Do a wardrobe audit
The average person in the United Kingdom has 115 articles of clothes, 30 of which have never been worn. So, before purchasing additional clothing, examine your entire wardrobe. Consider whether repairs or alterations could breathe fresh life into what you already own.
Also, consider selling, donating, or giving away unworn items. This will allow you to better view and appreciate what remains. Consider the color, cut, silhouette, fabric, and print of the items you wear the most to determine your particular style.
This will greatly aid in preventing future bad purchases. Examine how identical goods are styled on the websites of fashion merchants for inspiration on how to create new ensembles with them.
Previously owned or ‘preloved’
Considering that £140 million worth of clothes end up in landfills each year, many environmental activists suggest purchasing secondhand clothing first.
There are eBay, Vinted, and Depop for high street goods, and Vestiaire Collective and The RealReal for designer clothing, even if you don’t have a fantastic thrift store nearby.
Wendy Graham, the founder of the sustainable-living platform Moral Fibres, explains that many charity shops also have online portals.
Among her favorites are Oxfam, the British Red Cross, Cancer Research, and Barnado’s on Asos Marketplace. Thrift+ is also worthy of investigation.
You may set up eBay alerts to find specific items by filtering by category, size, brand, color, condition, and budget.
Out-of-season shopping might lower competition and, consequently, prices (now is the time to seek out that Toast Fair Isle jumper).
If you have the stuff to sell, do it first and use the proceeds to purchase used products that are new to you.
Get swishing
Swishes – gatherings where you trade your old clothes for others’ – are proliferating across the nation.
Search Eventbrite for local events – Verte in London, A Stitch to Wear in Sutton, Surrey, Beg Steal & Borrow in Manchester, We Wear the Trousers in Norwich, and Shrub Coop in Edinburgh, to name a few.
Try out Big Sister Swap or Don’t Shop, Swap, or form your group with friends or acquaintances.
Sending an outfit SOS on WhatsApp to similarly-sized friends before a trip or event could potentially save you money.
Consider renting
For one-time events, the rental market can provide excellent value if one searches with care. For instance, a £210 Reformation dress would be excellent for a wedding guest and costs £25 for four days through Rotary; a £1,980 red mesh Alexander McQueen dress would make a memorable birthday attire and costs roughly £100 for four days through Hurr Collective.
There are other sites to try, ranging from My Wardrobe for luxury to the more affordable Hirestreet, as well as For the Creators for maternity apparel (from about £15 for six days) and Baukjen for essentials starting at £13 for a simple dress for a genuinely useful two-week period.
Check to see if repairs, cleaning, and delivery are included, as well as the return policy if the item does not fit. Numerous websites give 10-20% off the first rental.
Apply the “100-times rule”
Buying clothing is one of the most personal decisions one can make; it is an expression of identity and taste that is tempered by financial limits, size options, and body image anxiety.
No wonder we often make mistakes. Purchasing a vacuum cleaner is far less stressful. According to the journalist Lucy Siegle, longevity is what we should all strive for when purchasing clothing. Due to the impact on the environment, she recommends purchasing only clothing that can be worn 100 times.
The 100-times rule most likely discounts excessively inexpensive items at the value end of the market, the majority of which perform poorly in terms of ethical manufacturing parameters.
Only H&M scored “it’s a start” on the ethical fashion app Good On You, while Primark and Shein were rated “not good enough” and “we avoid” respectively.
However, mid-priced high street companies are not always more ethical, therefore it is important to check the Good On You rating of your favorite retailer. You may very possibly be dissatisfied.
Ethical brands are typically not the cheapest, for obvious reasons, although there are exceptions: Yes Friends sells T-shirts for £7.99 and hoodies for £29.99; People Tree’s summer sale features dresses starting at £29.50. However, the majority are closer to the £60 mark; and Mayamiko’s sale begins at approximately £29, though options are limited compared to the high street.
Avril Mair, the fashion director of Elle UK, suggests seeking firms “whose aesthetic does not change frequently.” For Mair, this may be The Row, which she purchases at a discount from the Outnet or secondhand from Vestiaire or The RealReal, but the concept is also applicable to Toast, Cos, and The White Company.
When purchasing with lifespan and the environment in mind, consider the fabric. If a dress is not constructed of sticky, sweat-inducing polyester, it will likely last longer.
Graham asserts that natural fibers, such as organic cotton, are always preferable to virgin polyester derived from fossil fuels, and that innovative wood-based fabrics, such as Tencel and EcoVero, are far more sustainable than standard rayon, viscose, and modal fabrics.
Retail locations and deals
Most professionals approach sales with prudence. “Because fashion revolves on trends,” explains Alexandra Stedman, the editor of The Frugality, “these items are practically never a long-term investment.” The exceptions, she says, are timeless purchases, such as a Whistles coat she purchased for £100 a few years ago and wears frequently.
Online outlet stores are increasing, with Mango, Adidas, Kurt Geiger, and Office all currently offering them. Some products are hosted on eBay, but it is frequently all too obvious why they did not sell the first time around.
Many fashion experts praise the Gold Label department of TK Maxx, which carries Gucci eyewear and Stella McCartney children’s clothing.
Visit Bicester Village, the Oxfordshire store where Prada and Loewe offer previous season’s merchandise at a discount; nevertheless, to prevent overspending, it is usually preferable to go looking for only one specific item, such as a handbag or winter coat, and to have a budget in mind.
It’s always a good idea to locate something you adore at full price before searching for a discount. Price comparison websites such as SuperSales.co.uk and PriceRunner.com will inform you whether the product is available elsewhere for a lower price.
Look for first-time customer discounts, sign up for newsletters, and wait to be invited to loyalty events like flash deals.
Oli Townsend, a bargains expert at MoneySavingExpert, recommends utilizing free internet browser extension programs such as Honey or Pouch, which automatically apply promotional coupons to your online shopping basket.
According to him, another approach is to sign in to your account on a website, place products in your shopping cart, and then abandon the sale. Occasionally, shops will email you a discount code within the next few days in an attempt to re-engage you. It does not always succeed, but even if it fails, it will give you time to consider whether you truly desire it.
