what is the 30 wears challenge?

Popularized by Liva Firth of The True Cost, the 30 Wears Campaign challenges you to ask the question “will I wear this 30 times?” before making a new purchase.

The 30 Wears Challenge is a great way for newbies to ease their way into the sustainable fashion world. You don’t need to give up buying the clothes you love or spend your days researching how ethical a company is. All you have to do is answer honestly to one simple question.

The goal of the 30 wears challenge campaign is to encourage shoppers to buy less fast fashion and more slow, quality pieces that they will wear over and over again. The less we buy, over time, the less that will end up in landfills. And if we opt to spend out dollars on ethically and sustainably made pieces other retailers will follow the trend.

In today's culture of fast fashion, we are so conditioned to never be seen in the same outfit twice and to always be chasing after the newest trends we put together 3 easy tips to help get you started on this new shopping philosophy! 

BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED...

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three tips for finding the perfect 30 wears challenge pieces

1. how many ways can I wear this piece?

Look for versatile pieces that can be paired with multiple styles. There are tons of blogs and books online about capsule wardrobes. They teach you the art of mixing and matching, usually about 30 pieces, so you always look fresh. 

A great resource is Un-Fancy, Caroline offers a worksheet and even an app to help you use what's already in your closet, and refresh your wardrobe with what you need to create your capsule collection.

2. does it fit just right?

We have all been here - wishing the hem was a little longer, the body a little more fitted, maybe there is some weird bunching, but if you contort your body just right it looks great… don’t buy it. These are the types of pieces we want to love, but they end up sitting in the back of our closets. If you are questioning “does this look good?” chances are you're uncomfortable. Trust your gut, and go with your first instinct of what looks and feels comfortable good on you.

3. will this last 30 wears?

You don’t have to go out and spend your life savings on a custom couture wardrobe, but remember, you are buying clothes in a new way. If you think something won’t make it through the wash and wear of 30 times - pass on it and buy something of higher quality. Also, try looking for brands that offer free repairs or lifetime warranties like Patagonia.

Samio put together one of our favourite capsule looks, maybe it’s the New Yorker in us but we love the way she took a few pieces in black and white and made so many versatile looks with them!

Send us photos of your capsule collection or when you complete the 30 wears challenge to be featured on our blog!