other biota.

Production for synthetic fibers requires fossil fuels or polymers from bio-mass. Both these resources are limited as well. Furthermore, any increase in the amount of garments means an increase in emissions for transport from the manufactures to the retailers, and finally, customers.

In 2017, the fashion industry produced 62 million metric tons of textiles, and over 92 million metric tons of waste. 51% of the textiles consisted of polyester, 25% of cotton. Furthermore, it consumed 79 trillion liters of water, of which 44 trillion liters served to irrigate textile crops.

 

How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe

The most efficient way to more sustainable fashion is to create a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe only consists of items needed for the weather of your climate region, personal style, and lifestyle. However, a capsule wardrobe is not minimalist style. On the contrary, a capsule wardrobe is just a minimalist approach to amount of garments in your closet.

For each garment type you identify your needs. When you ageless coat capsule wardrobe, for instance, you determine which types of coats you need to keep you comfortable in the weather year round to go to work, run errands, and for play.

You can simplify the process by staring with a capsule wardrobe for one season only. Here is an example, how to build a fall capsule wardrobe that gets you started. Analogously, you can build the capsule wardrobes for winter, spring, and summer.

 

Tips How to Repeat a Garment Multiple Ways

A capsule wardrobe means that you wear a garment on repeat. To avoid getting in a style rut or wardrobe boredom you can apply many ways to increase your wardrobe options. The following subsections cover how to repeat the same item without wearing the same outfit twice.

 

 

 

Slow Fashion Examples: Pieces that Work for Several Seasons of the Year

To maximize the wear you can get out of a piece of clothing look for pieces that you can work in more than one season. For instance, a blazer can serve as a jacket in early fall and mid-spring for outside, while as additional layer to stay warm in winter.

Unless you live in a climate zone with muggy warm or hot summers, you can wear leather in spring and summer on cloudy days, i.e., not only in fall and winter. Let’s assume your wardrobe mainly contains pieces in your flattering colors, and your have a suede skirt in a neutral color. Then this suede skirt should work with your sweaters, blouses, shirts, and jackets from all seasons. Consequently, creating more than 40 skirt-top combinations should be possible from your warm plus cold season tops. Add layering of tops, and you have even a couple more ways to repeat the skirt without repeating the outfit.

Tip: Hold the idea for pairing these ensembles with different legwear and footwear.

 

One-Piece-Multiple Ways with a Mix of Warm and Cold Season Pieces

Even when a piece is clearly for a particular season you can extend its wear by pairing it with pieces from the next season. Think for instance, how to transition your summer pieces into fall by pairing them with tights, fall sandals, and chunky jackets. Other slow fashion examples are adding spring or summer pieces to your outfit at the end of the winter or in early spring, which are ways to get winter-to-spring transition looks by .

Recall the wear it now wear it later inspirations for new pieces in the fashion magazines. Because summer pieces are typically cheaper (and of lower quality) than fall attire it’s an easy way to mix inexpensive with expensive pieces. Consequently, you have many options how to wear your fall wardrobe already at the end of summer.

Typically, you can easily style summer skirts for fall by creating thermal comfort with a half-slip and tights underneath.

 

Wear Your Garment Beyond Their Original Purpose

Wear a sheath as a skirt pulling a sweater over it. You can even fake a half-tuck. Just fold a section inside the sweater. Use safety pins to secure the fold-in section invisibly.

Other examples of slow fashion are a shirt or tunic dress as a shirt covering its original skirt with a full skirt; A sheath with skirt looks like wearing a shell. Or try a skirt or dress over pants for different looks.

 

Tip: Style a prom dress for day.

 

 

Repeat an Outfit Recipe in Different Colors

Sheath dresses are very versatile to style with sweaters, shirts or both underneath or over them. You can repeat the same outfit recipe in different colors to obtain multiple looks with one sheath dress.

 

Where to Find Multiple Outfit Inspirations for Various Apparel

Here are further examples of slow fashion:

• Wear a blazer three ways
• Floral bomber outfit ideas
• Stunning looks with a pink jacket
• Pink plaid skirt office outfit ideas
• One baseball jacket multiple ways
• 9 ways to style a white summer dress for spring
• Chic outfit ideas for a mustard yellow sweater
• What to wear with an orange skirt to make an entrance

 

 

Second Hand Pieces for First Class Style

The high price tags of luxury items are due to their high standards required by their quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). Typically, luxury pieces have excellent craftsmanship, expensive material, high quality, patents, design, and a famous brand name. Establishing a brand and maintaining brand awareness require advertisement. These additional-no value added-costs drive the price up even further.

The majority of woman can’t spend 10K on a bangle, 5K for a mini bag, or 2K for a pair of boots on a shopping spree with their bestie. Consequently, they can afford high-end fashion only second hand.

 

Slow Fashion Movement: eBay, Consigning and Thrifting Secrets

Unfortunately, you can’t buy a piece of your lust second hand without some efforts. Most online second hand stores offer both biting and buying options. However, both option require studying the market to not overpay. Fortunately, the tips for shopping on eBay also apply for consigning, and thrifting.

• Know the retailer recommended 1^st hand prices as well as their typical 2^nd hand prices of the brands you want.
• Never buy a piece just because of the brand’s name.

If it doesn’t fit, or is not your personal style, in pristine order, and one of your flattering colors, it’s not a bargain. These shortcomings are all reasons why you never wear these investment pieces. Therefore, make a list of designer brands to look for at thrift shops, and always have someone take photos from all sides so you can judge the fit.

 

The Art of Staying on a Budget

To stay on a budget, add the maximum amount that you are willing to pay for a designer brand’s piece that fits your body, personal style, and color palette. You can gain ideas on reasonable second hand prices of your favorite brands’ apparel by studying the offers for sale on eBay, for instance.

When you are on a fashion budget, and have to update your wardrobe with several pieces, use my fashion budgeting tool at your own peril.

Leaving your credit card at home to buy cash is just one of many tips to buy high fashion on a budget from experienced second hand bloggers.

Tip: Only buy an item when you can come up with at least three looks with it and the clothes you already own.

 

Time Efficient Browsing of Second Hand Stores or Flea Markets for Wardrobe Additions

Never rely on the size tag. Garments may have been altered, shrink in the laundry, or bought abroad. These reasons are only few of many reasons to avoid looking at the size tag. However, to save time only browse the racks one size up, your size, and one size down. Then measure the flat garments, and only when these numbers are within the ease of your measurements, try it out for fit.

Check only pieces that match your color palette. You wouldn’t buy the other colors anyway because they wouldn’t go with anything in your wardrobe.

Browse the stores the second or third day after a weekend because then the choice is typically the largest. Wear leggings and a T-shirt so you can check the fit when browsing flea markets.

 

Can You Adopt Trends When You Want to Reduce Fast Fashion?

Some trends are reversible. When, for instance, patched jeans or shirts are a trend, you can make a great patched shirt instead of buying a patched garment. When you sew the patches on, you can remove them once the trend is over. The same applies for sequin or pearl embellishments.

Dip-dye or tie-dye are trends that even extend the “lifetime” of washed-out or yellowed T-shirts.

 

How to Style Second Hand Clothes in a Right-Now, Modern Way

Second hand fashion is rarely this season’s new garment. The easiest way to look modern in second hand clothing is to pair it with this season’s It trend. However, doing so would be against your intend to reduce waste, and what is slow fashion movement. Therefore, to look like a 1000 bucks for just a couple of bucks is a challenge.

To create modern, up-to-date outfits look for timeless cuts and/or pieces that are simple. For instance, the classic Burberry trench coat, bag, or scarf, the Chanel quilted chain bag, the Salvatore Ferragamo Vara shoes, Gucci’s G-belt, Valentino studs.

Accessorize with those pieces that are currently in style. For instance, neckerchiefs are in style every couple of years. When they have a moment use them; keep them in storage when not. The same applies for layering or not layering necklaces, wearing multiple brooches at a time, hoops, etc.

Tip: Mix old and new pieces, expensive with inexpensive.

 

 

 

Repair and Upcycle Old Garments or Footwear

What is slow fashion movement without repair and upcycling? Make it a habit to ask yourself how you could repair or use a defect item before tossing it. You can make a skirt from old shirts, turn a T-shirt into a halftee for layering, or upcycle old shirts into a maxi dress. A sari provides a lot of fabric for sewing beyond upcycling a sari in a full skirt.

Broken heels? Just upcycle old boots to look modern by covering the damage with the current heel embellishment.

Washed-out garments that are from natural fibers, can be refreshed by dying. You can even dye printed wardrobe favorites.

 

Special Event Clothing for Formal Affairs, Theme Parties, and Halloween

Here the first thing that comes to mind is formal evening wear, bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses, and white bridal gowns. In general, these types of attire don’t get much wear unless you have a subscription to the opera, symphony, or are a ballroom dancer. When there is a base in town, check their second hand store/consignment store for gowns regularly, use it when an occasion arises, bring it back/consign it afterwards. Swapping gowns with a friend is another option to give a gown more wear, and slow your fashion down.

Also consider to shorten your gowns to fancy dresses. You can even shorten a high-low hem maxi dress.

Costumes for theme parties or Halloween are the special event clothing that is the worst. Typically, their degree of craftsmanship and the quality of fabric are low. Washing them often disintegrates the costume. Therefore, a costume isn’t worth the money most of the time. Instead of buying create a costume by closet shopping. For instance, wear your sailor pants with a striped top-a combination that you wouldn’t don otherwise because is costumery.

 

Conclusions on What Is Slow Fashion Movement?

This cluster page briefly discussed some of the major reasons why to slow down your fashion. Given that the world population grew a five-fold since 1900, and continues to grow, it is inevitable to manage the available resources for food and clothing in a more sustainable way than today. This change has to start at the roots by the consumers. Therefore, this cluster page focused on introducing various concepts, and providing links to resources and tools to empower you to slow down your fashion consumption without jeopardizing your style, and thermal comfort.

 

 

References

Worldometers.

Niinimäki, K., Peters, G., Dahlbo, H. et al., 2020. The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, 1, 189–200. doi: 10.1038/s43017-020-0039-9.

Mölders, N., 2011. Land-Use and Land-Cover Changes: Impact on Climate and Air Quality. Springer.

 

Photos: G. Kramm
Diagram: N. Mölders

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