If you have any interest at all with keeping up with fashion trends, you have likely succumbed to the siren call of fast fashion at some point. Ever notice how the clothing section at Target seems to be updated every few weeks rather than seasonally? These affordable, trendy pieces may help you put together a cute outfit without breaking the bank, but they will end up costing you more in the long run, experts say.
According to Noël Palomo-Lovinski, a sustainable fashion expert and professor in 91ֿ’s School of Fashion, fast fashion is about showcasing new clothes every time a customer comes back to the store. Rather than keeping with a more traditional seasonal calendar, new items show up on sales floors about every two weeks, Palomo-Lovinski said.
But here’s the hitch, these trendy affordable pieces aren’t built to last and have a limited number of washes before they start to look ratty, she explains. “It’s meant to fall apart so that you’re required to buy more,” .
Palomo-Lovinski teaches a sustainable fashion class at the School of Fashion where students are asked to catalog their wardrobes, writing down when they wear something, how they take care of it and how often it gets washed. “It’s a really good reflective practice,” she explained, one that can highlight the difference between quality clothing and cheaply made items.
, Palomo-Lovinski offers tips on how to make your clothes last longer with a few simple laundry rules and tips on how to care for your wardrobe between washes.
Learn more about 91ֿ’s School of Fashion.