Green Fashion Beauty Tip: Wearing ‘Last Season’ will make us Last One More Season

I consider myself thrifty in a way that I would choose a pair of $20 boots over a $100 one even if it’s on “sale.”  I’ve always been the type who chooses comfort over looks – which is one of the best “beauty tips” around – whilst still considering if the clothes or any accessory I wear compliment my body type. Of course, there will always be occasions that require one to dress up than they normally would, but on a regular basis, I’d rather be in my comfy pair of tracky dacks and a warm jumper.

Truth be told, our fashion choices affect the environment too.  The kind of materials we are wearing, the many times that we head towards our favourite outlets to scan the shelves like a fashion predator, the shops and boutiques we are buying from—if we are not conscious about these things, our fashion sense will take its toll on our planet. Perhaps, we can surmise that one of the most understated ways to live healthily is to likewise be aware of our fashion choices. So, before you purchase that limited edition pony skin handbag or that red coral necklace that will go well with your white collared top, think about how they were acquired and what has been lost during their acquisition.

Consider the material.

Have you ever wondered how many bears or rabbits have been killed for that fur you’re wearing?  How many tigers or zebras have been slain for that priceless rug?  Do you know that your ivory earrings were traded in the black market? Or the leather shoes that match your leather belt belong to a cultured species of crocodile? I won’t even start with your jewelry collection or the diamond engagement ring that every woman dreamed of having to complete their fairy tale love story.  A lot of us secretly or otherwise desire high-end items or rare things.  While they are exquisite and a beauty to behold, often, the materials used for them were extracted irresponsibly, endangering our natural resources and robbing off other living creatures of their chance for survival.  Educate yourself to become more aware of the materials used for an item that you are buying.

Let your creative juices flow.  

You don’t have to buy new fashion items for every occasion nor do you, as a woman, have to undergo a weight loss plan just so you can fit in a desired get up. Experiment with what you have.  Use abundant materials in your surroundings. Decorate your hats with dried, odd looking leaves from your backyard.  Spice up your old pair of pumps with coffee beans or garden rocks. Collect buttons from your old clothes and use them to accentuate your sleeveless shirts. Take your collection of embellishments and glue gun to spruce up your items. Get creative and you will be rewarded with beautiful pieces.  Use this to express your own style and taste in fashion.  Bring out the designer in you.

Choose your brand or designer carefully.  

If ever you have no time to experiment with your clothes and have fun with your old items, then buy fashion items from eco-friendly shops and social enterprises.  Choose your designer carefully.  While famous designers are known for their fashion ingenuity, some of them use rare materials or those manufactured by destructive industries.  A growing number of celebrities or TV personalities have already expressed their defiance towards using real fur as a fashion accessory. As a positive result, a number of prominent designers are also shunning away from these materials.  Watch out for brands that manufacture products on a mass scale because they often use machines that consume large amounts of energy, produce enormous piles of waste, or employ poor labor practices to gouge out more productivity from its offshore workers.

Trade with friends.

One of the best fashion beauty tips is trading with your friends, because, why not? If your clothes are like so last season and you want to own something new, why not swap items with your friends?  I’m sure they have been eyeing one of your clothes or two.  You may find cute pieces from their collections too.  It will also serve as an opportunity for you and your friends to bond together as you rummage through each other’s stuff. (A slumber party with some bubbly sounds good!) Those that don’t fit your size or suit your taste – you can just opt to donate. You can head to your nearest op shop or Salvation Army outlet and bring your goods there. If it’s a couple of bucks you need to purchase something practical, then you might as well sell them online.

Being green even in our fashion choices is always beneficial. This isn’t to discourage you from buying quality apparel and cool accessories, but bear in mind that wearing last season will make us last one more season – figuratively and technically speaking! Mix and match certain pieces and you will come up with a new look all the time. Refer to online references and magazines to get wonderful ideas. Besides, our wallets will thank us for our practical disregard of overspending.

As we minimize the frequency of our shopping, we help slow down the exploitation of our natural resources. Our consumption habit is one of the most dangerous culprits of environmental degradation.  If you can help it, shop sparingly and choose items that have a classic design and timeless appeal.  With different eco-friendly accessories and knick-knacks, you can use them for different occasions even after several generations.

The temptation might be sometimes hard to resist because of all the ads – print and TV – and fashion beauty tip reminders that we get from modern society every single day. However, silencing the urge of being the shopaholic that you and taking it one day at a time will gradually become a habit. Trust me. Everything that you practice regularly becomes a part of you.

How do you feel about going green? What are your fashion beauty tips for women who are unsure about choosing faux over animal material? Leave your insights on the comment box below!