Fashion and Beauty 31st May 2019 by Megan Roantree

Five Ways To Give The Clothes You Never Wear A New Lease Of Life

90% of people have clothes in their wardrobe they do not wear.

A recent survey said that a massive 90% of people have clothes in their wardrobe that they do not wear. While the number is high, it’s probably not too surprising.

And while we ‘never have anything to wear’ over 57% of people say that their wardrobe is too small. Yet we keep buying and rarely do anything about the bits we don’t wear.

They don’t have to take up pointless space in your wardrobe though, so we’re sharing five ways you can make sure your clothes are wasted.

Visit Pinterest/Instagram/Fashion Sites 

If you’ve got a pair of trousers you’re just not quite sure how to wear, or a daring dress you just don’t have the confidence to go out in, turn to the internet. No, not for online shopping, but for inspiration. We’re living in the golden age of access to fashion and style, so it’s time to make use of it. Head to Pinterest and type in the item of clothing you’re just not sure how to pull off. You’ll find thousands of results on different ways of styling it up. You can even head to your favourite online stores and get some ideas on how the shops style their models. Soon you’ll get plenty of ideas on how to wear those never-worn pieces.

Give Yourself A ‘Try It On’ Day

Every now and again when I get a Sunday where I’m doing nothing or a have a few days off, I just take a day to try on things in my wardrobe. It’s a good way to see what still fits, or now fits if it didn’t before, and to clear through what you won’t wear again. But it also gives you a chance to figure out ideas about which items in your wardrobe go well together. Got a skirt that you’re not sure is flattering? Try it on with different styles of tops, blouses, jumpers and figure out what looks best. Even take some pics for yourself to remind you next time you look at it that you did have things that go with it. This saves you buying new bits you don’t need and helps you get more wear out of what you have.

Head To A Swap Shop

Swap shops are becoming hugely popular and they are a fantastic way to get rid of the bits that aren’t right for you while finding pieces that are. The idea is as obvious as it sounds. You bring all the clothes you no longer wear, but that are still wearable and swap with other people who do the same. There are several amazing events like this in Dublin. Check out Swap Shop Sundays, which is hosting an event in Wigwam in Dublin City on June 9th. Sustainable Fashion Dublin also holds swap shops and sustainable fashion talks. They’re branching out beyond Dublin, and in August, they’re heading to Cork, so keep an eye on their page here.

Try Tailoring

Tailoring is a brilliant way to get wear out of the clothes you already have, but making them look even better. Whether it’s small changes like taking up a pair of jeans or bigger changes like altering a dress into a top because although you never wore it, you loved the pattern. There are plenty of lovely local tailors in most counties, and bigger companies like The Zip Yard have been working with loads of bloggers in the past few years to alter their looks for events. Check out pages like Rag Order Dublin for some ideas on what you can do!   The possibilities are almost endless, and it means you’re not getting rid of something you love just because it’s not quite right!

Donate

When you’ve tried everything else, and you know something is just not worth holding on to, the last resort should never be the regular old bin. Instead, you can donate anything that’s still wearable to your local charity shop. This gives your clothes the opportunity to have a new lease of life while looking after the planet and helping a charity or organisation that’s doing important work. If the pieces are no longer wearable, or they’re damaged you can still do some good. Shops like H&M have a drop-off point, where you can donate bags of clothes which they will then recycle, and you get some vouchers to spend in store. It’s a win/win.

There are so many options when it comes to clothes you’re not wearing, whether it’s finding a way to wear it, changing it up, or donating it to a good cause – just don’t let it take up unnecessary room in your wardrobe!

 

 

Survey carried out on 200 adults via The Panelling Centre

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