Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion

21 Tips To Be Stylish On A Budget WITHOUT Fast Fashion

Even when I had a limited budget to spend on my wardrobe I avoided fast fashion. I was always drawn to higher-quality items. Growing up my mom would say that no matter what store we would go into, I could somehow pick out the most expensive thing in that store. Now it doesn’t always mean that something that’s expensive equals great quality but the point was that what I liked and wanted in my wardrobe was good quality pieces. That was more important to me than having a closet full of fast fashion items that were going to fall apart.

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Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion: 21 Tips

1. Shop At Quality Discount Stores.

Choose to shop at high-quality discount stores. One of my favorite places to shop is Nordstrom Rack online (this isn’t sponsored in any way). Nordstrom Rack gets the pieces from the previous season from Nordstrom that didn’t sell. I love shopping at places like that because you can just find some really great deals if you’re patient and you know what to look for. So I would much rather spend time looking for slow fashion pieces vs buying more fast fashion items.

2. Shop At Resale Stores.

Look at resale stores. If you go to a higher-end neighborhood, you can visit the consignment shops there and can usually find some great deals. You can find items that are higher quality, slow fashion pieces from great clothing brands at a quarter of the price.

3. Look For Pieces With Clean Designs.

When you have a limited budget to spend on your wardrobe and you want to avoid fast fashion look for pieces with simple clean designs. Clothing that is streamlined or has a classic silhouette. Not only will the items be more timeless, but they also tend to look better on a lot of different body types.

4. Choose Neutral Colors.

Look for pieces that are neutral colors versus items that are pop of colors or patterns. Clothes that are neutral colors look more expensive than they are. You will also be able to mix and match them with other clothes in your closet easier.

5. Save Up For What You Really Want.

If you can be patient, I recommend saving up for the item you really want. I saved up for a couple of years to be able to purchase my favorite bags. It was worth it to me and it is still worth it to me to wait. I would much rather have my bags than 10 “so-so” bags that I don’t really love and that I’m looking to replace every year.

It’s completely worth it to me to save up for those really higher-end quality pieces and have less of those than spending all my money on multiple pieces or bags that are just okay.

6. Look For Classic Timeless Pieces.

You also want to look for pieces that are classic and timeless. This will help your items last in your wardrobe. I know sometimes you may not want to buy pieces that are classic because you might think classic is boring or not that interesting. That’s not actually the case. A classic piece will be able to work with so many other things in your closet. You don’t want your wardrobe to be mostly statement pieces like prints or bright colors, because you will have a hard time getting dressed.

7. Invest In High-Quality Basics.

My next tip is to look for fabrics that are of higher quality. Cotton is a wonderful fabric that is more inexpensive than some of the more luxurious fabrics. I’d much rather have a slow-fashion cotton piece than a fast-fashion item made of rayon or polyester that tends to pill more and doesn’t last as long.

Fast fashion brands use a lot of inexpensive cheap fabrics that fall apart. Read clothing labels and look for fabrics that are better quality.

8. Have A Capsule Wardrobe.

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Having a capsule wardrobe of elevated basics in your closet that easily mix and match is a great way to seem like you have more clothing options. Clothing essentials allow you to create different outfits by mixing and matching those pieces. Using your wardrobe budget to buy clothing staples to build a capsule wardrobe will help you avoid fast fashion and help you get dressed with ease. You will also not have to spend a lot of money because you’re limiting what you’re buying.

9. Look For Versatile Items.

When you’re buying an item you want it to be versatile. Look for pieces that can go from day to night. You can wear it to work if you style it a certain way but then you can also wear it out to dinner if you style it a different way.

Shop pieces that are versatile for all different parts of your life. That’s key when you want to avoid fast fashion and don’t have a big budget to spend.

10. Find Pieces That Fit Well.

Choose pieces that fit you well. Avoid buying something that’s too big even if it’s on sale thinking that you’ll be able to style it a certain way or fix it a certain way. Unless you plan on getting it altered. Buy things that actually fit you well.

11. Get Alterations.

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Get alterations if you need them. Alterations will make pieces look so much more expensive than they are. For example, if you’re shopping in a resale store and you see a beautiful blazer. If you bought it at full price it would have been five times what you would pay for it now. If it fits you except for the sleeves being too long, that’s an easy alteration. It may be worth bringing it to the tailor.

Nordstrom also offers free alterations when you purchase an item through them and so does Nordstrom Rack.

12. Take Into Account Cost Per Wear.

The next thing when you are choosing slow fashion vs fast fashion is to take into account the cost per wear. How many times are you going to wear an item? How long is it going to last?

Some items in my closet that I did spend more on, I’ve had for years. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve worn them versus if you’re buying something that’s fast fashion and it only lasts one or two times. Maybe you paid ten dollars for it but you only wore it once. But buying a beautiful blouse that you love and have had for years that you’ve worn so many times may end up being 50 cents for each time you’ve worn it. Think about cost per wear when you’re taking into account what you’re purchasing.

13. Know Your Personal Style.

Knowing your personal style is something that I know a lot of women struggle with. It can also change throughout different seasons of your life. But once you get an idea of what your personal style is or what you want it to be, stick to that style when thinking of adding new pieces to your wardrobe. When you know your personal style, it will help you make fewer fashion mistakes. You’ll buy items that you actually love and that you want to incorporate into your wardrobe.

14. Skip Most Trends.

I think one of the mistakes people make is that they think if they’re wearing trends they’re automatically stylish. That’s not always the case. I think sometimes we can go overboard on trends or think that we have to have the latest trends to stay current. I don’t think that’s true. Having the latest trends is not necessarily what’s going to help you feel great in your clothes. Trends come in and out that’s what they do so if you’re focusing on spending your budget on fashion trends you’re probably going to end up with a closet full of clothes that are not going to feel timeless.

15. Find Pieces With Texture.

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Finding pieces that have texture can automatically make them look more expensive than they are. Look for items that have a texture like a knit or ribbing detail. You’ll create some depth to your look and it will automatically elevate your look without fast fashion.

16. Wear Monochromatic Outfits.

Monochromatic outfits are one of my favorite ways to avoid fast fashion and make your look seem more expensive than it is. They elevate your look and draw the eye in a different kind of way than if you’re wearing prints or patterns.

17. Declutter Your Closet.

Another way to avoid fast fashion and be stylish on a budget is by decluttering your closet a few times a year. Edit your closet to see what you have and what you love. See what items you can bring new life to get new inspiration for.

18. Take Care Of Your Clothes.

The next slow fashion vs fast fashion tip is to take care of your clothes. If you’re on a budget it may be hard to get items dry-cleaned regularly so you may want to buy fewer pieces that require dry cleaning. You also don’t have to get an item dry-cleaned every time you wear it. I recommend having an item dry-cleaned every third or fourth time after wearing it. Otherwise, the oils from your skin can get trapped in the fabric and attract moths.

Make sure to follow the care instructions on your clothes and get them dry cleaned if they need to be dry cleaned. Use mesh bags and hang your items to dry on a drying rack. That makes your clothes last longer and look better.

19. Steam Your Clothes.

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Another way to avoid fast fashion and look stylish is to steam your clothes. Clothes that are steamed or ironed are going to sit and fall a different way on your body than if they’re stiff. It will make them look more elevated.

20. Buy For The Long Run.

When you want to be stylish and embrace slow fashion, think about buying an item for the long run. Is this a piece that you will be able to wear a year from now? If your answer is no, it’s probably not the best use of your money. Find a slow fashion quality item that you absolutely love. When you put it on it feels amazing, you feel confident, and it’s an item that you can mix and match with things that are already in your closet.

21. Does It Meet Your 3 Criteria?

Before I bring a new purchase into my wardrobe it needs to meet three criteria. My three criteria are: it needs to be classic so it goes with my personal style, it needs to be high quality, and it needs to be something that’s versatile. Those are my criteria. Your criteria might be that it needs to be comfortable, it must be a certain color, and it may need to be a certain fabric.

Sometimes people will buy something because it’s their favorite color but they don’t like the style or it doesn’t fit them well. That’s not going to be a piece in your closet that you’re going to wear. So look for your criteria. What’s important to you before you bring an item into your closet? What qualities does it need to have?

When we want to avoid fast fashion and use our budget for quality slow fashion pieces, these 21 tips will help us save money and be stylish.

21 Tips To Be Stylish On A Budget WITHOUT Fast Fashion

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