EIGHT ways to make your clothes last longer!
Hello friends! Today I want to share my top tips for making your clothes last longer. This post was inspired by two things; the post by Chums and the fact that last weekend I posted a photo of myself wearing a dress I bought over 10 years ago! That’s when I realised I have SO many pieces I bought 5,10 and 15 years ago and still love. So I thought I would share some of my top tips for keeping clothes nice and wanting to keep them in your wardrobe longer! Let’s chat!
Only buy what you really love
First up! This is really obvious, but try not to buy the impulse fast fashion purchases. Personally, I try to avoid stores like Primark, H&M completely, as well as all the supermarket clothes rails. Why? Because these clothes tend to lure us in with their pretty prints and cheap price tags and if you are really honest, when was the last time you bought a dress in a supermarket and said two years later ‘I love this dress! I wear it all the time!’. If I’m wrong, let me know in the comments but if you are anything like me, they are always my mistake purchases which are the first to get the chop when I’m clearing out my wardrobe!
Invest in special pieces
ok! So this is where things get fun! When you don’t buy cheap fast fashion, you have more money and more wardrobe space to invest in pieces you really love. Instead of buying a handful of supermarket dresses, you could spend that money on your dream Olivia Rubin or Sister Jane dress. Not only will you love it more, and wear it for years to come, but you will feel excited every time you wear.
Get friendly with a needle and thread
Next up, buy yourself a needle and thread and next time you spot a tiny rip or split seam, stitch it up. I’ve been known to fix everything from dresses to leggings to pyjamas! If they are perfectly fine except for a few missed stitches, then do a quick repair job and see how many more years they last! It will save you a fortune and guess what… you can put that money towards buying something you love instead!
Play around with styling each piece
Next up! Play around with how you style pieces. You can wear your favourite summer dress as a pinafore in the spring, or with a cute jumper and boots in winter. Add different accessories, play with contrasting colours and generally try to have fun reinventing existing pieces. When Patricia Field styled Carrie Bradshaw she never just picked out a nice dress and paired it with cute shoes, she always mix and matched unusual items together to create something way more iconic. Think outside the box… or the wardrobe! It’s a lot more fun!
Wash carefully
Next up! Wash your items carefully. Learn how to hand wash your knitwear and bras and use gentle cycles when you use your washing machine. I find eco friendly detergents tend to keep my brights and blacks in better condition than harsh traditional washing powders too.
Look after you washing machine
Furthermore, look after your washing machine. Give the drawers and rubber-ring a clean out once in a while and if your laundry is starting to smell less fresh, buy a washing machine cleaner to give it a deep clean to freshen it up!
Limit how much you tumble dry
We all know that tumble drying is handy, but it also shortens the life span of some of our clothes, especially denim. So try to avoid using it and hang it on the line or on a airer instead.
Demote clothing
Next up! Don’t be afraid to demote your clothing when it starts to look a little old. Say you buy a really special dress which you adore and wear to weddings and special occasions. After a while it might start to look a little worn, well instead of relegating it to the back of your wardrobe, think about how you can give it a new lease of life as part of your every day wardrobe. This way, your beloved silk ghost dress you wore to your best friends wedding five years ago, could become a sweet summer dress to wear to the seaside or styled with a cute cardigan for work. Beautiful clothes don’t get old, they just evolve.
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ta da! And there we have it! I have so much in my wardrobe I love that’s really old now and I love them just as much as the new items I have… some things more because they are rare and special! I hope this post helps your wardrobe different! Let me know what you think!
