It's OK to buy new clothes & still care about the planet

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One of the exercises I do with my clients is to establish their values.

Many of my clients care about the environment, diversity, fair trade and the ethical creation of clothing.

For some, this means wearing previously worn clothing, which can include up-cycled, recycled, or second-hand, either from thrift stores, consignment stores, clothes swapping or as gifts from other friends’ wardrobes.

This is absolutely wonderful!

I help them choose, curate, source and create combinations.

However, it’s still okay to buy something new.

For example, a client of mine who’s passionate about all of the above issues did incorporate some new pieces of clothing into her wardrobe.

For one thing, she hadn’t bought clothes for many, many years and her body shape has changed completely (having babies does that).

She is also moving into a new position as a thought leader, who will create enormous positive change. She’ll be in the spotlight more and wanted to feel confident. Her clothing was part of that.

Here’s what we did.

We found clothing that aligned with her values.

We looked for clothing that was created by people of diversity. We looked for clothing that benefited those who made it. We looked for clothing stores that gave a percentage of their profits to worthy causes.

We looked for clothing that would last the test of time. We looked for slow fashion, not fast fashion. We looked for clothing that was made locally so they didn’t have to be shipped from another country.

We also indulged ourselves at Nordstrom, which has impeccable customer service and high-quality garments. Longer wear, lower cost per wear, less replacing of items.

Oh, and of course, they all had to make her look and feel fantastic.

What was the end result?

When she got up on stage to share her message, her values and her wardrobe were in alignment, and she was ready to take on the world!

You have a message to share with other women. Let them hear it.

Book a FREE thirty-minute Discovery Call with me. Let's talk about what you want to say to the world.

Aroha,
Erin

2 comments

thehappywardrobe
 

Marlene! so good to hear from you. I'm working on an outfit formula program for you. Also, are you in Zero Waster Seattle? The FB group? A client of mine and I are speaking about slow fashion etc. I'll email you details. Thank you for poasting!
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Marlene A Katz
 

Buying new clothes these days is fraught with stress. I buy at least 50% of my clothes on the secondary market. But I also buy 50% of my clothes new. Basics, wardrobe staples, intimates, shoes. I'm ok with this. However, I HAVE started asking some questions before I click "buy" these days. Will this item fill a wardrobe hole? Will this item have longevity or is it a trendy short-termer? Does this item match my Style Statement? Is there something already in my closet that has this same function? I'm finding my purchases of new items has decreased dramatically with this new found mindfulness.
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