It wasn’t so long ago that the only incoming trends we, as consumers, had to deal with, were those that came in four seasonal collections, and we waited anxiously in anticipation for these trends to translate from the catwalk to the high street shelves.
Now, these trends seem to be coming in what feels like weekly waves in the form of micro-trends, for example, the revival of the garish '70s style prints and the introduction of the micro bag. It almost feels too stressful to even keep up with; one minute you’re fashion forward, the next you’re completely outdated, and it's exhausting.
Not only is it exhausting for us, but it's becoming exhausting for the environment too. The constant introduction of new trends allows for an exponential amount of waste, due to a loss of interest, and quite simply a lack of room in consumer wardrobes. What makes this worse is that 350,000 tonnes of this waste, for the most part, is still wearable.
Although there are still alternative shopping routes like buying second-hand, it can still contribute to this issue, as it does not inhibit consumers from throwing these garments away once a new trend introduces itself.
Due to this ongoing issue, it is now imperative that we as consumers take control over what we purchase, instead of the brands dictating what we buy. Although brands may not want you to think this, there are ways that you can be fashion forward and trendy, but remain minimalist and promote an anti-consumption mindset.
Capsule Wardrobe
Something to consider when thinking about how to transform your wardrobe, and also an idea that is becoming increasingly popular, is the capsule wardrobe.
What is it?
A capsule wardrobe is a collection of limited, specially selected items of clothing that can coordinate well with each other, and can be mix and matched in multiple ways to suit various occasions. In order to create an effective capsule wardrobe, it is ideal for the pieces to be bought as separates to really optimise the versatility in the looks you have.
However, it is also important to consider including seasonal pieces, depending on the climate you are living in. Some staple pieces that you could consider are a short sleeve t-shirt, a good fitting pair of jeans, a cocktail dress, as well as a few other necessary items.
What's so good about it?
As you can probably tell, there are substantial benefits to creating a carefully curated wardrobe such as this. Through purchasing staple pieces that remain timeless throughout each major, and minor season, you are eliminating the chance that you will ever feel outdated in what you are wearing, and it also means you are now able to invest more wisely in your clothing purchases; gone are the days of buying clothes for a singular night out, made of cheap fabric.
Although it may feel a little expensive at first, you will now be able to invest your money into clothes made to last you long into the future, and will also feel the physical benefits too, such as softer, thicker, high-quality fabric. Similarly, it will help the environment feel the physical benefits too, with a significant decrease in the amount of waste being transferred to landfill.
Create a Uniform
In the process of creating your carefully curated capsule wardrobe, you can also think about what your personal style is, and really nail it down. Think of this as creating a uniform for yourself; you can really consider what type of clothing suits you, and makes you feel most confident, and what other pieces you may want to steer away from in the future.
For example, my typical ‘uniform’, is an oversized blazer, a body suit, paired with a pair of leather look leggings. I can never go wrong with this either, it can be dressed up with a pair of heels, or down with some trainers or chunky boots, and is suitable for almost all occasions.
Once you have figured this out, you can then start to replicate this look and style in your future pieces, just with slight variations. In terms of creating a minimalist lifestyle, this will help you shop with more purpose. Rather than just picking anything and everything up in the shop, a lot of which may be trendy, but not necessarily your style, you can shop purposefully and look for pieces that suit your uniform. In doing this, you are immediately minimising the risk of purchasing stuff to wear only once and throw away afterwards.
In terms of being trendy, by creating a uniform for yourself, you are essentially creating your own signature style that people will associate with you. Especially if you choose stylish, timeless pieces, you will inevitably be viewed as trend-driven, as ultimately, timeless pieces will never go out of style, contrastingly to those fashion fads that leave as quickly as they are introduced.
It Really is That Simple
Although it may seem to be increasingly difficult to keep on track with the abundance of oncoming trends at the moment, there is a much more disturbing issue that needs to be considered, and that is the damage the amount of waste these trends generate.
If we, as consumers, continue to buy clothes and dispose of them at such a quick rate, we stand no chance of improving the quality of our planet. That is why it’s important to consider your wardrobe next time you’re going to buy more clothes. Have a long look at what you already have, and how you can transform some old pieces into something new, be innovative. You don’t need to have the latest trend pieces in order to be considered stylish and trendy, its all about confidence and how you where it. After all, you probably already have hundreds of looks sat in your wardrobe.