Fashion

6 ways to wear a different outfit every day without buying anything new (and I mean “new”)

When it comes to getting dressed in the morning, I have 3 rules: it has to work with what I’m doing that day, it needs to be weather appropriate and it has to be different from what I wore the day before. But note that wearing a different outfit every day does not equal wearing new clothes every day. With 80 billions pieces of new clothing pieces produced every year, the fashion industry is extremely harmful to the environment. We need to slow down on our clothes consumption but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on having fun with our wardrobes. And I’m going to tell you exactly how.

Go on a shopping ban

This may sound a little extreme or crazy when you say it out loud but trust me, it does wonders. When you only wear the clothes you already own, you maximize their number of wears but you also end up wearing the ones you forget to wear. I’m not going to lie, it gets frustrating at times but that frustration helps boost your creativity. It’s the best way to style your clothes in new ways you would never have thought of before.

Buy second hand

Obviously, you can’t go on without buying anything forever. Even the best clothes wear out eventually. Or maybe you are missing something? Or you just feel like something new? So my second tip is to shop for second hand or vintage clothes from charity shops or online. You often find items that are brand new, sometimes with tag, or barely worn (even from current collections). Do unwanted gifts and impulse purchases sound familiar to anyone?

vintage knits from @fretexfashion

Create different outfits every day with accessories

My third tip is to focus on accessories. Take your plain clothes such as basic dresses, tees or jeans and build a look around them. Shoes, scarves, jewelry, bags and belts can drastically change any outfit. And again, you can find accessories for super cheap if you thrift them.

Don’t be shy to borrow or swap clothes

It’s easy to forget how simple it is to borrow and swap clothing with friends, partners and family. This option has gotten very popular for special occasions like weddings (along with rentals) but it works for everyday items too. While it might not be super interesting for basics, it can be great when it comes to dresses, knits, and outerwear. Besides, it gives you a great excuse to gather up and host a clothing swap party. Or if you’re a bit antisocial like me, you can create a system where everyone rotates items every month or season.

Create a new outfit every day with your summer clothes

Another way to create interesting outfits is to invite your summer clothes into your winter wardrobe. That won’t work with everything but as long as you can layer it, it will do the job. Some options are: wearing a sweater under or over a dress, pairing a flowy skirt with chunky knits and boots… give it a try!

worn out 501’s upcycled into a denim mini skirt

Wear a different outfit every day by transforming your clothes

Last but not least, you can create new outfits by altering and upcycling your old clothes. It can be as easy as turning old jeans into cool denim cut offs or dyeing an old top a new color. If you have skills, you can also transform a garment into something completely different or decorate plain clothes with embroidery. There are lots of tutorials online and who knows, maybe it will become a new hobby.

The most important thing you gotta keep in mind is that most of the time, you don’t really need new clothes. Yes it’s nice to feel pretty. Yes, it’s fun to get dressed. But no, you don’t need to spend half your paycheck at Zara for that! You can wear a different outfit every day without buying anything new. I hope you liked those tips and please let me know if you can think more ways to create new outfits with old clothes