Conduct a wardrobe audit.
The average person in the UK has 115 pieces of clothes, 30 of which are unworn. Therefore, check over your whole wardrobe before purchasing any more. Take everything out, get to know that beloved outfit again, and think about whether any repairs or adjustments might give what you currently have a new life.
Think about donating, selling, or giving away clothing you don’t wear. By doing this, you’ll be able to see and appreciate what’s left. To identify your style, examine the clothes you wear the most. Pay attention to the color, cut, shape, fabric, and print.
This will assist in preventing following unsuccessful transactions. For inspiration on how to pair them to create new ensembles, check out how similar things are dressed on the websites of fashion merchants.
Preloved or secondhand
Considering that £140 million worth of clothes is disposed of in landfills yearly, many environmental activists advise shopping secondhand first.
The online industry is expanding even if there isn’t a fantastic charity shop close by. For high street fashion, there are eBay, Vinted, and Depop; for designers, there is Vestiaire Collective and The RealReal.
According to Wendy Graham of the sustainable-living platform Moral Fibres, many charity stores also have websites.
Set up eBay alerts to find particular items and filter by a category, size, brand, color, condition, and price.
It might be cheaper and more competitive to shop off-season (now is the time to seek out that Toast Fair Isle jumper).
If you have the stuff to sell, do so before using the money to purchase secondhand products that are brand-new to you.
Rent it out
The rental market may be pretty valuable for one-time events with careful searches. For instance, a £210 Reformation dress would be perfect for a wedding guest and would cost £25 through Rotaro; a $1,980 red mesh Alexander McQueen dress would be a memorable big birthday gown and cost about £100 for four days through Hurr Collective.
There are many websites to check, including My Wardrobe for high-end items and Hirestreet for less expensive options. There are also maternity clothes at For the Creators (starting at about £15 for six days), as well as ethical brand Baukjen, where items start at £13 for a basic dress with a genuinely helpful two-week timeframe.
Outlets and promotions
The majority of analysts take sales cautiously. According to Alexandra Stedman, editor of The Frugality, “fashion depends on trends. Therefore, they are often something businesses need to shift, seldom a lasting purchase.” The exceptions, according to her, are timeless purchases like a Whistles coat she purchased for £100 a few years ago and often wore.
Online outlet stores are widely available; they are currently offered by brands including Mango, Office, Kurt Geiger, and Adidas. Some of them are housed on eBay, although it’s sometimes too obvious why things didn’t sell the first time.
The Gold Label area of TK Maxx, which carries Stella McCartney children’s clothing and Gucci eyewear, is highly recommended by several fashion experts.