5 Practical Tips To Stop Buying Clothes That You Never Wear

Many of us are guilty of buying a cool clothing item we absolutely love but only get one or two wears out of it before it's left forgotten to collect dust. ?

And every single day, we stand dumbfounded in front of our overstuffed wardrobe and say to ourselves "I have nothing to wear!"

If you want to put an end to this money-wasting and environmentally harmful shopping cycle, keep reading to check out our five tips to make yourself buy less clothes!

#1 Be honest about what clothing you need

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There are clothing items that we love but doesn't fit our lifestyle, that we buy for an imagined situation or to suit a version of ourselves in the future. You probably won't get your money's worth out of it and be stuck on what to wear on regular days with clothes that don't fit who you now at the present moment.

The way to test if something is right for you is to ask yourself if you can put together five different outfits with that clothing item, and if you would wear it at least 30 times that year. Fail this test and you'll know it's something you shouldn't buy.

#2 Do a styling challenge with your own clothes

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The thrill of shopping is hard to replicate, but the next best thing is to shop in your own wardrobe! Try on clothes that you haven't worn in a while and try to put together a look that you like. One trick is to pair the clothes that you never wear with the clothes that you wear all the time.

#3 Delay your purchases

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Impulse shopping is usually used to fulfil an emotional need like reliving anger, getting an adrenaline rush or masking a sense of insecurity. Whenever you feel an urge to buy a clothing item, pause and wait for a few weeks before you actually purchase it. There might be sales that eggs you on to buy it right there and then. Try your best to ignore it and remind yourself that there will always be more sales!

#4 Learn how to sew and alter clothes

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This might take some work and patience, but many of the items you don't wear anymore might be your favourite go-to piece with some slight alteration.

Your favourite blouse might be missing a button and have frayed ends or a cute skirt flares out in a way that emphasises your food baby. These clothing items would look pristine and flattering on you with some TLC. Instead of buying new clothes to replace them, pick up some sewing skills or pass them to your mum or anyone you know who can help. You could also get it tailored professionally which might cost you a bit but is better for the environment to reduce wastage!

#5 Create and stick to a capsule wardrobe

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Having a clean and organised wardrobe with only the essentials will motivate you to stick to it and avoid ruining the aesthetic with unwanted clothes. Purge your wardrobe and keep only the 30 basic pieces you need to create an endless combination of outfits. Don't purchase multiples of each product type! For example, if you already have a pair of denim jeans, don't buy another pair even if it's in a different colour or cut.

If your spendthrift habits extend beyond clothes to everything else, check out some easy money saving challenges and seven questions you should ask yourself before buying anything if you want to save money.

Share this article with your fellow shopaholic friends who want to save money and be more environmentally friendly! 

Text by: GirlStyle SG