A sustainable approach to occasion wear

We all have those years where we are inundated with invitations to formal events. Between work award ceremonies, weddings, and seasonal parties, these events can quickly add up. And, each occasion has a particular dress code with a formality that is not found in our day-to-day wardrobe.

This means that most of us ending up buying multiple occasion wear outfits each year, each of which is restricted to a one-time use because of the stigma around being an ‘outfit repeater’. Not only is this bad news for your bank balance, but it also has a negative effect on the environment as well.

Thankfully, just a few small adjustments can help to make your special event dressing more green. Protect the planet and your pockets by following this guide to a sustainable approach to occasion wear.

Choose a natural fabric

First and foremost, take care to choose a garment that is made out of a natural fabric. Materials like linen and organic cotton are fully biodegradable whereas polyester, as an oil-based plastic, takes hundreds of years to decompose and contaminates the soil in the process.

Satin is a popular fabric for occasion wear and is either woven from silk or nylon or polyester. Where possible, choose silk-based satin which has the added advantage of naturally regulating your temperature – perfect for stuffy or hot summer events.

Repurpose your outfit

Historically, women in particular felt pressured to have a different outfit for every formal occasion. However, repeating or repurposing your outfit is now much more acceptable it becomes increasingly obvious that the previous approach was financially and environmentally unsustainable.

Invest in a small selection of chic occasion wear that will suit multiple events and can be easily dressed up or down with different accessories. Different shoes, jacket, and jewellery can totally transform the same dress or jumpsuit.

Buy pre-owned pieces

Another way to make your approach to occasion wear more sustainable is to buy pre-owned pieces. Browse websites dedicated to pre-loved fashion such as Vinted and tour your local vintage and charity shops. You can often find unworn or good-as-new items for a fraction of the usual retail price.

You can also sell your own occasion wear on pre-loved fashion platforms. This makes the purchasing process more of a virtual swap, and an even more cost-effect venture.

Consider rental fashion

Lastly, you should definitely consider the opting of hiring your occasion wear. Once the reserve of celebrities seeking designer dresses, rental fashion has become a big business with mainstream shoppers too. Hiring rather than buying means that you can keep the price down and instead invest in the green approaches reduce, reuse, recycle.

Rental fashion comes into its own for opulent luxury events. Renting your outfit gives you the option of wearing a ‘big label’ without having to pay the high price to own the items outright.