Downsizing, minimalism, life is all about being content with less in 2020. So how does that look? Pretty freeing. Here’s how to actually wear what you have so you can buy less, treasure the pieces you love and showcase your style, regardless of what’s trending
Have an overflowing wardrobe but nothing to wear? Feel you are in need of a clear-out? Perhaps not. Rather than throwing away ‘anything you haven’t worn in a year’, only for your beloved cowboy boots and paisley prints to come back on-trend again, rethink how you use your wardrobe. Rather than striving for that packed-to-the-rafters collection of clothes and trawling the shops for the holy grail capsule items you think you need, adopt these tactics in 2020 for a more serene and sustainable way to dress.
- Rail against the system — Challenge yourself to wear what you have, and stop buying more, to help eradicate your clothes storage woes (and messy room!). Pack away what you absolutely don’t need and create mini-capsule wardrobes. It doesn’t have to be a boring array of investment pieces we all strive to but never quite achieve. Work with what you have, rotating pieces every month, every season like sustainable fashion Instagrammer @uncomplicatedspaces, or select 10 items every 10 days if you tend to get bored, as showcased to great effect by the @notbuyingnew account. Use a stylish locker or rail to stash your chosen items and rework them into as many outfits as possible. You will be surprised at the combinations you can whip up, and your bedroom won’t become a clothes dumping ground every morning as you scramble for outfits. The secrets? Layering, looking after your clothes and committing to at least #30wears for each piece.
- What goes around, comes around — Remember, no matter what you see on the catwalk or what the headlines tell you, fashion is pretty cyclical. There are some trends that will date, but be aware of what won’t and hold fast to the classics you will be able to turn to again and again. Shearling coats, varying denim cuts, and materials like velvets and corduroy will be valuable wardrobe staples some years and not the next. Decluttering is great and all, but remember why you bought an item and consider whether it may have another lease of life with you before you let it go. There’s nothing worse than Marie Kondo-induced regret over a gone-forever treasure.
Pictured above: Irish Country Magazine brand manager Meave knows she can rewear animal prints time and time again
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- Become a borrower — Have an event coming up? Rather than splurging on a new clutch that will lie unused in your wardrobe all year, borrow from a sister or friend. Instead of buying a new dress for a day at the races, rent one you love and hand it right back, rather than spending big on a statement dress you will struggle to find other occasions to wear it to. And keep an eye out for excellent movements like The Nu Wardrobe, a growing online platform launching soon in Dublin, that allows users to borrow clothing. For just €8 a month you will have access to a whole range of clothes to borrow. At €8 a month, that’s giving you a lot more options than one dress you’ve paid €100 quid for. What’s not to love? If you’d love to wear a fabulous teddy coat for a week or feel guilty about spending on the high street, it can be a great way to try out a trend for a while without the guilt of fuelling the fast fashion industry. If you want a new once-off dress for a big occasion, ball or wedding, try rental boutiques like Rag Revolution or Covet. Yes, we’ve all heard about the rental drama horror stories from students off to their Debs, but that’s a thing of the past. Instead, think memorable, on-trend dresses you will love to wear once, and designer labels you’re hesitant to splurge on otherwise. When you think about it, spending €80 quid to rent a dress to wear once is the same as buying a new one for that or more that you don’t wear again? And with borrowing, you don’t have to feel guilty about about not getting #30wears out of a purchase. What we would love to see is a plus-size option for rentals, let us know if you know of any!
- Create uniforms — There are some inevitable events in life; important work meetings and interviews, long haul flights and bad weather days. Ensure you have a solution ready to go in your wardrobe so that when these occasions arise, you’re not stressing about what to wear. Not only will this save you some stressful mornings, next-day-delivery costs or last minute dashes to the shops, you’ll feel more confident knowing you have appropriate go-tos in your wardrobe. What you choose should be comfortable, appropriate and well-maintained, and don’t stress about people remembering that that’s what you wore to the last conference or work drinks. In your career, having ‘uniforms’ can help you feel more prepared and put together too. The last thing you should be stressing about is your work-wardrobe, and a little prep-work is all it takes.
