I had the honor of being featured on WhoWhatWear.com for Earth Day. The trendy fashion website which I’ve been admiring for years reached out to me for 3 zero-effort, high-reward style tips and I had to oblige. I sent them 6 tips to choose from for the piece. You can read what I shared with them as well as tips from other sustainable champions here.

Before you head over to Who What Wear, however, here are the 3 additional tricks I gave them as well as 3 slightly more demanding sustainable fashion tips we should all do our best to apply.

1. Shop preloved fashion 
Some call vintage and thrift shopping, secondhand, I prefer preloved! Giving new life to pieces that would otherwise be discarded is a fabulous path to sustainability. If you know where to look, you can find well-crafted garments that are unique and will make you the envy of all your friends. Vintage boutiques, thrift stores, church bazaars, garage sales, flea markets, Etsy, eBay and Poshmark are great places to start.
2. Awaken the stylist in you 
The truth of the matter is, we rarely need new clothes but we can’t help but want them. Instead of giving in to that feeling and buying that new dress or pair of jeans, reinvent what you already own. When you feel the urge to buy new clothes, wait and shop your closet first. Like a stylist, create novel looks by accessorizing differently, mixing textures and playing with propositions. Try it, you will amaze yourself.
3. Develop a collector’s eye
Survey your closet and take inventory of the pants, tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, shoes and accessories you own. Then, knowing that fashion is cyclical and old trends are bound to become new again, pull the pieces you think will make a comeback and label them, collector’s items. Keep these gems in your closet or store them in a safe place to be revived in the future. Before you know it, they’ll be vintage! I am grateful to my mom for having a collector’s eye. Thanks to her foresight and generosity, I now own authentic vintage pieces from her closet which I will pass on to the daughter I will have someday. How fabulous is that? 
4. Learn how to sew
The ability to design and create clothing is not an easy skill but if you are able to master it, it will make a big difference in how sustainable your closet can be. Luckily for me my mom is an amazing seamstress (it’s been her hobby since the age of 5) so I grew up wearing custom made fashion. I developed an appreciation for style and respect for the craft. I eventually learned how to sew as well as draft patterns and drape during my fashion design studies. I love having the ability to quickly whip up new pieces and bring my visions to life. Sewing also creates a sense of ownership for each piece which makes you less likely to be wasteful.
5. Mend until you can’t mend anymore

If you don’t feel confident enough to sew an entire garment or pick up this new skill at this stage in your life, I recommend you focus your energy on mending. Knowing your way around a sewing kit and learning how to repair a few basic things will increase the longevity of your clothes. Fixing holes, pulled sweater yarns and hemming pants and skirts should be at the top of your list. As a last resort, make friends with a tailor and a dry cleaner as they can handle jobs that require more precision. 

6. Care instructions hacks
Properly caring for clothing and accessories is a must when building a sustainable wardrobe. I wash tops inside out in cold water will help them last longer. I also place my delicate pieces in a delicates laundry bag to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. As soon as the cold season is over, I take my winter coats to the dry cleaners and boots to the cobbler, before storing them for next year. I make sure they are clean and mended like new. Having pristine winter wear prevents me from wanting to buy new things the following year. It works!

You don’t have to apply all the tips and tricks I’ve shared here and on Whowhatwear.com all at once. Take it one step at a time, starting with the easiest recommendation to implement for your lifestyle and work your way up from there.

Be sure to let me know which one you will be trying first on social media Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Stay Conscious & Chic!