How to be Stylish and Still Shop Sustainably on a Budget | 9 Tips


Fashion today moves very fast and keeping up with the speed seems to translate to buying more and more and more. But I don’t think that’s necessary to be fashionable. You don’t have to constantly buy clothes to be stylish. Fast fashion is all about buying a lot of clothes with a little budget. The clothes are so cheap due to cheap material and cheap labor with workers not earning a living wage. 

Today I am going to give you 9 tips on how to build a stylish wardrobe without breaking the bank and giving into the speed and cheap prices and unethical practices of fast fashion.

1. Invest in classics and simple garments that won’t go out of fashion quickly.

It’s important to look at the quality of what you’re buying and if you haven’t already- you can check out my video with tips on how to tell the difference between poor and good quality here.

If something is covered in ruffles or novelty fabrics or a wild print, it likely won’t last you more than a season. 

2. Choose comfortable fits. A comfortable, drapey fit is more wearable than something skin tight, especially because as women our weight fluctuates, and we aren’t always comfortable in a super tight body con dress. 

By choosing a relaxed fit, you are more likely to wear that garment more often and your self confidence will be much higher. 

3. Find your style and your power color.

I talked about this a little in my video on How to Style with Classics, which you can find here. Identify what color you wear most often and feel most comfortable in, not necessarily what the trend of the season is. If you’re not sure what your best color is or what your go to outfit is- take a look at your Instagram or pictures in your phone and look for your personal trends. 

4. Choose solid colors over prints. You’re likely to wear them more often because you can mix and match your wardrobe more easily. 

Also, for a printed fabric to last, it must be of the utmost quality. It can be hard to tell if the color will really last. The fabric quality might be compensated for the print. It is safer to choose the garment with no print. 

Monochromatic looks can also be extremely chic and elegant. 

5. Use a tailor. If your clothes don’t fit right, you’ll never wear them. Use a tailor and get your money’s worth out of the garment. 

6. Include layering pieces in your wardrobe. You can combine and mix and match, making your wardrobe more versatile. This means investing in separates more than dresses. In fact, fashion buyers know this very well. They love separates because they’re more versatile, thus purchased more often. 

7. Invest in basics. If your budget is limited and the size of your wardrobe is limited, it is very important to make sure the basic elements of your wardrobe are covered. Don’t spend your money on specific occasion pieces, so you can avoid buying pieces you only wear once.

8. Choose varied textures, not necessarily varied color. When you start varying colors, you might not have pieces to match, so you have to buy more of that color. To create interest and style in your wardrobe, you can look for interesting textures or fabrics to add to your wardrobe. 

 You can look for sheer fabrics like organza, shiny fabrics like a satin, drapey fabrics like a jersey, textured fabrics like a matelassé or velvet. This reminds me a lot of the monochromatic trend, which also reminds me of designer Sally Lapointe. She creates monochromatic outfits with different textures. It’s very chic. 

sally lepointe. monochromatic. fashion trend.
9. Care for your clothes. Make sure you make them last. Of course this is going to vary for each garment, mostly based on the fabric. I’ll probably do a blog on this in the future. But for now, just know to follow care labels. 

So remember to think long term, stick to what you feel good in, and focus on a high quality wardrobe. There’s really no excuse to be shopping fast fashion because there are ways to stick to a budget and still look super chic and stylish. I hope these tips will help you to accomplish just that!

I would love for fashion to move in the direction of owning less pieces and appreciating those pieces. It’s a much more fulfilling way to own a wardrobe. I hope we can eliminate having a full closet and nothing to wear. 

Comment below on your feelings about your personal wardrobe and how you feel about owning fewer pieces that you appreciate more. Check back every Friday for new blogs! 

Watch the full YouTube video here:

What to watch next? 

If you haven’t seen my video on how to tell poor from good quality fashion (with a trip to Rodeo Drive!), you can click here. You can watch my video on how to style classics here. Stay tuned for next week’s blog on How to Draw the Fashion Figure Part 2!

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