A RDR Guide:Value Based Shopping to be a more Conscious Consumer

My dad teases me for using the term conscious consumer since it makes it sound like everyone else is unconscious in a zombie like state, but honestly I think that imagery really drives home to reason why it’s important to be a “conscious consumer”. Break out of old habits and get out of the zombie like state of shopping (instead of being on the constant hunt for brains, were on the constant hunt for clothes and the next best deal). Also, if you disagree that people don’t act like crazed zombies when shopping just watch some Black Friday opening videos and your opinion will be swayed, slightly at the very least. 

Ending a mindless addiction to shopping is most definitely no easy feat, so changing your mindset and thought process around it is (in my personal opinion) way more effective than simply saying “I need to stop shopping so much”. 

1. List your values and be well acquainted with them
• What values do you hold dear for yourself?
• What do you value in a company? 
• What values are non negotiable for you in a company?

For myself I really value human life and the respect for others, authenticity and honesty, as well as respect for the planet and my surrounding environment. These are my values that have to do with consumption. Holding your values in high regard will help you to stick with being a more conscious consumer. When your values matter more than consumption you’ll be less inclined to impulse shop and you'll buy less from brands that don’t echo your personal values. You can incorporate this into all aspects of your life and set goals along the way to measure how well you’re living according to your values. This is extremely personal so the values you list truly have to be your own, but I do encourage looking to others whom you admire and figure out what their life values are. Also, don’t forget which of your values are absolutely non negotiable. If a brand doesn’t respect this value of yours it means you’ll refuse to shop there until they do. For me this is human rights in the supply chain. I personally see absolutely no reason to support a brand that doesn’t support the people that make their product when there are plenty of brands that do. Because this is such an important value to me, I’ve also made peace with the fact that the clothing I do choose to buy is likely to be more expensive since the employees wages aren’t being cut for the sake of the profit of the company. 

1. The most sustainable piece is the one you already own.
• Go through your closet and really get to know each and every piece you own. (I will do a separate post on how to clean your closet responsibly.). While you go through your closet take note of any “white space” you seem to have in your wardrobe. Is filling that white space going to help make your closet more of a source of joy for you? Will it give it more use?

For example, I have noticed that one of the white spaces in my closet is a good skirt and other more professional clothes. Filling that white space will make getting dressed for a professional setting easier and more pleasurable.

1. Define your personal style
• For years I’ve struggled with not really feeling completely “at home” with my clothing. This is because I never really defined my personal style, I was just trying to follow a trend that ultimately really didn’t work for me. 
• To delve into defining your personal style Pinterest and Instagram are your go-to’s. Create boards/saved folders of styles, outfits, images that really inspire you. Make yourself some personal style moodboards. This doesn’t have to happen in a day, or week or a month. It’s an ever evolving process. Once you settle in on something that really feels right for you (you define that on your own) then re-evaluate your current wardrobe again and try to see what you currently own in a new light. Can you restyle something to better fit this new aesthetic of yours? Can you possibly re-construct something you already own. Make this process fun and personal! Maybe get some friends in on it and make it a group activity! 
• Don’t forget to think of creating your new wardrobe as a form of curating. You’re curating a great new and personal wardrobe that is perfect for you and your lifestyle. Museum curators take months of research to create the perfect exhibit. Your closet deserves the same amount of respect and love. 
• Break free of trends! Build a personal style that is timeless and immune to falling out of being trendy. Or simply, stop giving a shit about what others deem “trendy” and wear clothes that make you happy. 

Now that you’ve gotten to know yourself better and you know what your closet needs/what you really want to add to it, it’s time to shop!

Keep in mind that this is simply what works best for me! This is the order in which I go through different “stores”

First off, know your budget! Then go on through this list

Thrift it!

• The first place I try to stop at is the thrift store when I’m looking for new product! (Or online thrift platforms). 
• I believe that it’s important to try and thrift something first before seeking it out from a brand. The world is so saturated with product already, so see if you can find a great piece that needs a new home! My favorite pieces in my closet are ones that I’ve thrifted. 
• If you're not interested in spending a lot of time combing through racks in your local thrift store check out the online thrifting market! Some great platforms to check out are Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, ThredUp and people's "closet" accounts on insta! Let me know your favorite online thrift marketplace!
• Thrifting can be more difficult if you're under a time constraint or looking for something super super specific, but I think It’s always worth a shot. On the note about time constraint. Try your best to not procrastinate on shopping for an item for an event. While I worked in retail the customers who had a huge event the next day were always the hardest to help because just by luck, what they were looking for was out of stock in their size or nothing seemed to appeal to them. Don’t be like them, be prepared in advance and give yourself the best opportunity to find something you love. Don’t spend your money on something mediocre because you ran out of time to shop. 

Check out your favorite brands that resonate with your values. 

• If you’re unsure about how a brand works with your values then check out Good On You. This website/phone app rates thousands of brands and breaks down those ratings so you can understand who you’re shopping from a bit better!
• This is where your budget plays an important role. If you weren’t able to find what you were looking for while thrifting, now is the time to check those brands that you admire. Do they fall into your budget or will it be too expensive for you to justify right now? Those are very personal questions that I think require a lot of thought and an educated decision process. Because I shop so much less than I used to I am a lot more comfortable with spending a bit more on the pieces I buy. But I also know that this piece will last a lifetime, and if I do change my mind about it in a few years it will be high enough quality for me to resell. Consider these things and make the decision that best works for your lifestyle and current phase of life. You shouldn’t feel queasy after a purchase, but rather excited that you get to support a brand that’s meaningful to you! If you do feel queasy and can’t justify spending that much money then it's okay. Keep looking through other brands that support your values. 

Once I’ve exhausted my list of brands that resonate with my values it’s time to rethink if I truly need this product and how soon I need it.

• If it’s not an urgent need then I look at any products I bookmarked from those brands that do resonate with my values and decide if I want to save up some money to buy it in the future. 
• If it is an urgent need then I’ll try see if it’s something I can borrow from a friend or as a last resort consider buying it from a fast fashion retailer. 

My absolute last resort is to shop at a fast fashion retailer or brand that doesn’t resonate my values. 

• I have had to do this a couple of times, but when I look at those purchases in retrospect I realize I could’ve either waited a bit longer to find the product from a brand I do admire, or I simply didn’t need it that badly. I personally feel very queasy whenever I shop fast fashion so I avoid it at all costs (unless its an absolute dire need and the rest of my list didn't work). I do still check all these brands in Good On You to see which is the lesser of evils, but that feeling of queasiness and guilt isn’t usually worth it to me. Again, that is a personal choice. But after the amount of research I have done on the downfalls of the fashion industry, fast fashion is something I do not feel comfortable at all with supporting. Most of these brands directly violate my value of respecting human rights, which is pretty non negotiable to me, or they simply don’t seem to speak about it all which doesn’t bode well in my opinion. 

Here are a few books that I shared from my Fash Rev Week recommended books post that relate directly to curating your closet!

The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline

Wear No Evil by Greta Eagan

The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees

I personally believe that taking this approach to shopping can help you to save money. Even if you do buy more expensive clothes, you’re going to be buying less of them and they’re going to last longer as well as be able to be resold at a profitable price point! 

This post is written solely based off my personal experience and experience from giving advice to friends and family! I hope you found this helpful! If you do anything in particular to be a more conscious consumer please share!

Till next time!

Aleksandra L.