In this day and age of fast fashion, aggressive social media marketing and influencer culture; we are continuously being tempted with the bait of new styles, new collections, discounts, offers and trends. Our buying patterns have changed and how over the past few years. Earlier, we would buy new clothes for special occasions or festivals; and now we can’t stop indulging in those flash sales, getting our hands on the season’s trendiest pieces or clicking on that “checkout cart” button anytime we feel like!
The result? We discarding clothes almost as fast as we are buying new ones. We are contributing to the culture of fast fashion – which involves manufacturing processes that are harmful to the environment, exploits poor workers, and uses materials that are (most of the times) not bio-degradable or recyclable. On top of that, our discarded clothes & accessories are being dumped by the tonnes in landfills where they sit for hundreds of years.
Responsible fashion is a big part of sustainable living and if you thought that for this you have to invest in expensive sustainable brands or high-end organic clothing, you are absolutely mistaken. Being responsible in your fashion choices can be achieved with a step as small as re-wearing your existing clothes. Save some money and shop your own closet! You’ll be surprised to see what you can do if you set your mind to re-styling your garments to their full extent. Each piece of clothing can actually be re-styled in various different ways, so create different looks – if only you know the basic tips & tricks. From tops & dresses to jackets and cardigans; everything can be styled differently if you just give it a little bit of effort.
So, here are some basic tips that can help you ace the re-wear & re-style game
- You can pair complementary colours or different shades of the same colour family for a homogenous look.
- Solid colour pieces are the most versatile – you can pair them with another contrasting colour separate, or pair a solid colour top with printed bottoms etc.
- Printed garments can either be layered with a solid coloured shrug/jacket or worn with contrast coloured accessories. Different accessories can create different looks. E.g.: You can a printed dress with contrast coloured heels & a classy bag for a date outfit. You can wear the same dress with a fun sling bag, layered golden necklaces & neutral pair of ballerinas for shopping with the girls.
- Print on print looks chic and stylish if done right. You can start out with mixing smaller prints together – like polka dots & florals. Or you can go bold and put together 2 or more loud prints, just make sure the colours complement each other.
- Try out wearing the same garment in different ways for a fun twist to your looks. You can wear a shirt back to front or even button it up differently for a completely unique look. Knot up your tops or dresses to create a new style with old clothing.
- Think beyond the general purpose of the garment. Who said kurtas can be worn in only ethnic attires? Pair a kurta with pleated midi skirts, tuck the kurta into a pair of denim shorts or just wear an A-line kurta as a dress with heels & a belt for head-turning looks.
- Layer, layer and layer some more. Layering is an underrated trick when it comes to re-styling pieces. Knot a top at the waist and layer it on a maxi dress. Layer a shift dress on wide-legged pants & belt up the waist. Layer a midi dress with a long kimono shrug. Layer vests over a shirt & drape a saree on top. You’ll see innumerable outfit options open up in front of your eyes once you start layering.
- If there are pieces in your wardrobe that don’t fit you anymore, try recycling them for DIY projects. Cut up old tees to make cushion covers, if you can’t button up a shirt because it’s tight then wear it open front as a jacket, slit up a tight dress from the middle and wear it over another dress as a layer.
- Segregate each item from your closet according to the number of wears you’ve got out of them. Each piece of clothing should be easily worn at least 25 times, in order to get your money’s worth. If there are garments that you’ve worn very few times, start thinking of new ways to re-style them right now.
- Trends come and go. But, they come back again. So, don’t throw away something just because it was trendy last season. It’ll be back in trend again soon and till then, you can re-wear it mixed & matched with other pieces to create outfits that’ll make you stand out in the crowd!
Pinterest & Instagram videos are great places to get inspiration for re-styling clothes. So, go, do your research, get inspired and you’ll be surprised at the new way you’ll be looking at your own wardrobe once ideas start pouring in. Trust me, re-wearing clothes are actually fun once you get the hang of it. And you won’t have one of those “I have nothing to wear” days ever again!
Hope you liked reading this post and will give this new idea a try. It’s an easy and fun way of helping the environment while saving your own money in the process. So, win-win! Do drop in on my blog Style Prism to get more ideas on re-styling or see how I do it myself! You can also follow me on Instagram – come, say hi!
