Fashion Rules You Live By

Introduction:

Many people struggle with buying too much and throwing too much out, and this is especially true when it comes to clothing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We have been  taught from childhood that we can have fun wearing clothes without buying into fast-fashion consumerism: It’s all about intention and knowledge of yourself, your closet, your likes and dislikes. Following the childhood principles and teaching them to the next generation can help us reduce the amount of clothing we consume and create a more sustainable world.

Only buy pieces that you want to wear seven days a week

This is not to say that you should wear an item every day—but limit your purchases to clothes that you love so much that you want to wear them every day. Yes, you can probably find many items that you like in a store, but pieces that you love that much will be hard to find—that’s the point. This standard will drastically reduce the number of items that qualify for a purchase and will prevent you from becoming someone with “a full closet but nothing to wear.”

Look for items that go with multiple pieces in your current closet

Avoid buying a piece that doesn’t work with anything else, because this means that you have to wait to wear it until you can find matching pieces, and you may end up forgetting about it in the back of your closet or spending more money than you mean to. If you need to buy ensembles, make a plan and go about it intentionally so you know ahead of time precisely what you’re looking for, for example, shoes and a dress.

Let it slit

Test items that you think you will love by waiting a few days to buy them. After all, shopping can bring a serious high to some people. Make sure that you are buying the piece because of the feeling you will get from wearing it, not because of the feeling you get from buying it.When you see something special, write down a note or take photos of the tags. Then go home and go about your life. If you’re still thinking about this piece a few days later, you can reasonably assume that you like it enough to buy it. However, if you happen to return to the same shop a few weeks later and realize that you’ve forgotten about that piece in the meantime, it’s probably not special enough to buy.

If there’s something even very small that bothers you about it, don’t buy it

Everyone has been tempted by these pieces before: a sweater with one scratchy seam, some great jeans that are just a tad too tight, a blouse with one rebellious button. Whatever the small thing is, it will become a big thing later—it will become the only thing you think about, and the reason why you don’t wear it. When looking at your closet lineup, you will pick the non-scratchy sweater or the more comfortable jeans every time, and these not-quite-perfect items will become the things you wear only occasionally on laundry day.

Be willing to mend or repair when necessary

If you only buy pieces that you really love and plan to wear a lot, then you will probably also be willing to use them up, wear them out, and make them do for as long as possible. A willingness to mend and alter clothes when they fall apart means that you are creating less waste for the environment (and spending less money).Some items are hard to salvage—swimsuits, for example, that have lost their elastic—but there are many pieces that a good tailor can fix for you when they don’t work anymore as-is. If you’ve lost weight by a certain size, it’s easy to take in blouses and pants. If you’ve gained weight and your dress has a deep hem, you can ask a tailor to use that extra fabric to create panels on the side to give you a bit more breathing room. Irreparable holes in pant legs and sleeves can often be cut off to turn the items into shorts or sleeveless blouses. Shoes can even be resolved or re-heeled.

Don’t be afraid to be yourself

Buy things that you love, regardless of what’s popular at the moment. If you buy something on-trend because you think you should like it, you may end up avoiding wearing it because it just doesn’t feel like you. Conversely, if you find something you really love, whether it’s big, bright, old-fashioned, or crazy-colored—go for it! Buy the clothes that make you feel good, not the ones you think are supposed to make you feel good, and don’t ever squash your style because you’re afraid to stand out.

Embrace thrift, vintage, and hand-me-downs

Probably many of us have worn our older siblings’ or cousins’ clothing at some point. When we were very young, though, you may not have known that you were also helping the environment.Most people know by now that the fashion industry is responsible for a mind-boggling amount of waste and pollution. Wearing used items saves clothes headed for the landfill, so you will be reducing, reusing, and recycling.Vintage shops are a great place to find unique, well-made pieces. However, not everyone has access to vintage shops, and vintage clothing can be difficult to find for women who wear larger sizes. However, many thrift shops have more variety in sizing. Another fun way to obtain used clothing is to host a clothing-swap between a few friends who are close to your size.

Donate and recycle

When you do need to get rid of clothes, don’t just throw things out. Make sure that you donate wearable clothes and accessories to various charitable organizations when you are through with them. And if your pants absolutely can’t be re-worn (very inconvenient holes—happens to all of us),look for a center that recycles the fabric or provides for the homeless. Some  H&M locations have recycling bins for clothing, 

Prioritize Quality over Quantity:

You’ll never see a well-dressed and stylish girl in shabby and worn-out clothes. So, instead of having a large wardrobe with tops that may tear apart any moment, consider investing your money in quality items that will last for years to come. If you want to style yourself in a classy manner, toss out all deteriorating items and replace them with high-quality items that scream class and timelessness. Ditch the flimsy materials like nylon or polyester and go for cotton, linen, and wool instead.

Define your personal style

Having a transparent understanding of your personal style is essential to looking and feeling your best. Fashion is a great way to represent your vibe, mood, interests, and lifestyle and highlight your personality overall. So whether you think like a free-spirited bohemian, a sporty-chic vibe, or perhaps the classic street style; you have to shop accordingly. Once you figure out your personal style, it’s important to determine your body style (apple, pear, hourglass, etc.) to see which items will suit you best and compliment your look.

When in doubt, go for neutrals

Statement pieces, bold prints, and bright colors are great for those energetic days when you are all set to become the life of the party, but neutrals and black clothes are your constant pal. There are endless solid/neutral-toned items available in the market that can be paired up in creative ways to look effortlessly chic. A few typical examples of neutrals or solid tones may include white, cream, gray, black, beige, pastels, and navy blue. You can also go for monochromatic clothes in different shades to mix them up and flaunt your style.

Wait for sales and liquidation prices

You don’t always need to burn a hole in your pocket to look fashionable and fabulous. Frequent and smart shoppers who have a great clothing collection don’t always blow away all their money to flaunt their style. Many stylish and smart shoppers have often suggested going vintage, thrifting or trying liquidation sales. Wholesale liquidation stores are one of the best ways to build up an entire wardrobe, collect statement pieces, grab a range of stylish accessories and even get your hands on some luxury or designer clothing items at unbeatable prices. There are several whole liquidation stores where you can get some stellar deals so look out for your nearest ones to enhance your style at a cost-friendly price. More than the cost of your clothing pieces, what matters is how you style them to pull them off.

Colors and Contrast

Although the rigid rules for the right color combination and other labels are slowly being thrown out of the window, it doesn’t hurt to be aware of the right color combinations to draw attention with contrast. Knowing color combinations can help you play it to your advantage and become a trend-setter. For instance, you can always brighten up any dull outfit with a pop of bold color or tone down your outfit by pairing your outfit with a pair of nude heels, subtle makeup, and neutral accessories. Knowing colors and contrast is also important to dress appropriately as per the occasion.

Capsule Wardrobe and Statement Items:

Trends may come and go, but you’ll never regret investing in building up your capsule wardrobe consisting of a set of versatile styling items. Moreover, no one wants to end up looking shabby because they spent hours searching for the right item. So make sure to add versatile items to your carts such as a nice pair of denim, white shirt, black t-shirt, a blazer, solid sling bag, and more. Recognize your needs as per your lifestyle to curate the perfect capsule wardrobe. While it’s great to have a collection of evergreen items, always have a couple of statement pieces ready for every outfit to turn some heads around.

Accessorize but don’t go over

We all know that the right accessories are like the exclamation mark to complete any outfit. So if you want to elevate any basic outfit and look extraordinarily stylish, don’t be afraid to play around with accessories. Scarves, golden hoop earrings, rings, chunky necklaces, sunglasses, belts, and a smart baguette are some of the most trending accessories that are pleasing to look at. However, make it a point to not go overboard with accessorizing and ending up looking too extra. Throw around a few complimentary pieces here and there, and you’ll be good to go.