Intentional Shopping: How To Shop Mindfully On A High Street Budget –
By Charlotte Hope-Shannon
It is easy to assume that shopping mindfully and consciously means breaking the bank. However, paying a premium for your wardrobe doesn’t necessarily equate to sustainable shopping. But with the rise of online luxury shopping experiences, it’s not surprising that mindful shopping is often met with confusion. And, in the midst of a global pandemic, it’s easy for us to turn to online marketplaces for fast fashion relief.
4 Ways To Transform Your Shopping Mindset On A High Street Budget
1. Do Your Research And Be Authentic To Yourself
Whether you’re someone who likes to effectively plan a fashion budget every month or you’re someone who likes to buy on a whim, research is key. The most effective way to shop mindfully is to do your research and to make a list of intent.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you need or what is your wardrobe lacking?
- What do you desire?
- And what budget do you have for each item? Can you buy vintage or is this a luxury investment?
Having a list gives you clarity and allows you to effectively buy without consequence to your budget or to our planet. Plus, this also allows for you to be clever with your budgeting. Buying off-season is the perfect example of this. This is the most effective trick to building your sustainable capsule wardrobe, without overspending. It allows you to purchase high end brands on a high street budget.
It also prevents you from buying into trends that don’t have longevity beyond the runway. This way quality reigns supreme within your wardrobe, without the added price tag.
Simply put, buy items that will carry you through the seasons. Be authentic to yourself and not to one-time trends. Only invest in luxury if the brands sustainability record is positive or if the high street equivalent is ill-equipped.
The key, as Vivienne Westwood once said, is to:
“Buy less, choose well, [and] make it last.”
Is Sustainable Fashion Overpriced: Reality Or Perception
2. Shop Your Own Wardrobe
Shopping your own wardrobe may sound simple but it is something we often overlook. Start by taking one item, for example, a white shirt and see how many outfits you can make with the items you already own.
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You’ll be surprised by what you find and how many overlooked items are relevant.The key is to not be hasty. Don’t throw things out unless entirely necessary. And even then, remember to recycle, donate to charity or a women’s/men’s shelter, or sell online versus putting items into waste.
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The runway is cyclical. So that currently ‘out of date’ item that you’ve thrown to the back of your wardrobe, hold onto it, it may well become next year’s biggest trend.3. Get Creative / Up-Cycle
Creativity can bring a new lease of life to your clothing. Whether it’s adjusting a hemline or making a new top out of an old dress, we can all experiment in the world of up-cycling.
Buy bigger and alter or make old winter jeans into shorts for the summer. The possibilities are endless if the intention is there.
4. Be Vintage Savvy
With the rise of second-hand culture, the world of vintage shopping, both in person and online, has taken a new meaning. Not only can you buy second hand, but you can also rent. This means valued cost per wear and in return, less items ending up in landfill.
Buying vintage is the easiest way to alleviate your desire for micro trends without overspending. It is also the perfect way to introduce unique and obscure pieces into your wardrobe, that can be passed down the generations.
Being vintage savvy is the simplest way to shop mindfully on a high street budget and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Mindful Shopping Is Fulfilled Shopping
With 2021 in full swing, now is the perfect time to start introducing conscious intent into our daily habits. Adopting meaningful practices not only reflects positively on our mental wellbeing but also reflects sustainably on our planet.
Shopping for fashion is a means of pleasure, but let’s not waver into darkened waters. Whatever your budget, shopping mindfully is important.
By adopting this attitude we can positively influence our ever-changing industry and reclaim a sentiment that is lost within fast fashion – shopping positively for ourselves and our planet.
Sustainable Fashion With An Accessible Price Tag
What are your thoughts on mindful shopping? What is on your list of intent? Let us know in the comments below or join the conversation over on our Instagram Page!
For more thought-provoking conversations head over to our Ethical Talks page or for style inspiration head over you our Conscious Edit Shopping page! Or check out our latest articles on Accountability: A Guide To Achieving Your Goals or 5 Habits You Need To Adopt In 2021.
Charlotte Hope-Shannon
Charlotte is a freelance writer from the UK. With a strong interest in literature, she is passionate about offering an openminded, diverse and critically conscious perspective on fashion, culture & the arts.
The post Intentional Shopping: How To Shop Mindfully On A High Street Budget appeared first on KeiSei Magazine.
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