You will always hear me shout from the rooftops about small and independent brands. I love them, and I love to support them. But that doesn’t mean that I completely avoid the high street – I just shop as sustainably as I can. The onus is often put on us as consumers, but the reality is that it’s the huge brands who are responsible for over consumption. They fight battles on who can survive with the lowest margin, who can copy designers the fastest, who can pay the lowest price for manufacturing. And society makes us all feel bad for buying from them.
So how can you shop from the high street without feeling guilty?
First of all, decide why you’re shopping and what you’re looking for. If you’re shopping because you’re bored, or you need a hit of dopamine, avoid the shops altogether. Shopping will give you an instant hit of dopamine, but you’re likely to buy something you don’t really need or want, and then you’ll be stuck with the guilt of why you spent money.
When I’m shopping online, I search by design and colour, then filter by the item and my size. Simply browsing for jumpers is going to throw hundreds of options at me. But as soon as I search for a cropped lilac or yellow sweater in size 10, I see a lot less, and I know almost immediately if it’s worth me looking through the options. (Some of my favourite search terms include neon, tulle and sequin). I use the same method when I’m shopping in store – looking at every rack is bound to make me want to buy something I don’t need, so in my case, I browse by colour – I know what colours suit me, and I won’t look at anything unless it’s in those colours.
Where online shopping really comes in handy (aside from saving me from the crowds, which I absolutely hate) is that it comes with the benefit of being able to save for later. So once I’ve found what I want, I will either add it to my cart or my wishlist and leave it there for at least 24 hours. This gives me the time to decide if I really need it, and if I actually like it enough to buy it. You can do the same in store – a shop will usually reserve something for you for 24 hours.
The other thing I buy from the high street is basics – I wear a lot of vest tops under jumpers or cardigans, and to me, these are an absolute essential in my wardrobe. I’ll buy 5 or 6 at time, and they will last me a good few years. The trick for when you’re shopping for any basics on the high street is to look for quality fabrics. Choose cotton over acrylic, modal over polyester. Taking the time to check the fabric composition is going to ensure you get the longevity out of the clothes you’re buying.
And that’s it – guilt free shopping on the high street.
Now go forth and be a mindful fashion shopper – only bringing home the pieces that spark true, lasting joy!