How to Pursue a Sustainable Wardrobe: A Step-by-Step Decluttering Guide
Maybe you want to choose sustainability as a way of life, slow fashion, and ethical choices, but find yourself unsure of how to start! When we hear all of the terrible facts about fast fashion and the clothing industry overall, it can feel like an overwhelming problem. One of the simplest ways to take action is simply by starting with your own closet! When we start by looking at ourselves and our own wardrobes, choosing a sustainable wardrobe suddenly does not feel as overwhelming!
A Minimal Wardrobe
We have all probably heard the word minimal, or minimalist. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, minimalism can be defined as; "a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity." I do not suggest we necessarily go to extreme measures as we contemplate how to embrace a sustainable wardrobe. I would simply like to hone in on the word 'simplicity'.
What does minimalism have to do with sustainability? How does a minimal wardrobe support sustainable fashion? One of the root causes of the fast fashion industry is the constant demand for new – new styles, new trends, new everything. Because of the non-ethical practices that are used, the items created are often bad quality. This results in the need for newer pieces. When we choose to have a minimal wardrobe that is curated around our lifestyle and filled with the quality pieces that we love, we will ultimately need less! This slows down the fast fashion cycle, one closet at a time.
The First Step
So how do we start creating a sustainable, minimal wardrobe? Simply by decluttering! Not that overwhelming, right? We have put together a curated step-by-step guide to assist you in this journey! We will be referencing a method introduced to us by Signe (former fashion designer and certified style coach) and created by stylist Allison Bornstein. You can find her page linked at the bottom of this blog post to learn more about her decluttering method.
A Step-by-Step to Decluttering
Step One: Go through your current closet. This step is the most important one! Some methods require you to pull absolutely everything out of your closet, but this can be even more overwhelming as you stare at all of the clothes laid out on your floor. An easy way to get started is by pulling your favorite items. These would be pieces you reach for everyday – the ones you wear over and over again. This is not the time to grab that piece that you admire, but never actually wear – only your absolute everyday favorites. Once you have those items pulled out, lay or fold them somewhere where you can easily assess what you have selected!
Step Two: As you look over the items you have pulled out, what three words best describe your chosen pieces from your everyday wardrobe? What is the overarching theme? Process what you would wear these pieces for. You may come up with words like "casual", "romantic", "elevated", "classic", or "vintage". After you have selected your three to four words, consider what this means for your wardrobe in the future! These words define your own personal style, where most of the pieces you add to your wardrobe should be able to fit within these themes. The strategy here is to create a wardrobe off of what you actually wear, not the style you hope to wear someday! The only exceptions would be holiday pieces, or special elevated event pieces you will wear seldomly. As you add to your wardrobe in the future, make sure you reference these words. This will help you curate your closet more effectively, and hopefully enable you to buy less – leaving you to feel empowered to wear the pieces you already own.
Step Three. Now that you have successfully determined what items you wear most from your closet, and what words define those pieces, it is time to engage the rest of your closet! We can start to sort the rest of the items in your closet into piles by using a category system:
- No (anythings that’s a hard no!)
- Need to be altered/repaired.
- Storage/save for later.
- Special occasion items.
- Downgrade. (e.g. for nightwear or house work)
- Love but how do I wear it? (items you love but never wear)
Let's go through each category together. The first pile you will make, will be for items that are an absolute no. Items you never reach for, pieces that are not flattering or do not fit you well, colors that do not work for your skin tone, or pieces that do not fit your lifestyle! You can move this pile to the side so that it will not get in the way of your sorting.
Need to be altered or repaired. This pile will be for items that you actually enjoy wearing, but need to be slightly adjusted. This could include buttons that need sewn on, small holes that need to be patched, or an item that needs hemmed. If you are a seamstress this might mean a longer list! Maybe you thrifted a dress you have been wanting to remake. As like all of the other categories, adjust this pile to your own personal lifestyle!
Items to place in storage and save for later. This pile will be for items that are seasonal, or pieces that you don't wear, but just cannot part with for sentimental reasons. You can also add items to this pile that you are unsure of how to sort into a category! Sometimes if you set items aside for awhile, you may have more clarity on it when you come back to it at a later date. You can then either to decide to donate the piece, or you may fall in love with the piece again!
Special occasion items. This will be the pile where you place all of the pieces you wear only for elevated events. This includes but is not limited to weddings, parties, concerts, and banquets.
Downgrade. On this pile you can place items that you enjoy wearing, but that are worn out. These are pieces you can then use for house work, nightwear, outside chores, painting, or whatever fits your lifestyle!
And then the last pile will be for items that you love yet you are not sure how to style them. This pile could include a statement sweater, a trendy belt, or a fun pair of shoes!
Final Organization
Now that you have organized your closet into multiple piles by category, it is time to make some final decisions! That no pile? Find an ethical way to donate those pieces or give them away. If the items are in good condition you can also re-sell them at a consignment shop, or an online thrift website like Poshmark! For items in the alter/ repair pile, evaluate them a bit! Will you actually spend time on those pieces? Or will they end up sitting around? You will need to be realistic here. For the special occasion pieces, choose to keep the ones that make you feel beautiful, and fit your lifestyle! These pieces can be a bit out of your three word style analysis. And those pieces you admire but are not sure how to wear? Use the same tools to evaluate them! Do they complement your everyday pieces you selected in the beginning of this process? Are you able to creatively style them with the pieces you are already are wearing everyday? If they don't fit this criteria, then you can add them to your no pile.
Pro tip! Now that you have gone through all of the piles of clothing on your floor, take the time to organize them as you put them back into your closet. Color coordinating is one of our favorite ways to do this!
Step Four. As you complete this process, did you find any holes in your wardrobe? Maybe you now realize you could use a few more basic staples, another everyday dress, or a new denim piece. As you look to integrate new items in, make sure to reference your style identity words! Do they fit into your everyday lifestyle? Are they made from quality materials? Are you able to purchase the items from businesses that are ethical and using transparent methods?
If you want more tips on how to pursue sustainable shopping, reference another one of our blog posts; Sustainable Fashion; Eco-Friendly Choices for the Conscious Shopper.
Hopefully as you come to the end of this decluttering process, you will find your personal style more defined and your current closet filled only with quality pieces you love! And hopefully you have a more defined path ahead for the pieces you desire to incorporate into your wardrobe in the future. As you continue this process; (choosing to curate an intentional and quality driven wardrobe) you take the first step in combatting the non-ethical fast fashion industry. One closet at a time!
Find a link to sourcing in this blog post here.
xoxo - MSE Team.
