3 Ways to Switch to an Eco-Conscious Closet

I'm a shopper and I love fashion. Shopping for a new outfit or a seasonal piece is one of my favorite me time or girl time activities. However in the last couple of years I have become conscious of how buying new clothes is both doing nothing good for our planet, as so much ends up in landfills and the production of new clothes has a high carbon footprint, but also shopping for new clothes was doing nothing good for me either. I was still looking in my closet unhappily and saying I had nothing to wear which was not true at all, I was just bored with what I had. So I decided to change my shopping and closet clean-up habits and have surprisingly found that I could still indulge my love of shopping and fashion while joining the "reduce and reuse" movement. Here are the 3 things I have done to switch to an eco-conscious closet:

1. Rent your closet

Yup, I rent my clothes every week. Not every item is rented, I still have a few tried and true classics that I have kept after my last clean-out but one of my favorite clothing brands has a service where you can rent your favorite pieces from their seasonal collection. I love this option because I am not adding new items to my closet and at the same time I am adding variety to my wardrobe. I set up my virtual closet with the items I want to receive, after I receive my 3 items and have worn them, I mail them back (don't even have to wash them) in a pre-paid return bag and then I receive my next 3 items and it's all one monthly fee for unlimited exchanges. What I used to pay in purchasing a top and jeans I now pay for about 12-15 closet pieces a month. If you think this is something you would like to try there are so many options for you. The following are brands that are well known and have been doing closet rentals for a while or if you have a favorite brand find out if they do rentals too: Infinitely LOFT (Macaroni Mama tested and loved), Haverdash, Le Tote, Infinite Style by Ann Taylor (Macaroni Mama Tested and loved), and Banana Republic Style Passport are just a few examples. Many companies offer a free trial month so that is definitely a bonus if this is something you have wanted to try. 

Wearing my rented blouse for a family fun day out

2. Style Swap

About two years ago I went to my first Swap event. I cleaned out my closet of items I wasn't wearing anymore- clothes, shoes, accessories- I dropped them off at the host location and on the day of the event I received a large paper bag to fill with clothes that others also swapped for the event. The setup up was boutique-like, there was a dressing room and bonus- Brunch and Mimosas! This was definitely a fun way to "shop" for a closet refresh. Sometimes these events have a small fee to attend but they usually include food and other bonus items. One style swap event coming up this month that is on my calendar to attend is Sip + Swap: Brunch & Clothing Swap happening at Eve Vegan Eats in Encinitas. I already have my bag of swap items ready for drop-off! And of course you can always host a friends and family closet swap at home. The point is to swap before buying new. 

3. Consign and Earn

I have loved consignments stores ever since I was a teenager. I was an oddball teen that loved vintage fashion. I wore 1920's and 1950's dresses to high school and kids always thought I was a teacher. We had a local consignment store where I shopped for all of my vintage finds. Today, consignment stores are not just for vintage clothes but you can also find very modern and seasonal used and in great condition pieces. You can make your next closet clean out pay for your wardrobe additions by dropping off or sending clothes,shoes, and accessories you no longer use at a local or online consignment shop. If your clothes sells you earn in-store credit to use towards your next purchase. I have used the online store ThredUP several times over the last couple of years for consignment sales. The last closet clean out earned me a nice pair of used and in practically new condition Ann Taylor work pants! 

Style swapping and consignment stores are not just for adult closets, these are a great option for children's closets too. And there is definitely even more you can do towards developing an eco-conscious closet. These are just a few of the things that I have started to do that have helped my family make planet-friendlier choices while still looking good in the process!