by At the end and beginning of each year, fashion gurus and, unquote, ‘it’ girls use their fashion crystal balls to predict what they think will be in style for the coming year. Last year we saw cargo pants and skirts take over. Tank tops were everywhere in 2022 (I now have three and still want more) and Uggs made a big comeback in the winter.
Which leaves us wondering, what will be the fashion trends of 2023? What clothes should I rush to put in my closet even though I’ll probably never wear them again? User @victoriacasalinoo thinks skinny jeans will be back (congratulations millennials).
Faux fur, fun tights and silver are going to be on the rise this year, according to @bblana444. Surprisingly, the repetition of outfits will be back in 2023. Yes, you read that right, the act of wearing your clothes more than once will be a trend (my washing machine can finally be used).
What does it say about the climate of the fashion industry if re-wearing outfits is not a norm but just a trend? For a large number of people, re-wearing outfits is not an option, it’s a lifestyle.
Fast fashion isn’t just unsustainable, it’s unaffordable
The average person cannot afford to buy a new outfit every time they leave the house. Not only is it expensive, but it is also harmful to the environment. Most of us have to wear the clothes in our closet on multiple occasions. Especially as the cost of bills continues to rise, who will be able to buy a new outfit for our friend’s birthday meal?
Hayaat Nankya Kagimu, a 24-year-old London model, has returned to wearing clothes throughout her life. “I don’t see the point of spending a lot of money buying trends that will soon pass and I like to buy things that will last and are usually more expensive,” she says.
“The fact that wearing clothes again is a trend shows me how lost I am in the capitalist society of influencers.”
“For me, wearing clothes is not a conscious choice, it’s normal for me and I try to reject the pressure to wear something new all the time to impress people,” says Kagimu.
She thinks it’s ridiculous that repeating outfits is now considered a trend because clothing was never meant for one use. “The fact that wearing clothes again is a trend shows me how lost I am in the capitalist society of influencers.”
Chakkana Pryce, a 29-year-old designer from London, says that getting back into her clothes comes naturally to her. “When I find clothes that I love, I want to wear them all the time. There are so many times where I get into the cycle of wearing the same things so much that I have to force myself to wear something else. It’s like having a uniform,” Pryce tells HuffPost UK. When she buys something new, she always intends to keep it for a long time.
“This is how I decide whether or not something should be an addition to my wardrobe. I think about how many different ways I could match it with my existing clothes and if I can imagine having it forever. I have no interest in single-use parts,” she adds.
Her love of repeating outfits inspired the creation of her Sharkkini brand.
“Sharkkini initially started because I couldn’t find my version of the perfect bikini, a good quality classic set that I could take on every trip, so I did.”
Pryce continues: “That same idea of creating must-haves has now expanded to joggers, hoodies, skirts and more to come. It all starts with what I feel is missing from my wardrobe and then I think about how I could make it as functional as possible but still cute.”
Her hope is that everyone who owns a Sharkkini product loves it so much that they can use her items over and over again.
Trend or not, we are going to see many more clothes renewed this year.
For these women and many others, the repetition of outfits is not a trend, so why did fashion experts predict that we will see more of it in 2023?
“Being in a financial recession means that people are more careful with their spending, and fashion is not a necessity, so people are more creative with how they dress and dress, rather than spending on items new all the time,” he says. Giovanna Vieira, who is director of marketing for Rotaro.
He adds that “circular and rental fashion is becoming more popular among young people. Particularly as younger millennials and Generation Z gain financial power and begin to make more sustainable choices to preserve the planet and its future.”
Also, it’s getting harder and harder to find clothes with original designs, something I’ve struggled with for the past year. “A lot of what’s in stores lacks variety and originality, so people may already have similar styles at home that they can re-wear or even borrow from friends or rent on fashion rental platforms before to consider buying,” says Vieira.
″…arises from a subconscious fear that other people will perceive you as poor if you keep wearing the same clothes all the time.”
Although most people wear their clothes again, there is a stigma associated with doing so. “Generally, it stems from a subconscious fear that other people will perceive you as poor if you keep wearing the same clothes all the time,” explains Vieira.
You don’t want to be the person surprised in their birthday dress at another event or the girl who wears the same top every night, but why? “Historically, when social class was more important in society, only those with a level of wealth could purchase the latest fashions or have custom-made items,” Vieira explains.
“Whether we like to admit it or not, even though social class isn’t as visible anymore, there are certain markers that people go through to make judgments about it today, with fashion being one of the most important.” .
“The whole industry is based on novelty and trends, since this is what they take advantage of, so there is a notion that using last season is ‘tacky,’” adds Vieira.
Develop a personal style and build a capsule wardrobe
The stigma around wearing clothes from last season or later is slowly fading as vintage and sustainable fashion are on the rise.
“What we are seeing now is that ‘old’ clothing, as in the case of vintage fashion for example, is gaining momentum as people want to develop their own unique sense of style and find rare items that increase in value. over time. instead of depreciating.”
Chakkana Pryce believes that iteration of outfits should be a lifestyle rather than a trend: “The easiest way to do this is to build a wardrobe of basic/uniform pieces that you really love, which can take some time.”
“It’s also good because it encourages you to invest in better quality clothes and not overconsume for the sake of a trend,” he adds.
I personally started the process of building a capsule wardrobe last year. At first, I found it tedious because I felt like I wasn’t buying anything that caught my eye. But, now I feel that I have managed to create my own personal style that continues to grow. Finding outfits to wear now doesn’t feel like an impossible task like it did when my wardrobe was trend driven.
“Going back to wearing the clothes we have at home makes it easier to get dressed; Deciding what to wear can really be a chore, so organizing your wardrobe in a way that’s easy to put together can go a long way,” says Vieira.
“The repetition of outfits also shows that we have character and a strong sense of style and is financially beneficial as we would spend less on items that we do not plan to keep.”
“Lastly, it is more sustainable as a large number of items that are discarded or donated to charity end up in landfills in Africa and South America, polluting soil and water supplies and creating a global problem due to our consumerism. and fashion addiction. ”, explains Scallop.
With the cost of almost everything in life rising, the last thing we want to do is worry about buying new clothes. I will continue to wear the white Zara blouse that I bought last year and that my mother has labeled as ‘my uniform’ because I love it and I bought it to use it again.
