Happy Fall, It’s Officially Sweater Weather!
The page has turned on summer, bringing fall’s cooler weather. Thoughts are turning to cozy sweaters and chill-proof footwear.
And, here comes the sales! Friends and Family Event! 25% off regular price! Buy 1 Get 1! Temptation to buy new things for the new season. But what about all the clothing you already own?
Stop and take a breath! Sales are designed to entice you to buy things you don’t need, before you need them. And truth be told, you will be able to buy much cheaper later in the season if you can just resist the urge.
Instead, make an exercise of shopping through your closet. Move your fall things forward, take stock of all the lovely things you have, then make a list of fill-in items.
Pro tips:
Give your whites a refresh. Presoak in a product like OxyClean®, you’ll be amazed how good they look. If still yellowed or stained, that’s the first place to look for replacements.
Show your leather goods some love. Support your local cobbler and take in shoes for heel and sole replacements. And shoes, belts, and bags all need cleaning and conditioning to keep the leather soft and supple.
De-pill your sweaters and knits with a gizmo like this.
If an item or two truly don’t fit either in size or style, find a new home for it. See the below from our Tips & Tricks for Sustainable Living:
Sell - Facebook Marketplace - Craigslist - eBay - Poshmark - thredUP
Consign - The RealReal
Donate - Goodwill - Salvation Army - Dress for Success
Still need something new? Consider buying from the above resources or renting from Rent the Runway or Nuuly.
If you must buy new, think about investing a little more for a classic product made from natural fibers. Look for cotton, silk, linen, wool and leather. Avoid polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex and any other fibers you can’t pronounce or identify. If it’s not natural, it’s probably a synthetic derivative of fossil fuels, and washing synthetic textiles is the single greatest contributor to ocean microplastics, which eventually enter the food chain, animals’ bodies and our own. Additionally, most synthetic fibers cannot be recycled and don’t wear well, making them unsuitable for resale and destined for the landfill. Clothing that is made from mixed fibers is also very hard to recycle, so avoid where possible…not an easy task.
Join the Environmental Action Committee as we work to justly affect climate change with the ultimate goal of preserving democracy by maintaining the health of our one and only planet and all that lives on it. Email us at environment@lwvchicago.org for access to our next meeting.