2021 is the perfect time to create new resolutions by incorporating a more sustainable lifestyle. For all fashion lovers out there, now is your chance to start making a difference and take the first step towards being more aware of your consumption habits and making positive changes.

If you’re not sure where to start but you are interested in working towards making more eco-conscious fashion choices, start recognizing your shopping habits, question your clothing choices and be more aware of how you care for your garments.

While these changes won’t happen overnight, it’s okay to figure out the best moves for your lifestyle. The following questions will help make you more aware of your habits, which will lead to making more conscious decisions during your next shopping trip.

11 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Purchasing New Fashion

As we start making strides towards a more sustainable wardrobe, here are the necessary questions you should ask yourself before you buy that new item.

1. Will I rewear it?

This is probably one of the most important questions to ask yourself - will you rewear this item or outfit and how many times will you actually wear it again? When purchasing a new item, it’s truly important to think about how many wears it will get and be okay with repeating this piece of clothing when you can.

2. Is it classic and timeless?

Most fashionistas look for the next big trend when it comes to clothing. However, it’s important to note that trends, although fun to try, go out of style as quickly as they come. This leaves you with a bunch of outfits that you may not want to wear again that inevitably get donated or tossed.

While we’re not saying you should stop expressing yourself, we are suggesting that it is a good idea to focus on investing in pieces that are classic and timeless and will take you beyond the current trends. Certain basics and outfits will last decades and will prove way more valuable as a part of your wardrobe.

Need some inspiration? Check out our suggestions on building a sustainable core wardrobe here.

3. Is the item high-maintenance?

This is a question we often don’t ask ourselves because we are distracted by how the item looks. We should all agree that high-maintenance items include dry cleaning or needs extra care. The more high-maintenance an outfit is, the less likely we are going to wear it because of the hassle it takes to maintain it. If you’re up for the work and will actually take care of your garment, then go for it!

4. Can I wear it with other pieces?

It’s always a good idea to think about whether the top or pair of pants you’re considering purchasing will mix and match with a range of items in your closet. The more you can mix and match, the more options you will have to create new outfits and you will be able to wear this item on many occasions.

5. Will it work for many different occasions?

Similar to our previous point, it’s important to think about whether your new purchase can work for a range of occasions such as work, casual, dressed up or down. That way, you are not limited to only wearing it to one type of event or outing.

6. Is it similar to something I already own?

I’m sure we are all guilty of owning items that are way too similar in look or style simply because we may like it too much. If you know that it will be a great investment because an item needs an update or you need an alternate color, then go for it! If you’re just going to end up wearing your favorite item over the new one, you might want to reconsider your purchase.

7. Am I just buying it because it’s on sale?

Who doesn’t love a good deal? When something is on sale, we’re more likely to be interested in buying it because it has a more attractive price! But what happens if we actually don’t need the item and only buy it in haste because it was cheap?

It’s a good idea to track an item you really want and get that piece of clothing on sale, rather than aimlessly purchase something just because it is on sale. You most likely won’t end up wearing it and end up giving it away because you didn’t think about your purchase strategically.

8. Do I feel comfortable wearing this?

Does this item make you feel confident and comfortable? You definitely want to make sure this is a purchase that you feel amazing in and one that you will want to rock over and over again. Otherwise, leave it on the rack for someone else to claim as their own.

9. Is this my style?

Does this new clothing item truly reflect your style? Will it add value to your wardrobe by making some new outfits or are you just buying it because someone else likes it or said it looks good on you? The last thing you want to buy is something that will only collect dust because it isn’t even your style in the first place!

To avoid being wasteful, make sure there is a flexible return policy to fall back on if you change your mind. If you want to undergo a style transformation, we suggest trying rental clothing so it’s easy to experiment with new looks.

10. Where does the fabric come from?

As we are making a shift to becoming more sustainable consumers, we need to start looking at the labels and do our due diligence on learning more about where the fabric is sourced, how the product is produced and whether the fabric is environmentally friendly.

Fast fashion often comes with harmful consequences to our environment, as well as a human cost. It’s imperative that we start making the changes necessary to buy cleaner and more sustainable products moving forward.

11. Why am I really buying this piece?

Ask yourself why you need this piece and why you are really buying it. It could be you want to invest in something nice or simply because you think you’ll wear it but are not sure about it just yet. If your purchases are falling under the ‘maybe’ pile, do a double-take when making the decision to buy it.

Let’s Start Making A Difference

You don’t have to go cold-turkey on your shopping habits, but if you’re truly trying to improve your buying habits and stop buying from fast fashion brands, you can do so by taking baby steps towards making positive changes in your consumption habits. Small steps will start to add up and make a huge difference in the long run. This in turn will help the environment, stop exploiting workers and might even save you money in the long run because you’ve built a wardrobe you truly love.