Welcome back in Catwalk 101, this course will be about how you can have the wardrobe of Carrie Bradshaw and not be broke at the same time. The first thing I want to teach you is an unpopular opinion and some people will probably kill me for saying that but the motto « buy less, buy better » is not part of my fashion mindset. It is not like I’m agreeing with consumerism, it is just that, personnally, I feel like Fashion and how people decide to dress in their everyday life is something really fun, « You supposed to have fun » as Isabel Marant said. If you don’t have a lot of clothes, how can you have fun by mixing stuff together and make your clothes reflect your personality ??????? Let’s change the intro, in this course, I’ll teach you how you can have the wardrobe of Carrie Bradshaw, not be broke AND not be part of the consumerism society.
My first advice is pretty obvious, STOP BUYING FROM FAST FASHION, idk how many times people need to hear this…I can do an entire article about it, and I’ll do it if it can help you stop!!! The thing is, it is easy, you have nice and fun clothing pieces at low prices (well Zara is trying to be fancy lately, idk why they are trying this hard but a polyester pullover at 80€, it is no for me). Moreover, everybody has the same closet, do you remember this jeans jumpsuit from Mango? If you really want to have your own style start by going into thrift shops, on second-hand apps and if you don’t like second-hand ( I can understand it), go to small shops that do slow-fashion. It is better for your wardrobe and for the planet.
NOW, let’s get into work. It can be difficult to start the process of building a sustainable wardrobe on a budget. But I have the solution for you:
1st: Do a moodboard, go to pinterest, choose outfits that you like and put it into a new board. It can also be accessories like bags, belts, hats, jewellery, whatever you like. You can go to mine to found inspiration if you want ;))
2nd: Work on that moodboard. Divide it into three parts: NEED, LIKE, BUY. NEED are classic items such as a jeans or white t-shirt, the base of your outfits. LIKE are types of items that you like for your style like cap, ballerinas, flare jeans, whatever you feel like wearing. BUY are the precise items, a blue cap, black ballerinas, a green flare jeans, if you have brands that goes with it, it will be easier for the next steps.
3rd: Action! Sort your closet with my KEEP, SELL or BUY framework. KEEP items you like but do not wear because of trends (yes, I believe flannel shirt will make their comeback). SELL items that don’t fit you/not your color or you wore it too much and you are exhausted of wearing it. The money you’ll make out of those sold items will be put into clothes that you are actually gonna wear. And of course, BUY items where you think cleary about beforehand by using step 2. Lastly, before buying an item, ask you if you need it or if it’s a whim, very important. As a child, I’ll always ask my mom for stuff that I will hate after 2 weeks, princess shit…
Well, that’s it! I hope my model will help you in your journey of building your favourite wardrobe. Don’t forget to have fun with your clothes, play with them, mix and matches are the best way to feel happy with yourself, and please stop thinking about what people want you to wear.
See you next class,
Fanny ;))