How often do you re-wear your clothes? In the fast fashion world we live in, repeating outfits is not something everyone is accustomed to. Especially with the rise of social media, some of us don’t want to be caught wearing something we’ve already posted on Instagram.
Now, new research has found that 32% of Brits say the more likes they get on a social post, the less likely they would be to be photographed in that outfit again.
The survey of 16 to 35-year-old Brits, conducted by fabric enhancer brand Comfort, also found that a third of us are less likely to tap ‘like’ on a post if we’ve seen the person wearing the outfit before.
But in the context of the rising cost of living – not to mention the climate emergency – isn’t it time we got the most wear out of our clothes as possible? Especially since a whopping 65% of us are failing to wear at least half of our wardrobes regularly.
Influencers could play a huge role in resetting the norms – and it wouldn’t dent their popularity. Seven in 10 of those surveyed said they currently feel influencers set unrealistic expectations of wearing new outfits. And though a quarter (24%) of people confess to negatively judging others for outfit repeating, overwhelmingly, people value efforts to rewear and restyle items of clothing.
Nearly three in four people agree that seeing people rewearing an outfit is positive and four in five (80%) like when people are able to restyle items of clothing in different ways.
What’s more, two thirds (64%) say they wouldn’t even be able to remember what someone was wearing the last time they saw them, whether on social media or in person.
So, how can people re-style their clothes?
If you’ve been reluctant to re-wear outfits until now, there’s never been a better time to switch up your habits.
Comfort is calling on people to reclaim the power of social media ‘likes’ by taking part in #RestyleWednesdays and posting their repeat outfits online. The weekly outfit challenge is designed to help people build new and lasting habits where they care for and rewear their clothes, instead of buying new.
Sustainable fashion designer Lalla Bronshtein says “when it comes to re-wearing clothes changing up a look by accessorising with shoes and jewellery is the key.”
“With a dress, wear with sandals during the day and switch for heels and statement jewellery for an evening look,” she adds. “Don’t throw away old jeans, cut them down into trendy knee length shorts.”
Bronshtein says if you want to feel more confident when posting re-worked clothes on social media, re-style each piece you wear to create a different overall look.
“Adding a different bag, a belt, a scarf or an accessory or introducing a new colour can totally change the vibe of an outfit,” she says. “Be proud and open to post re-worn outfits, its no longer a fashion faux-pas. Fast fashion is over – recycling, upcycling and re-styling is the future.”