Who made the ‘rule’ that to be seen wearing the same thing more than once was a sin?

Whoever it was needs a good talking to!

Did you read about TV presenter Nadia Sawalha of ITV’s Loose Women getting a load of flack for repeat wearing a snakeskin blouse a couple of years ago? She eventually explained that it had been an experiment after hearing that another male personality had shared how he’d worn the same suit every time he’d been interviewed on TV.

And guess what?

Nobody noticed (or complained).

These double standards are hard to swallow. I love an excuse to buy new clothes, always have and probably always will, BUT I have absolutely no problem at all repeat wearing outfits that I love.

It just makes sense to me. If I have a great outfit combination, that makes me feel good, I want to repeat that feeling!

What about special occasion wear?

I know that many women are very happy to repeat wear work clothes or everyday outfits but when it comes to special occasions such as big birthdays or weddings, they feel the need for a new outfit every time.

And these are the outfits they are spending a LOT of money on. Then they are worn once, maybe twice then never again. Probably the rise of social media doesn’t help. If they are constantly posting selfies or being tagged in photos, they don’t want to be seen in the same pieces time and time again.

I’d like to encourage you to feel happier about repeat wearing fabulous outfits. It’s such a shame, not to mention a waste of money, not to wear your clothes often.

And with what we now know about the pollution and damaging effects of the fashion industry, it’s quite frankly, incredibly stupid to buy something new, wear it once and get rid.

SO please don’t do it.

Downgrade your posh pieces to get more wear

If it helps, downgrade your best stuff. Buy a beautiful dress for the wedding/party, enjoy wearing it for such a special occasion, then experiment with other ways to style it. Be creative. Could you add a blazer and some boots and wear it to work? How about trainers and a cardigan and wear it more casually?

I’m currently working out what to wear for my live event in May. I’ve opted (I think!) for a gorgeous statement print blouse to wear with some slim leg trousers. I don’t want to buy another dress, because these days I very rarely wear them so it wouldn’t get enough use. After the event I’ll wear the blouse with jeans and trainers, with my leather trousers and boots, with white jeans and sandals. I will get my money’s worth and make it work hard for me. And enjoy it for years to come.

Consider Cost Per Wear

I’ve written about ‘cost per wear’ before (you can catch up here). This is the idea that when you buy something you love and you wear it to death, the cost per wear becomes lower, making it a great investment.

When I’ve invested in outfits that I feel FAB in, I want to wear them as often as possible. I want to keep that loving feeling going for as long as I can eek it out. And get the cost per wear as low as possible.

I’d like to inspire you to celebrate when you look and feel great in an outfit. Wear it again, and again for as long as you can. Get your money’s worth. Enjoy feeling special and minimise your environmental impact.

SO, before you go buying new, think about what you already have. And if you do buy new, please make sure it’ll have a long and useful life with you.

How to buy clothes that you can’t wait to repeat wear!

1. Learn what suits you in terms of colour, shape and style. This will make great purchasing decisions more frequent and less by luck. (see tip 4)
2. Look after your clothes well. Check the care label before you buy and follow the advice. If you don’t want to handwash or dry clean, don’t buy anything that requires it.
3. Work out some outfit formulas that work for your style/body shape. Repeat buy component parts of the formulas so that you can mix and match your outfits and get more wear out of each piece.
4. Get yourself a ticket to my live event and get a full understanding of what suits you and why! At the time of writing there are just three places left! Find out more here.

How do you feel about repeat wearing your clothes? I’d love to know how you feel. Share in the comments.