4 Simple Rules for an Eco-Chic Wardrobe.
At Green Salon, our sustainable stylist, Rosanna, believes in the mantra that the most sustainable clothes are the ones in our wardrobe and works with clients to restyle and upcycle their outfits. When clients do need key pieces she takes them shopping to find gorgeous pre-loved and sustainable brands. She shares these 4 simple rules to help keep your wardrobe carefully curated with clothes you actually want to wear.
Shop Your Wardrobe
We’re great believers in the mantra: the most sustainable clothes are the ones you already own. So rather than rushing to the shops when you next want to mix up your style, try heading for your wardrobe.
Steal some time on a quiet afternoon to take out long-forgotten items, try them on again, and mix and match them with other more familiar pieces. You may rediscover treasures that you haven't worn for years. One of our favourite ways to revamp tired clothes is to upcycle them with careful tailoring: a hem here, or a few stitches there, can completely revitalise an outfit.
To take care of your clothes, we also recommend creating seasonal edits. Put aside your winter woollies (with plenty of mothballs) so that you can find them again in the autumn. We find that opening our summer dresses box can feel like a whole new wardrobe.
We also like to make wardrobes look like a pretty boutique. Fold your jumpers in artful shades, stack your colourful scarves, and layout your jewellery so that you feel tempted to wear it every day. Why not make your wardrobe feel like a joyful, uplifting experience rather than a cupboard full of nothing to wear?
Upgrade to Vintage
If you're over buying fast fashion that falls apart at the seams, try upgrading to vintage and pre-loved. In London, we recommend swapping out Whistles for Sign of the Times* and and ditching Topshop for Deuxieme where you can find Alberta Ferretti dresses and Manolo Blahnik shoes for prices that don't make your eyes water.
We love the experience of looking through rack after rack of beautifully-tailored clothes that are made to last. And we’ve found that not only do you get to shop top quality clothes, you get to build relationships too — and that might come in handy when there's a Chloe dress just in and you want to be the first to know…
If you don't have time for shop browsing, try online vintage sites. Vestiaire Collective*, The Real Real and Retold Vintage are some of our favourites. There’s an art to buying vintage online. It pays to arm yourself with your vital statistics, and keep a sharp eye on sizes and cuts. Always take your time and insist the seller gives you accurate measurements and descriptions. A good basic rule is that vintage clothes are at least two sizes smaller than the present-day sizes. (And beware: trouser sizing: If in doubt, make that trip to the vintage shops where you can try before you buy.)
If it's a special occasion dress you're after, check out Hurr Collective and My Wardrobe HQ for designer rentals. And remember the mantra: "buy less, choose well, make it last"!
Close the Fashion Loop
So you've done your wardrobe edit and you've kept the clothes you really love: what about the ones you're really not into anymore, or that have become, ahem, a tiny bit tight? The solution to easing them out of your wardrobe is: anywhere but the bin!
If you're lucky (or savvy) enough to own some designer couture, then there's a real market on vintage sites like Vestiaire Collective or Hardly Even Worn It. Or take them to a vintage shop, like Sign of the Times, Deuxieme or Pandora Dress Agency.
For high street items that need a new home, try Thrift+. Order a Thrift bag, pop your clothes in and they sort, photograph and sell them online. A percentage of the sale then goes to your nominated charity.
A clothes swap is a wonderful excuse for a drinks party where you can pass on gorgeous clothes to friends, as well as picking out some new (free!) delights for your wardrobe. There's also something really lovely about passing on treasured clothes to a friend. You never know, they may have been enviously eyeing that Missoni top for ages.
If they're in good enough nick, you can of course drop them at your favourite charity shop. And if they're not, head for the nearest textile recycling bin. You can find those at Recycle Now.
Love your clothes!
We all know the old adage: you take the greatest care of the things that you love. And yet we don't always do that with our clothes. Many of us proclaim we adore a summer dress or love a faded pair of jeans, while at the same time stuffing them in a heap into the closet, or throwing them away when they get a hole. At Green Salon, we believe that self-care and care of the planet go hand-in-hand with care of our clothes.
As Rosanna says: "Clothes carry memories, I imagine they absorb our experiences, hold our good times and maybe sad times but they journey with us. They reflect who we are and they support us."
Here's how to repay them:
- Wash them less often, sponge marks off instead, as washing breaks down the fabric.
- Wash them on a low setting (30* is good for most clothes) and avoid the dry cleaner if possible.
- Avoid fabric conditioner.
- Find a good tailor to repair any rips or holes (or, if you're nifty with a needle, repair them yourself).
- Use a lint-remover to get rid of unwanted bobbles and fuzzies to revamp your jumpers and scarves. (We love #beautural hand-held fabric shaver).
-Hang them and fold them up so they don't get overly creased and store them well (with lavender bags and mothballs, if wool or silk) when not in use.
You’ll find they repay you with many years of use - and lots of pleasure too.
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