The more I look at my collection of clothes, the more I realise that I have been buying clothes the wrong way. It’s so easy to spend your money on cheaply made clothes, but rarely do we think about the future impact of our fashion choices and the lifecycle of our clothes.
I recognise the hypocrisy in this thinking as I continue to promote fast fashion on my website. Still, the notion of feeding into the problem while wanting to do better is something that we all can relate to. Maybe it is about striving for progress rather than perfection. Being aware and wanting to improve is better than being ignorant, right?
As I get older and have more money than my younger self, I don’t have any excuses anymore. I am more educated and aware. I understand how the fashion industry works, and the more I buy cheap clothes, the less I can justify spending less than £10 on a pair of trousers. Ignorance is not an excuse anymore. I can’t then get annoyed when cheap clothes don’t last as long as I want. So I am determined to force myself out of this habit and make intentional and conscious decisions when buying new clothes.
If you are like me and want to start marking better fashion choices, here are five reasons why you should stop buying cheap clothes.Â
1. CHEAP CLOTHES ARE MADE NOT TO LAST
A simple glance at the fabric composition or the stitching can show you that the garment you have purchased won’t last longer than the season. Cheap clothes are made poorly. Tailoring is an excellent example of this. If you compare the craftsmanship of a well-made suit to one off the rack from your favourite fast fashion brands, you will be able to notice the difference straight away.
2. BUY CHEAP BUY TWICE
Buy cheap buy twice is one of my favourite fashion phrases that can be used against people who have an issue spending money on high-quality items. By spending less, you run the risk of repurchasing the item. In some cases, you end up paying more than you would have if you purchased the higher quality version.
3. THE STORY BEHIND CHEAP CLOTHES
I have always been ignorant of how fast fashion brands manufacture their clothing. However, I had a great discussion with a friend about how important it is for fashion consumers to research the story and person behind the clothing origin. This will highlight many shocking truths that will put a lot of weight on your purchasing decisions.
4. YOU LEARN THE VALUE OF CLOTHES
The price you pay plays a big part in how you treat your clothes. A higher-priced garment is usually treated with more care and attention. You are more likely to follow the washing instructions more carefully, spend money fixing issues, and make alterations. Unfortunately, this level of care is never the same with poorly made garments making a lot of us lose sight of the fundamentals of how to look after our clothes. Regardless of how much money we invest in fashion, clothes should be treated with respect, ensuring it lasts as long as possible.
5. APPRECIATE A MINIMALISTIC WARDROBE
Buying higher-priced clothing means you won’t have the luxury of buying so frequently as you did with fast fashion. This way, you can start to appreciate your clothes and get more wear out of each garment.
Have you decided to stop buying cheap clothes? If so, what were some of the reasons why?