5 Ways to Look Great Whilst Being Sustainable

If you are reading this, chances are you take pride in your appearance and want to look great.

But dressing in the latest trends comes with its concerns. Especially when we regularly see news about fast fashion and the negative impact it can have on the environment.

We want to look our best, but also want to feel good about doing it.

So, what do we do?

Luckily there is an entire industry dedicated to sustainable style. In this guide, we offer you some tips on how to look great whilst shopping consciously. We also provide you with some advice on how you can generally approach your style in a more sustainable way.

Buy Less, Buy Better

Reducing the amount you consume is the number one way to be more sustainable. Although there are plenty of more sustainable options out there, ultimately every product you purchase will have some negative impact on the environment.

By changing your approach to style you can consume less. For example, instead of spending relatively small amounts on multiple items, you can spend more on fewer higher-quality items. When an item is of higher quality, it is also likely to last you longer and reduce the need to replace it over time.

So, if you ever felt you needed a reason to splurge a little extra cash on clothes or accessories - then being more sustainable is the perfect one.

Consider Sustainable Alternatives

With growing awareness and concern over the health of the environment, more businesses are popping up that focus on delivering products made from more sustainable materials and created by using more sustainable processes.

When shopping, look for stores, brands and products that note their environmental credentials. For example, products which are made of recycled or natural materials can be a good alternative to more environmentally harmful materials such as ‘virgin’ plastics.

Educating yourself on what constitutes a more environmentally friendly product will help you avoid the potential pitfalls of greenwashing.

Shop For Used

From emissions being released into the air to potentially harmful chemicals being drained away into the water systems, the production of practically any product has at least some negative impact on the environment.

Buying used items can be a great way to extend the life of them and offset the need for new products to be made.

Of course, second-hand clothing and accessories can have a reputation for being a bit ‘outdated’ and ‘unstylish’. However, with more recent movements to be more sustainable in our approach to style, there are now countless ways to get hold of super-stylish pre-loved items.

For example, dedicated fashion resale apps like Vinted can be a good place to find designer brands at a fraction of the price of buying them new. You can also find these types of products along with watches and jewellery on auction websites such as eBay. It is even becoming more common to make fantastic style discoveries in local charity shops.

Be Realistic About Usage

This is a simple tip that will help you make more sustainable choices when purchasing products such as clothes, jewellery and accessories.

Ask yourself:

“How much use am I going to get out of this”

If the answer is “not much” or “I will probably wear it once or twice” then making that purchase is likely to be an environmentally unsound one.

Of course, you may 100% need that product, such as a suit for a wedding or a tuxedo for a formal party. But if you believe you will only wear it a handful of times, then it is worth considering renting it instead.