Can we normalise outfit repeating already?
When I first started in the fashion industry, outfit repeating was considered one of the *biggest* style faux pas you could make. It was up there with wearing socks + sandals and, heaven forbid, visible bras and briefs. Unsurprisingly, though, many things have changed over the last few years — fashion is famously fast-paced, after all — with some sartorial 'mistakes' even becoming trends in their own right (cue: peekaboo bras and the exposed thong trend).
Of course, it has to be said that the idea of blanket fashion 'rules' is pretty outdated generally. Everyone's personal style is different, so a rigid set of 'dos' and 'don't' is limiting, unimaginative, and sometimes even toxic. Outfit repeating is a perfect example.
Ethical fashion brand rating authority, Good On You, points out that re-wearing 'fits is very sustainable. And, when you think about it, it's pretty obvious. So why have we been conditioned to think otherwise?
"Research shows that 61% of Brits wouldn’t re-wear their Christmas party outfit 12 months later, and a survey of 2,700 people saw 49% of respondents report that they have felt self-conscious about repeating outfits at work," the brand highlights.
And sure, when celebrities like Cate Blanchett and the Princess of Wales recycle their gowns for the red carpet, it is a step forward for sustainability. But wearing the same high street dress to two friends' weddings, or the office Christmas party two years on the trot, feels slightly removed from designer gowns, that retail for thousands of pounds each, being blessed with a second wear.
For me, I worry that people will recognise the outfit repeat and then think it's the only thing I own, even though that's not the case at all. The social pressure to constantly wear fresh outfits is both exhausting and expensive. Between the cost of living crisis, and time + storage constraints, even if I wanted to wear a new #OOTD each day (which I don't), it's not sustainable in any way.
This TikToker sums it up pretty well:
Now, I'll admit, I'm not perfect on the sustainable fashion front — I applaud anyone who is — but I am trying. In the last few years, my approach to shopping has changed significantly. Online clothing 'hauls' have been swapped for vintage store and charity shop finds. And now, more than ever, I ask myself whether I can wear an item for many seasons before purchasing it. And outfit repeating plays a big part in being able to make the most out of what I already own (i.e. the most sustainable items are the ones already hanging in your wardrobe). That's not to say I don't experiment with my fashion anymore, it just means I'm unsubscribing from the idea that this sustainable style habit is somehow a 'blunder'.
So can we please start normalising, nay, celebrating outfit repeating? After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it - right?
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