How to Build a Sustainable Wardrobe in 6 Steps
Yes, my closet is odd :). (old house problems!)
“Sometimes the most ethical and sustainable thing to do is to buy something you will wear for years to come.”
This past January, I was invited by an Instagram friend (yes, those exist!) to attend a workshop held by local women’s group(@ladieswinedesigndenver) titled: “How to Build an Intentional Wardrobe: a step by step guide to defining your style, decluttering your closet, and curating a wardrobe you love,” and we did just that.
We discussed current shopping habits, how clothing makes us feel, how to curate a sustainable wardrobe you love, and the impact fast fashion and shopping without purpose has on the environment. It was mind blowing to rediscover the evils of fast fashion and how clothing really does have an impact on how we feel about ourselves and view our selves, but it was also reassuring. I discovered that the actions I had taken over the past few years in clearing out my wardrobe and choosing basic pieces had been great steps toward living a more sustainable life.
The idea of building an intentional, sustainable wardrobe is to create a wardrobe full of versatile pieces that you love, so that excess shopping isn’t necessary. You have all that you need, right in your own closet! However, building that wardrobe takes time and focused intention. Below are 6 steps for closet-building with intention and developing a sustainable wardrobe, courtesy of workshop leaders Anne (@fibreanddwell), a sustainable fashion advocate & Brandee (@judithandjoe), owner of an ethical clothing shop in Denver.
6 Steps for Building a Sustainable Wardrobe
1 - Define Your Style
List the clothing items you like to wear regularly. What items do you wear on a daily basis? A weekly basis? Are there certain pieces that you lean toward frequently?
For example, I wear leggings, sport bras & athletic shoes almost daily(fitness industry life!). I also love cropped tops(sweaters, sweatshirts, tanks, etc.) and cozy long cardigans. I lean toward neutrals: black, white, gray, nude/tan, or subdued colors; jeans over any other type of pant, and dresses that are simple, fitted, show off my petite figure, and are comfortable.
List items you do NOT like to wear. This includes textures, patterns, materials, and fit: tight or loose fitting clothing, etc. I found this step to be a lot easier to accomplish and a great personal style indicator as I am firm in what I don’t like.
For example, I dislike vinyl, tie-dye(I know this is now trending, but I will never be on board with it), low-rise jeans, most patterns, large dangly earrings, flat boots, and basically anything that appears to be cheap/cheaply made.
Think about what activities you like to do most. Do you have an office job that requires professional attire? Do you spend most of your day outside? Do drive to work or walk/bike?
For me, this is fitness activities, lounging, going out to dinner, and walking around exploring the city or neighborhoods. I walk many places so comfortable shoes and clothing are a must.
What is the climate in your area? Do you experience seasons or is it mostly sunny and warm? Cold and snowy?
Denver is very sunny and typically warm, but it also snows heavily in the winter and can get pretty cold. We experience all the seasons in Denver. Therefore, my wardrobe needs to allow me to feel cool and free in the hot sun but also cozy and warm during the winter months and comfortable in Spring/Fall when it is more mild. It doesn’t rain in Denver that often, so my rain coat, trench coats, and rain boots that were staples back in the Mid-West aren’t very necessary anymore.
**My personal tip! For those of you that live in climates with all 4 seasons, I recommend only keeping in your closet clothing that is necessary for the one season you are in and packing away your other seasonal items. This keeps your closet from becoming a storage room and makes sifting through your closet so much easier and more manageable!
2 - Tune into how you FEEL
What works and what doesn’t? Looking at your lists of clothing that you love and hate, think about how these items relate to each other. Are you able to combine pieces in your “loves” list together to create a variety of outfits? Or are they mainly stand alone pieces that you may get one or two uses out of? Do you have any of the clothing on your “hates” list? Do you actually wear these pieces? Do they fit into your wardrobe or stand out like a sore thumb?
How do you feel when wearing something you love? When wearing something you don’t love? Really, truly, think about this. Write down a list of adjectives that describe how you feel when wearing something you love. Then, write down adjectives to describe how wearing something you dislike makes you feel.
When I am wearing something I love - be it leggings, a crop top, or a comfy cute dress - I feel confident, secure, relaxed, empowered, sexy, competent, and chic (to name a few!) When I am wearing something I dislike, I feel incredibly insecure, exposed, self conscious, frumpy, ugly and anxious.
How does your wardrobe currently make you feel? If your current wardrobe makes you feel any of the negative adjectives associated with wearing something you don’t like, you know you need to make some changes.
Thinking back on the pieces you wear regularly (Step 1), how do those pieces make you feel?
Do these pieces bring out the same feelings that wearing something you love does? If your current wardrobe makes you feel amazing, you’re on the right track! If what you wear frequently leaves you feeling insecure, some wardrobe changes are necessary.
3 - Label your style in 3 words. Focus on the pieces that you wear regularly AND that make you feel your best.
My style is, “athletic, casual and comfortable.” (I also threw in “neutral” and “confident” - if 3 words is too few for you, feel free to add more!) The key here is to define YOU so that you are better able to choose pieces in the future that fit the description of YOUR STYLE, limiting clutter and guaranteeing you’ll wear the pieces in your closet for years to come.
4 - Declutter. The next step, after thoroughly reviewing your closet and discovering how your clothing makes you feel, is to purge your closet. Remove any items on your “Do Not Like to Wear” list. Then, gather all of your “loves” - pieces that make you feel good, confident and true to yourself, and that you know you’ll continue to wear for years to come - and bring them to the front of your closet. These pieces should be easily accessible.
*Another tip: if you haven’t worn something in over a month, remove it from your closet. I find many “impulse buys” of mine just sit in my closet with the tags on for months. Get rid of those! You may be telling yourself, “one day I’ll wear this piece,” or, “I’m saving it for a special occasion,” but there is no guarantee that day will come, and wearing something you feel comfortable and confident in that is true to you is a much better option for a special occasion. That shiny impulse buy that you’ll get 0-1 uses out of isn’t worth holding on to.
Next, remove the “purged” items from your home(or repurpose them!).
Donate, but with Intention. Don’t use Goodwill as your garbage dump. Truly consider what a donation store shopper would and would not wear. The goal is to prevent adding wardrobe items to landfills. Items that don’t sell at GoodWill will ultimately be dumped.
Repurpose. Any old tee, sock, etc. can be used as a rag. And jeans can be turned into cutoffs. Get creative with it!
Sell. There are many wonderful re-sale shops and platforms to choose from. Again, be intentional with what platform you use or shop you choose to sell clothing to. A local thrift store may be more inclined to accept a designer bag than Plato’s Closet would, for example.
5 - Choose a Color Palette. Once you’ve purged your closet and removed the unnecessary items from your home, take a look at the color of the clothing that remains. This is your preferred color palette, one that is true to YOU, not true to a fad or trend, and one that will remain unchanged for years. (Again, we’re building a sustainable wardrobe - one that lasts for years!) Stick to this color palette when shopping in the future.
6 - Curate. Lastly, if you’ve purged many items that may need to be replaced (for example, you removed a pair of low-rise jeans that you never wore, but still could use a basic pair high-waisted jeans for everyday use) shop with intention. Here are some tips for doing just that:
Choose Vintage or Second-Hand - The best option, if you want to live a truly sustainable lifestyle, is to extend the life of clothing and prevent clothing from entering landfills. Purchasing vintage or second-hand clothing is an awesome way to do this. This is also the most affordable option.
Choose Sustainable - If buying second-hand items isn’t for you, or you simply can’t find what you want/need second hand, purchase from a sustainable clothing shop or brand. I know many sustainable or ethical brands are expensive, but that is because the quality is there, workers are paid fairly, and, unfortunately, we live in a time where sustainable/environmentally-friendly practices are expensive to implement. Times are changing, though, and more and more businesses are choosing sustainability and ethical practices, so rest assured the cost of sustainable clothing will minimize over the next few years. For now, know that your sustainable purchase does so much good, and since sustainable pieces are meant to last for many years, the price you pay really is fair.
Ex: Let’s say you paid $5 for a white T-shirt at a fast-fashion shop like Forever21. How long with that shirt actually last you? I guarantee within a year it will show sweat stains, it will have begun to unravel, and the structure will have been mangled as it cannot withstand more than a few washes. A basic white tee from a sustainable brand may cost you $30+ dollars, but it is made to last. You get way more bang for your buck (and the shirt in general will feel SO much better due to the higher quality!) Invest in the more expensive, sustainable basics :).
Choose Local or Artisan-Made - Another option is to shop from local boutiques or from artisans as opposed to large chain brands that rely of unethical, factory-produced, fast-fashion. Most local boutiques receive clothing items local or globally-located artisans and small clothing producers. Shopping local/artisan-made ensures you are helping small businesses thrive, and that more money from your purchase goes directly into the hands of the shop owners and individual clothing producers. Your purchase has more of an impact this way :).
Do you have any additional tips to share? Leave them in a comment below! Or feel free to message me directly. Building a sustainable wardrobe is a process and it takes time, but beginning with the above 6 steps will put you on the right path.