My lunch breaks have become a gauntlet run of temptation. Every shop window beckoning me in with a dazzling display of sequins, plunging necklines, crushed velvet and jewel tones.
But I’m trying to be good this year. Fast fashion is bad. And I don’t need another thigh-skimming sparkly mini that I’m going to wear once. I don’t. I definitely don’t.
I’m wearing an old dress to my work Christmas party this year. I’ve had it for about three years, it’s timeless in colour and design, it suits me, it still fits great. So why don’t I feel great about it?
But this is the powerful sorcery of fast fashion. The explosion of unfathomably cheap and easy-to-access clothing both on the high street and online has created an environment where none of us feel OK wearing things more than once.
Instagram culture doesn’t help. If you don’t take a picture – the night out didn’t happen. And if you do take a picture – I can never wear this outfit again. The millennial catch-22.
But as we all strive to do our bit for the planet, we have to push-back against this ‘re-wear anxiety’ and embrace our perfectly good old outfits.
It’s easier said than done.
Emily has been trying to shop more consciously over the last five years, but she says she really struggles over the festive period when it comes to re-wearing party pieces.
‘Instagram is a bad influence on me,’ Emily tells Metro.co.uk.
‘I’ll see bloggers wearing pretty, sparkly pieces, or shoes and bags, and before I know it I’m browsing fast fashion sites looking for my size.
‘I experience the guilt in a big way and often don’t make the purchase, but then I’ll keep thinking about the things I didn’t buy. I’m the queen of shopping and then looking at all the clothes I already have and begrudgingly sending new purchases back.
‘It’s mad because I have so many clothes, but I do often share that anxiety of wanting to rock something new to an event, especially around Christmas.’
We all know the feeling of having ‘nothing’ to wear – despite barely being able to close your own wardrobe because of the sheer volume of items. So maybe it’s more about rediscovery and adding some new touches, rather than buying a whole new ‘fit.
‘This year I compromised and bought accessories – sparkly socks, big pearl hair clips and a pair of sustainably made boots, which are gorgeous and I’m hoping last a long time,’ explains Emily.
‘In a perfect world I wouldn’t have bought anything, but despite my attempts to be more conscientious, I’m a bit of a sucker for seasonal retail therapy. No sparkly high street dresses though, even though I pined after plenty.’
A new pair of shoes, a new bag or a new piece of jewellery can go a long way in making a slightly tired outfit feel sparkly and fresh.
This season, the party looks are all about over-sized hair accessories, big belts and touches of pearl. All things that can be achieved with a couple of extras – rather than a new dress or suit.
Tips to liven up an old party outfit
– Go big on the makeup. Glitter, glitter, glitter. If your face is a sparkly disco ball, no one will care if your dress is on the simpler side.
– Invest in some new accessories. A simple headband, or a sparkly new bag can make you feel like you’re hitting all the current trends, without buying new clothes.
– Change how you wear it. Add a belt, or a suit jacket to a simple cocktail dress – and you’ve got a whole new outfit on your hands.
– Remember why you love it. If you have an outfit that you used to love – think about what made you feel like that in the first place. If an outfit looks great on you, that doesn’t change just because the trends have changed.
Jo Threlfall, is a thrift and vintage fashion blogger from Leeds. She says making smarter choices during party season comes down to understanding your budget and reevaluating your motivations.
‘Often, I find women feel the need to invest in a new dress, jumpsuit, sequin skirt or heels to impress their work colleagues or friends,’ says Jo.
‘However, no one should be forced to buy something new for just one night. Instead, we can look into what we’ve already go in our wardrobe and find new ways of styling it.
‘I used to feel the pressure in the past to always find something new to wear for my office party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. But I always ended up only wearing half of the items I ordered on ASOS and returning the rest.’
Now, Jo says the majority of her wardrobe is made up of vintage clothes, remade clothes and charity shop finds.
‘I decided to make this change as it has allowed me to save money towards my first home and give me the extra cash to travel,’ she says.
‘Along with with that, it’s allowed me to find unique items that no one else on the high-street. I also donated a lot of my old clothes to charity to help raise money for The British Heart Foundation and Shelter.’
These are all really handy tips. But can you ever really substitute the feeling you get when you head out to a party in a brand new outfit? There’s this instant mood boost, a flood of endorphins that you just don’t get when you re-wear.
It’s almost as though we’re addicted to newness. So, how do you break the cycle?
‘Within the slow fashion movement there are supporters of 30 wears, or even 100,’ says Ceri Balston, co-founder of online sustainable fashion finder Baobab Avenue.
‘Committing to this for all the items in your wardrobe, including that Christmas party dress is part of the journey to embracing a lifestyle of sustainability.
‘Make this your challenge and bask in the joy it brings when you succeed.’
Ceri tells us that saying ‘no’ to fast fashion is all about positive choices and thinking about the impact of how you spend your money. She says it is both personal and political.
‘It’s an environmental and a feminist issue. The fashion industry is the most labour-intensive industry on the planet, there are 60 million garment makers across the globe and 80% of them are women who are on average paid just 43% of a living wage.
‘80% of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfill, and pesticides and other chemicals end up in the world’s water suppliers.
‘Embrace slow fashion, re-purpose your outfits, and join the movement that says “yes” to a better world for everyone.’
Josh is the founder of an ethical and sustainable online fashion brand Stand4 Socks. He says he certainly feels the pull to buy something new for Christmas – but he tries his best not to act on it.
‘I see the ads all over social media, billboards and TV for men’s fast fashion from industry leaders like BoohooMan,’ explains Josh.
‘As a guy, I feel it’s more acceptable to have a more laid back view on fashion, and there’s less pressure to always have the latest look. That’s changing through, as the more male influencers adopt the fast fashion model.’
Josh says his secret is to keep it simple, but he knows that’s generally easier for men than it is for women.
‘If I rock up in all black, fitted and comfortable clothes, I feel more confident and at ease than if I was wearing something new.
‘It’s like with black tie dinners and formal wear for work, men have had quite a standardised acceptable “norm” that we feel safe with. Women have lot more options to experiment with, and with that brings pressure and expectation that men haven’t always had.’
He adds that retailers have a responsibility to help consumers make smarter choices.
‘Online fashion as a model is really powerful and scalable, but values shouldn’t be compromised for this.
‘Consumers are increasingly demanding a higher standard of ethics in all industries – we are proud to be setting an example in online fashion. It can be achieved working closely and frankly with your supply chain.’
So how does this help you next time you’re walking past ZARA or H&M and that sparkly number has you salivating and reaching for your purse?
Maybe it’s as simple as thinking about the bigger picture. Yes, that dress might look great on a couple of Instagram stories, but it will likely fall apart when you wash it, and you’ll probably be bored of it by the time the next party rolls around.
Extricate yourself from the endless cycle of consuming, and remember that you don’t have to follow the crowd in order to serve some serious festive looks.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/20/banish-re-wear-anxiety-not-buying-new-party-dress-christmas-11938965/
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