ETHICAL FASHION BUYING

Assess Your Closet Often Getting to know what you actually own can be really helpful in not impulse-buying and also knowing which things you might actually need. Be a little ruthless with your closet and only keep what you love and what makes you feel good. Have 10 of the same shirt with varying holes in? Maybe its time to invest in a better quality version. (see my big closet clear-out here for tips) Shop Pre-Loved Items You can find some really awesome pieces at clothing swaps, thrift stores, garage sales and consignment shops... or even just agreeing among your friend group to let each other shop from your unwanted items. I even think its way more satisfying to shop this way vs going into a huge store and buying the same things everyone else is. Not into digging through other peoples old clothes in person? Try Etsy, Ebay or ThredUp. Support Ethical Brands It might seem impossible to shop ethically but there are ethical companies out there. The one caveat is that they typically are more expensive and thats because they don't use sweatshops. If you aren't able to afford to do so, i totally understand that but i would suggest signing up for some mailing lists to get notified of sales just in case a sweet deal comes along! Some of my favorite ethical brands include Reformation, Vaute NYC, Bead & Reel, Fair Cloth Supply, Miakoda NYC & People Tree... got some favorites of your own? Leave them in the comments below. Stop "Good Enough" Buying Do you buy things because they fit "okay" or "they'll do"? Or perhaps you don't return things you've bought online because it seems like a hassle? Try, if you're able, to have some higher standards for your clothing and hold out until you find something thats just right! This way you'll cut back on how much you're buying as well as maybe find some better brands along the way. Pick Some Brands to Avoid After watching The True Cost, i decided to stop buying from H&M, Zara and Forever 21... which was tough because wow, i loved Forever 21 but somehow other peoples lives and well-being just seemed a little more important than my poorly made yet cute clothing penchant. Picking some of the worst offenders to avoid is just another step in making more conscious decisions for your closet, your wallet and others 2Q==.jpg