How to Reduce Your Consumption When You Are Addicted to Shopping
- Flannery Daley-Watson (she/her)
- Apr 12, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2021
This year a few friends and I decided to move to LA, and I was so excited for all the fun places I would be able to explore. I did not expect that I would constantly be surrounded by well-dressed, beautiful people, which led me to fall into the cultural expectation to always be up to date on trends and the constant need for new clothing. Although shopping brought me so much joy, seeing my bank balance did not. I started to realize even if I'm shopping sustainably, it is still unnecessary for me to buy another tank top that looks exactly like three of the ones I already had. This article aims to help those, like me, who know they do not need more clothing but get bored of the pieces they already have fast.
Below are a few tips on how to keep your wardrobe interesting while also cutting unnecessary costs.
Do you have an extra pair of sweatpants that are either too short or you just do not wear a lot? Cut them into sweat shorts. Now you have a comfy pair of shorts for summertime!
Have an article of clothing that is not the right color for you? Then dye it. Using onion skin or beets can create very cool natural shades and you will not even have to buy toxic clothing dye.
Did you buy something because you loved it even though it did not fit perfectly? Learn a new skill and hand sew it. Even if tank top straps get stretched out, just add a few new stitches to tighten them back up, and the piece will fit like it is brand new.
Do you have too many pairs of boring jeans, but you see so many cool patterned ones online? Paint them! Mixing a fabric medium into any acrylic paint will let you wash painted clothing as much as you want with no worry of the fun design pealing.
Also, using bleach to paint can create a cool effect that will take your jeans to the next level.
As covid vaccinations continue to be distributed more and more, planning an outdoor clothing swap with your friends allows you to be in a social environment where everyone can go home with something new, without having to spend any money. Lastly, I have linked a few TikToks for those who also suffer from owning too many of the same tank tops or t-shirts.
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