People are spending less money on fashion and more on experiences, such as dining out, hotel breaks, adventure days out and such like.
So, why is so much less of our budget going on fashion?
Part of the answer is because fashion can be obtained at such a cheap price nowadays. With the onset of fast fashion from the 90s onwards, access to catwalk style looks has been so much easier, with huge budget fashion chains quickly replicating the major fashion house looks, and mass producing them at a cheaper price.
This kind of disposable fashion obviously has its drawbacks. It has been revealed that manufacturers are paying their staff so little that they have to work ridiculous hours in order to be able to afford to feed families. Working conditions can also be very poor, and whilst most major chains are putting in place checks to ensure that their manufacturers are improving conditions for workers, there is still some doubt as to whether they are sufficient to prevent abuse.
Furthermore, cheap fashion is not sustainable. Often the clothes are poorly made as they are designed to be worn on one or just a few occasions, and then thrown away and replaced with new garments. This allows people on low budgets to stay ahead of fashion trends, but disposing of so much clothing and the creation of so much clothing to meet demands can have a negative impact on the environment. Factor in pollution caused by transportation of the clothing around the globe, and it is possible to understand how much this can impact the planet.
So, how can you make sure you are doing your bit for sustainability, whist still looking stylish and keeping to a budget? The following tips should help.
Retro Chic
It is no secret that fashion follows cycles. What used to be cool 20 years ago, often comes back in eventually, and second hand items can easily be purchased from online auction websites, such as Ebay. Shop for vintage fashion and you will not only be paying less, but you will also be contributing to a more environmentally friendly way of dressing, by facilitating recycling of old clothing.
Capsule Cool
If you have never heard of a capsule wardrobe, then now is as good a time as any to learn. Invest in a few key pieces for your wardrobe that will go with each other, so that rather than spending a certain amount of money on cheap and nasty clothing, you will have a few, good quality items that you can swap and change with each other to create several different outfits. Things such as black skirts, blouses, a good pair of jeans and a smart cardigan should be enough to get you started.
Ethical Fashion
There are more and more ethical fashion stores popping up as people become more aware of the damage they are doing to the environment with fast fashion from mass market fashion stores. They are not always expensive either, so all you need to do is find a store to suit your tastes, and you will have the satisfaction of wearing clothing that you know is ethical and sustainable.
All of these tips should help you to enjoy your wardrobe more, at the same time as making sure that you don’t blow your budget on expensive clothing.
