By: Shivangi Gupta It's well known that the fashion industry has been steadily shortening its trend cycles, feeding into fast fashion and hyper-consumerism, which is steadily deteriorating the environment in a myriad of ways. However, with fashion being so centered around these styles, it’s sometimes difficult to pull away from it all. Here are some budget and eco-friendly ways to recycle the resources you already have in your closet to stay the most on top of the latest trends in the fashion game!
1. You heard it here, folks: fringe is back. On the catwalks of designers like Chloé, Burberry, and Balmain, this spring trend has been appearing everywhere, whether that is in minidresses, tops, or even entire suits. This is a great style to DIY, and would be a perfect use for that old game day shirt you have lying around which can be worn as the weather continues to warm up.
2. Layering has been all the rage for the past few fashion cycles, and it is here to stay, with designers like Louis Vuitton, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and Tory Burch all opting to drape their models in a cascade of striking fabrics. It’s incredibly easy to take advantage of this trend using clothes existing in your wardrobe. If you’ve already got some experience with classic layers like a turtleneck under a crewneck sweater or a shirt under a spaghetti-strapped dress, look towards more creative combinations such as multiple layers under an open blazer, socks under fun shoes, or layering with some colors and patterns you wouldn’t usually pair together!
3. A back-to-school style of clothing is emerging from the spring of 2022 catwalks, with Miu Miu leading the charge. Luckily, you can use popular items from the past few years, like pleated trousers, vests, and schoolgirl skirts to achieve the look.
4. Crochet everything has become a trend brought on by the resurgence of Y2K, which was heavily inspired by 1970’s fashion when it originally took place in the 2000’s. This was a major trend last summer, and is set to continue to appear in the spring, with Ulla Johnson’s, Chloé’s, Gabriela Hearst’s, and Anna Sui’s recent collections featuring the style. One great option with this is to crochet your own item, combining fashion with learning a new skill. Bonus points if you unravel unwanted or thrifted clothes for the yarn- you can find plenty online communities such as Reddit’s r/Unravelers who share an interest in this sustainable, budget-friendly source of fashionable clothing.
5. Monochrome outfits have been taking up an increasingly large space in the world to fashion, and who can blame us? They look effortlessly expensive, and you don’t have to worry about color combinations! Sometimes, it can be costly to invest in an entire set from a brand, so try picking a color and seeing how you can combine different shades of it to make an outfit. The varying shades will add interest and texture to the outfit.
6. Another great idea to embrace fashion trends while minimizing fashion waste is to enjoy them through something that already has a short lifespan. For instance, play around with whatever latest nail design is the rage, or style your hair like your favorite fashion icons are at the moment using simple hair ties and hair gel, whether that is a bubble pony, mini braids, or a slicked-back bun.
7. The world is opening up from the pandemic, and with that, you might be finding yourself having to leave your comfy clothes at home more often. Pair loungewear you already have with more formal clothing like long coats or stylish pants to create an elevated loungewear look you can wear anywhere!
8. Just a reminder: there's nothing wrong with buying clothes, even ones that specifically were made to follow fashion trends. There are a few keys to making sure your purchases are sustainable, though. First, ask yourself if you need more clothing at the moment, or if there are already many pieces of clothing you like but do not get the chance to wear. Then, picture if you can imagine yourself wearing that article of clothing three years from now, when it is no longer trendy. If you need clothes and are certain you will continue to wear it once the trend has passed, don’t feel guilty about buying the article of clothing. Of course, if the item is sustainably produced using good environmental and labor practices that’s even better!
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