5 Budget Friendly Tips for Embracing Sustainable Fashion
To help you practice sustainable fashion on a budget without falling prey to fast fashion trends, Style My Soul asked fashion experts and creative directors for their best tips. From creating a capsule wardrobe to hosting a clothing-swap party, here are the top tips these experts shared on sustainable fashion practices.
Create a Capsule Wardrobe
I used to feel the urge to buy new clothing for every event, so I understand the pull of fast fashion. Fortunately, I found a solution that helps me practice sustainable fashion on a budget — creating a capsule wardrobe.
If you’ve never heard of one, it’s a thoughtful collection of versatile pieces that mix and match seamlessly. You build your capsule with your lifestyle and personal taste in mind rather than based on what’s currently trending. It changed my closet, and I now build virtual capsule wardrobes for my blog readers to give them inspiration on their capsule journeys.
By investing in versatile, high-quality pieces that you truly love, you can create countless outfits without constantly needing to shop. This not only saves money but also reduces the environmental impact of your wardrobe. Plus, knowing that every piece in your closet works together makes getting dressed so much easier and more enjoyable!
Celeste Routh, SEO Strategist, The Elegance Edit
Use Sustainable Clothing Subscriptions
Try using a sustainable clothing-subscription rental service such as Earthlove or Nuuly. That way, you’ll get to wear fashionable, trendy clothing at a fraction of the price of buying the pieces themselves. You can even try a service like The Wardrobe Box, which provides you with five pieces of secondhand clothing each season. These types of subscription boxes are great ways to practice sustainable fashion!
Ali Azimi, Co-Founder, Cheyyn 3D Clothing Design Software, Cheyyn
Source Second-Hand Based on Trends
I think this question is often answered with a mildly banal response that’s predictably safe. Don’t follow trends. Yawn. Ok, thanks. But I think you can participate in trends and fashion evolution while consuming sustainably.
Understanding the difference between micro-trends (or fads), mid-term trends (trends that last over multiple seasons), and macro-trends (trends that define a decade or long period of time like flares) helps make better buying decisions. If you like being involved in fashion’s evolution, watching and participating in trends, then that’s ok.
Being sustainable doesn’t mean subscribing to a capsule wardrobe. As a creative director, I’m required to research. It’s my job, and I’ve learned over the years that more often than not, so many fashion trends start from street fashion — brave girlies with a sixth sense for what’s going to happen next. Perhaps with social media the way that it is now, a little echo chamber around trendsetters exists, at least for a while, and they and their cohort are able to establish a trend before it even hits the runway or the high street.
Cottagecore, leopard print, monster wife, and the return of indie sleeve all have or had reference points on social media before mainstream, and the pioneers of these looks are often buying what they need to complete an aesthetic second-hand. Simply because it doesn’t even exist already.
Second-hand fashion is so accessible and acceptable now. If you know your own aesthetic and your own sense of personal style and spend a little time paying attention to emerging trends, then it’s easy to know what to look for in thrift stores and DEPOP. That’s a pretty sustainable way to consume.
In a nutshell? Know your own aesthetic and source second-hand.
Laura Liles, Founder & Creative Director, Kinga Csilla
Evaluate Your Existing Wardrobe
To practice sustainable fashion on a budget and avoid falling for fast-fashion trends, start by evaluating your existing wardrobe and making a detailed shopping list of items you need. This approach has been practical for me in staying focused and avoiding impulse purchases. By assessing what you already own, you can identify gaps or items that need replacing, which helps you shop with purpose.
For example, if you need more versatile basics, focus on those items rather than being swayed by trendy, unnecessary purchases. This method streamlines your shopping experience and ensures you make more thoughtful, budget-friendly choices while building a sustainable wardrobe.
Jeffrey Pitrak, Marketing Account Manager, Transient Specialists
Host a Clothing-Swap Party
One way to keep up with sustainable fashion without breaking the bank is to throw a clothing-swap party with your buddies and family. It’s a blast and a great way to revamp your look without shelling out any cash. Everyone brings along clothes, shoes, and accessories they’re not into anymore, and you swap stuff with each other. This not only helps you find some new stuff but also gives your old stuff a new home with someone who’ll love it.
From a sustainability perspective, this practice reduces waste and the demand for new clothing production, which is often resource-intensive and environmentally damaging. Plus, it brings people together and makes us all feel like we’re part of a team working to take care of the planet. It’s awesome how many cool finds you can get from someone else’s wardrobe, and it’s a fun way to try out new styles and trends without adding to the fast-fashion mess.
Maria Knobel, Medical Director, Medical Cert
