Let’s talk about a taboo. About the taboo that it is not OK to wear the same outfit again.
Our wardrobes are filled with plenty of things we accumulated over the past things, some items may be even bought to create one specific look or for one specific occasion (read also more about the lies we tell ourselves when shopping).
And somehow it does not feel right to wear the same outfit again, maybe even the same pants for two days in a row.
Social Media is setting new trends almost like every minute.
According to new research by environmental charity Hubbub, 41% of all 18-25-year-olds feel the pressure to wear a different outfit every time they go out.
Browsing through social media you inevitably get confronted with the latest trends and navigate around the big influencers.
The influencers collaborate with various fashion brands, get spoiled with giveaways, or use press samples to create looks like “5 ways to wear your crop top” and normally never wear the same outfit again.
Social influencer became the new idol – it has never been so easy to be like your idol since there is fast fashion.
Due to the rise of fast fashion brands, fashion has never been so accessible, and the latest trends find their way from the catwalk within two weeks into the shop – It has never been easier to follow fashion trends.
You like an outfit Kylie Jenner wore recently but it is from a high priced designer?
No, worries, surely some fast-fashion brand has something very (like very very) similar in their collection.
This effect is going hand in hand with cheap prices and low quality, giving fashion the bitter taste of disposability.
You create one nice outfit, once you wore that outfit we might even guess that it was worth that little money that you spent.
And maybe you’re also lucky enough and someone made a nice shot of you for your Instagram account, so you can post in on your feed.
Jumping in here again with the survey from Hubbub:
“One in six young people even say that they don’t feel they can wear an outfit again once it’s been seen on social media.”
I mean now the whole world has seen your outfit, why should you wear it again?
But the problem is real, studies say that an average woman in the West discards a piece of clothing after 5 weeks. According to the Council for Textile Recycling, Americans throw away 85% of the clothes they purchase.
In the past months, Hollywood super actress and social activist Jane Fonda (also our personal idol) made some clear statements in the newspapers.
First while being caught several times during climate demonstrations, Jane Fonda made some time back a statement that she won’t buy new stuff, to minimize her impact on the environment.
Then the Oscars 2020 approached, and she set a statement wearing a beautiful red gown which she already wore in Cannes in 2014.
(And I mean, how gorgeous must someone be to look even more stunning 6 years later?)
Be like her. Be smart!
- It is OK to wear the same outfit you wore last year to a wedding at another wedding.
- It is OK to wear the same outfit twice to work in the same week.
- It is OK to have an absolute favourite outfit in which you feel super comfortable to be worn at almost every special occasion… and that you don’t try to create fancy outfits, copying some influencer’s look that you saw on Instagram the other day.
