We all have to start somewhere.

And somewhere starts today as you’re reading this post! I’ve talked about sustainable brands I’ve liked many times before, but this a prequel to that post (you can read what I’m talking about here).

So what prompted me to write this? Well, it’s my first blog post of 2020 so it only felt right to start the book here. Since I’ve started this thing a few years ago now, I’ve become more aware of the part I play by sharing messages that are meaningful. I’ve always have known that if I’m putting my voice out for people to hear—that I should be mindful of everything that I say and advise upon. I try my utmost best to do this with EVERYTHING I post so this post comes from a very sincere place in my heart.

It dawned on me the other day that I have never talked about how I was able to get started on a more sustainable path when it came to my fashion purchases. I know its hard to understand for some, especially when there feels like so many places to shop. It hit me that writing a post on how to gently teach those that are interested in how to start shopping more sustainably felt like the right thing to do and hopefully will help someone make a positive change.

You can make small steps on the path to doing the right thing for our planet, for the rights of those that work in the fashion industry and supporting businesses that pay fair wages, and what I believe is doing is the right thing for your wallet! But the first two reasons should be enough to convince you to keep reading…

So here we go, these are some of my tips or “baby steps” into getting to think, shop, and be more sustainable when it comes to shopping for your wardrobe.

Before you buy, ask why. And the other W’s too.

And I don’t mean to just ask yourself if you really need those new Nike sneakers that just came out, but ask yourself the “why” and other questions about the item itself. Who made this? Did it come from another brand? Is this brand copying another designer and selling it to me for cheaper? How was this made? Why is it the price that it is? Where was it made? Was it made locally or outsourced from somewhere else?

These seem like annoying little questions but after you do a two-second google search about the product you’re thinking of buying, it starts to get interesting. If I hear of a new brand or I’m shopping and it’s a brand I never knew about, I start to look it up and learn a lot about the brand. Sometimes its that I realize maybe this isn’t a brand I want to support or the opposite: “wow, they donate proceeds to this charity? that’s awesome!” There are so many things you can learn if you just do a quick google search about these brands that you’re buying. It happened to me recently that I did this and found out the store I was in was having an online sale and I would not have known otherwise unless I searched the brand before buying. I basically got it 50% off because they honored the online sale in-store…WIN.

You can also download apps to help with this process like Good On You. You can literally type in the brand that you’re wondering about and it will let you know. So easy!

2. Quality over Quantity.

A tale as old as time…but SO freaking important when you’re shopping for your wardrobe. I won’t say it’s always the case that higher quality means more sustainable. But usually, higher-quality brands take into account the things we’re looking for: better practices for the environment, paying laborers fair wages, and hopefully not using animals for clothes. The trifecta is all three but if it’s a two out of three, then it’s a start!

I can’t tell you how many times where I felt I just “needed” something new for this happy hour or that dinner. If what I’m shopping for isn’t going to last in my ruff and tumble NYC lifestyle where I literally walk in and out of the subway multiple times a day, stomp up and down my four flights of stairs in my apartment, or can last while getting surprised rained on… then I ain’t buying it. Especially when it comes to shoes because those babies need to be ready for anything and everything in the city.

If this step makes you consume less and makes you think more before you shop, then you’re already on a better path. That’s the goal, try our best or better than before.

3. My Five Outfit Rule

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…if you can’t think of five outfits with the one item that you’re thinking about purchasing…do you really need it? This a big one for me and really does get me in check/makes me realize I don’t need what I thought I was about to buy. Now, this rule is allowed to have exceptions, and for me, that means shoes and dresses are not a part of this rule in which case I default to the first two steps. Get it?

It has happened so many times where I pick up a top that is indeed SO CUTE and I try it on and fall in love. But that quickly fades once I realize, well what am I going to do with this top? Can I wear it with jeans? Okay, I can but what else? If I feel like it looks weird with anything else I already own, then its probably a no go. But I get pumped when I can start visualizing so many outfits with this one thing I’m about to buy. It’s like the ROI on me buying this just increased X5 for me.

I talk more in-depth about this in my post here, but it’s a great habit to start. You might even bypass the whole trying it on part because you’ll just know that it’s not a true need in your closet. A lot of these happen to fall into the “trendy” category and not really a staple item. Which leads to my next step…

4. Remember Wardrobe Staple Pieces

And try your best to gauge how much you really like the “trends” that are out there in the current season. Something that I have been doing with the current and past fashion seasons, thanks to the Instagram Saves feature, is holding on to things that I may like (that have also surpassed my other rules) in my saves. I like to give myself some time (especially if it’s $$$) to mull it over. If I really love it, then I’ll go back to it at some point but if it’s not sticking in my brain and I forget to buy it, the worst thing that can happen is I forget about it. Which actually isn’t that bad when I think about it, in fact, it’s much better for my wallet lol.

The thing is, I will go back through my saves and see so many things I thought I NEEDED to have in my closet when in actuality I already know/knew what I needed. Most of the time, its wardrobe staples or “capsule wardrobe” items. Because they never go out of style and it helps you build so many other outfits. I already know next winter I am finding a peacoat since I recently had to retire the old one that I’ve had for years.

5. Check Resellers and Consignment Shops

The world of consignment-shopping is amazing and sometimes overwhelming so I will leave this at the last step. You could easily ignore all of the above and come straight to #5 but you may find yourself buying tons of items there that you probably don’t need. Do us all a favor and follow the steps! This option does almost ensure you are doing better for the planet because it’s items that have already been made or reused. You would be shocked at how many things though that still have tags, never worn, and some brand new for much cheaper than what the regular retail price is (!!!) in consignment stores.

If you don’t have a consignment store near you, try TheRealReal, Poshmark, or any reselling app that’s out there because there are tons of items on there too. It also never hurts to see if your purchase is on one of these apps in which case you could potentially save a few dollars.

Let’s do our best to do a little bit better each time we shop. We’re not perfect but this is a good start to doing our best.

xox Soho Mini