In this post I’ll be sharing my best shopping tips with you guys, so you’ll be inspired to shop less in general and shop better when you do.
/ Fall is just around the corner, and as with every other change of season all fashion-lovers out there are dying to get their wardrobes ready for this beautiful season. In this post I’ll be sharing my best shopping tips with you guys, so you’ll be inspired to shop less in general and shop better when you do. Not only for your own sake (no more panic when you have to get dressed in the morning!) but of course also for the environment. I’ve said this a million times, but let’s just recap: the fashion industri is the one that pollutes our plant most, the only industry that pollutes more is the oil industry. So with having that fresh in our memories, let’s talk shopping!
EfterĆ„ret er pĆ„ trapperne, og som ved hver sƦsonskifte sĆ„ er de fleste fashionistas i fuld gang med, at planlƦgge deres garderobe til denne smukke, kĆølige sƦson. I dette indlƦg vil jeg dele mine bedste shopping tips med jer, sĆ„ I kan fĆ„ noget inspiration til, at shoppe mindre og bedre – ikke blot for jeres egen skyld (farvel tĆøjkriser!) men i dĆ©n grad ogsĆ„ for vores miljĆø. Selvom jeg har sagt det tusindvis af gange, sĆ„ siger jeg det lige igen; modebranchen er verdens 2. mest forurenende industri, kun overgĆ„et af olie industrien. SĆ„ med denne info frisk i hukommelsen, sĆ„ tror jeg vi er klar til, at snakke shopping! Klik pĆ„ barerne herunder, for at lƦse mere.
Favourite brands
/ My favourite brands are a mix between brands I have yet to try (like Everlane that I could seriously wear EVERYTHING from), fairtrade brands and other brands I just like the overall style and design from. They all make great minimal/classic products, which is part of the reason why I love them.
Mine favoritbrands er bĆ„de brands jeg ikke selv har haft mulighed for at prĆøve endnu (bl.a. Everlane som jeg kunne se mig selv gĆ„ i ALT fra), og der er bĆ„de bƦredygtige/fairtrade mƦrker blandt, men ogsĆ„ generelt bare mƦrker som laver god kvalitet og flotte styles. FƦlles for de fleste er, at de laver fine, minimalistiske/klassiske produkter.
Everlane –Ā People Tree – Selected Femme – Cos – & Other Stories – Levi’s – Acne Studios – Gestuz – Inwear
The art of limitation
/ Over the years Iāve learned to stop following every single trend out there, and to stay true to myself and my style instead. Even though there are many things out there that you like you will learn that having all of it, wonāt make you one bit happier with your wardrobe. If you do like to enjoy trends; enjoy them carefully. I always search for secondhand options, since many of the trends we see today goes round and round from previous centuries! Watch my trend guides HERE. Use and enjoy what you already have, instead of being on a constant (and quite exhausting) hunt for new stuff. Another way to learn how to limit yourself, is by building a capsule wardrobe. Read my guide on that HERE. Also be careful about not adding too many of the same products to your wardrobe. Ask yourself if you already have something similar, and imagine yourself wearing the particular item 20-30 times, still being in love with it after it gets more worn in.
Jeg har gennem Ć„rene lƦrt overordnet set, at holde mig fra de hurtige, forbipasserende trends og sƦtte mere pris pĆ„ de langtidsholdbare produkter. Det betyder overhovedet ikke, at der ikke er meget derude som jeg egentlig synes er fedt – men jeg har vƦnnet mig selv af med konstant at skulle vƦre pĆ„ jagt efter nye ting for hver en pris! Jeg anbefaler, at hvis man godt kan lide at skifte hyppigt ud i garderoben, at man lƦrer sig selv at kĆøbe flere brugte ting, og ogsĆ„ sƦlge dem videre igen efterfĆølgende. Det gĆør jeg selv, og jeg elsker det! Man kan finde SĆ mange fede og trendy ting pĆ„ divers secondhand webshops, med lidt god vilje kan man faktisk stort set altid finde mange af de trends, vi ser i dag! Det kan du se mit bevis pĆ„ lige HER. En anden mĆ„de at lƦre dig selv at praktisere begrƦnsningens kunst er ved, at opbygge en capsule wardrobe. Det kan du lƦse mere om lige HER. Pas ogsĆ„ pĆ„ med, ikke at tilfĆøje for mange af samme slags produkter i din garderobe. Du har hĆøjst sandsynligt ikke brug for 4 ternede blazere i din garderobe; kĆøb den rigtige fĆørste gang i stedet! PrĆøv at forestille dig selv vƦre ifĆørt produktet 20-30 gange, og vƦre kritisk omkring hvorvidt du stadig vil elske det, selv nĆ„r det begynder at vise tegn pĆ„ brug.
Quality above quantity
/ When you add something to your wardrobe, teach yourself that you are adding this to keep it, to use it and to be happy with it; not to dispose it once the seasons change. Learn to accept the fact that good quality just cost a little more than bad quality clothing. And also remember that when youāre not willing to pay the price for a piece of garment, someone else is paying it for you; either the environment or the people who made it. I would much rather buy 1 good quality item than 3 crappy ones (pardon my french).
LƦr dig selv, at nĆ„r du tilfĆøjer noget til din garderobe, sĆ„ gĆør du det fordi du har i sinde, rent faktisk at bruge dette produkt. At nyde det; ikke smide det ud sĆ„ snart sƦsonen skifter og det ikke lƦngere er trendy. Accepter, at god kvalitet koster lidt mere. Det behĆøver ikke koste en milliard at opbygge en solid garderobe – husk pĆ„, at nĆ„r du kĆøber designer produkter, sĆ„ betaler du en stor del blot for det label der sidder i. Men hvis du ikke er villig til at betale den pris der er fair, sĆ„ er der nogle andre der betaler den for dig – enten de mennesker der har vƦret med til at fremstille det eller miljĆøet!
Materials/care
- Common materials that are better for the environment: (recycled/organic) cotton, organic linen, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, organic wool, silk, lyocell (good dupe for silk – more affordable but has kind of the same soft and shiny surface).
- Common materials that are not so good for the environment: cotton, viscose, rayon, nylon, polyamid, spandex/elastane, angora, acrylic.
The above is just a guideline. For example: cotton is not just cotton, but I understand that it is hard for the average consumer to know all of this. I don’t even know everything that is to know. But it is good to know a little. Always take good care of your clothes – follow the instructions on the carelabel, and read my overall “handle with care” guides HERE.
De ovennƦvnte kvaliteter er blot en guideline. Bomuld er fx ikke bare bomuld, og jeg ved godt dette er meget teknisk og vanskeligt for den almindelige forbruger, at sƦtte sig ind i. Jeg ved heller ikke alt der er vƦrd at vide. Men at vide lidt er ogsĆ„ godt. Pas altid godt pĆ„ dit tĆøj, og fĆølg vaskeanvisningen nĆøje. Du kan lƦse nogle af mine tips til at passe godt pĆ„ dit tĆøj HER.
Where to save and where to spend
/ My absolute favourite thing to do when it comes to shopping good quality clothing, is to find the products secondhand. I often find products in great condition and at a reasonable price ā everything from shoes & boots, to bags and coats. It can be high end brands like Acne but I have also found things from & Other Stories and Cos. So use your imagination! This is indeed the most effective way to shop sustainable other than going for sustainable brands and materials!
In general I tend to spend less money on basic t-shirts and tanks since you use these a lot, and they wear out quicker. I like to spend more money on the āheavyā things that can make a huge difference in your look like coats & blazers, leather products like bags and boots and also on jewelry. All my jewelry is sterling silver or gold, so that they last a lifetime. I also like to spend a little more when it comes to nice evening wear tops, making them look more exclusive. Knitwear is also a part of my wardrobe where I never compromise ā I stay away from knitwear that is for example 100% acrylic or other artifical materials. When it comes to jeans I have everything from Leviās jeans to old H&M jeans in my wardrobe. To me it’s more about the fit and the wash, when it comes to jeans.
Noget af det jeg elsker allermest nƄr jeg skal shoppe er, at tjekke udvalget pƄ diverse secondhand webshops ud! En stor del af min garderobe er genbrug, og jeg ejer ting fra alt lige fra Acne Studios til & Other Stories. De produkter jeg finder er ofte i super god stand og sƄ er de jo vƦsentligt billigere. SƄ brug din fantasi! Dette er jo uden tvivl den allermest effektive mƄde, at shoppe mere bƦredygtigt pƄ.
Generelt bruger jeg fƦrre penge pĆ„ ting som basis oppe og t-shirts, fordi de nƦrmest uanset hvilket mƦrke de kommer fra, er noget af det der vil slides op hurtigst. Jeg spenderer derimod gerne lidt mere pĆ„ de “tunge” ting, som strik, frakker, blazere, tasker og stĆøvler. Ting som virkelig kan gĆøre en kƦmpe forskel og fĆ„ dit look til, at se mere eksklusivt ud. NĆ„r det kommer til strik sĆ„ holder jeg mig fra de meget kunstige materialer som 100% akryl. Jeg synes det er ubehageligt at have pĆ„ (det kradser og huden kan ikke Ć„nde), og sĆ„ synes jeg bare det ser tarveligt ud efter blot et par fĆ„ ganges vask og brug. Jeg spenderer ogsĆ„ gerne lidt ekstra pĆ„ mine smykker, og jeg kĆøber derfor kun smykker i enten forgyldt eller ren sterling sĆølv, sĆ„ de holder sig pƦne sĆ„ lƦnge som muligt. NĆ„r det kommer til jeans har jeg alt lige fra vintage Levi’s jeans til gamle par fra H&M. Her er det mere fittet og farven der afgĆør det for mig.
Choosing the right colour, fit & size
/ We have a tendency to compromise if weāve fallen in love with a product so much, that we donāt care if the last size available is a bit too small or just doesnāt quite suit or body type. Compromising in this step can result in you not ending up using this product, because everytime you wear it you feel uncomfortable. SO ā pick the right size from the start, and teach yourself what kind of fits you prefer. I also tend to choose most of my clothes in classic colours like black, white, grey, navy and beige because then Iām sure that everything goes together. I do like to add a pop of colour from season to season though. Don’t get me wrong – compromising CAN be good, but only if it involves making BETTER choices, weather that being for the environment, your own economy (for example choosing secondhand over something new) or something else!
Vi har lidt en tendens til at gĆ„ pĆ„ kompromis, hvis vi har forelsket os hovedlĆøst i et produkt, og det kun er tilbage i en stĆørrelse vi egentlig ikke rigtig passer eller en farve vi aldrig rigtig ville have valgt. Men det kan resultere i, at dette produkt ender bagerst i dit skab! Du ender med, at fĆøle dig utilpas og dermed ogsĆ„ forbinde denne utilpashed med netop dette produkt. SĆ„ kĆøb nu bare det rigtige fra starten! LƦr dig selv hvilke farver og snit du foretrƦkker, sĆ„ du aldrig er i tvivl om hvad du skal gĆ„ efter. Jeg vƦlger typisk tĆøj inden for den klassiske farveskala: sort/hvid/navy/grĆ„/beige/denim. PĆ„ den mĆ„de er jeg sikker pĆ„, at alt kan styles pĆ„ kryds og tvƦrs. Og sĆ„ tilfĆøjer jeg mĆ„ske en enkelt pangfarve som fx rĆød fra sƦson til sƦson. MisforstĆ„ mig ikke i dette trin – at gĆ„ pĆ„ kompromis kan egentlig vƦre okay, men kun hvis man gĆør det fordi det i sidste ende udgĆør et BEDRE tĆøjvalg. Enten bedre for miljĆøet, din pengepung (fx ved at kĆøbe secondhand i stedet for nyt) eller noget helt tredje!
Shopping online
/ I do most of my shopping online, since most of my favourite brands arenāt available in physical shops near me. When you shop online, it’s about minimizing the risk of having to send stuff back, along with – of course – ordering things you don’t really need. It’s so easy to be tempted by clearances, fri delivery and discount cupons. So when you shop online make sure to use the measurement charts available on the site. Also ā if there are reviews on the products ā read them to learn if the product is true to size. On most online shops they also write how tall the model is, and what size she is wearing, so that should also be very helpful in order to choose the right size. When it comes to the material you obviously canāt feel it with your own hands, but ALWAYS have a look at the composition, and zoom in on the product to see the surface better! Ā Lastly: think twice before you press that “order” button. If you do receive something that doesnāt fit or is what you hoped for, return it. Donāt just put it in your closet thinking you might end up using it one day. You probably wont!
Jeg shopper det meste af mit tĆøj pĆ„ nettet. Jeg ville elske at bakke mere op om de fysiske butikker, men de fleste af mine favoritbrands er bare ikke at finde nƦr mig. NĆ„r du shopper online skal du sĆørge for, at minimere risikoen for, at skulle sende noget tilbage, og sĆ„ selvfĆølgelig ogsĆ„ at bestille alt muligt du ikke har brug for! Det er sĆ„ let at blive lokket af udsalg, gratis fragt og rabatkuponer. SĆ„ gĆør brug af de vƦrktĆøjer der nu engang er pĆ„ den pĆ„gƦldende webshop – fĆølg deres stĆørrelsesguides, lƦs anmeldelser af produktet og tjek hvilken stĆørrelse modellen har pĆ„. SĆ„ har du et godt udgangspunkt. NĆ„r det kommer til kvalitet kan du selvfĆølgelig ikke mƦrke pĆ„ materialet med dine hƦnder, men jeg zoomer altid ind pĆ„ det pĆ„gƦldende produkt og jeg tjekker ALTID kompositionen, for at sikre det lever op til mine krav. Og tƦnk sĆ„ lige en ekstra gang fĆør du bestiller! Hvis du fĆ„r noget hjem som ikke passer dig, sĆ„ send det tilbage med det samme sĆ„ andre kan fĆ„ glƦde af det. LƦg det ikke ind i skabet i troen om, at du mĆ„ske en dag vil bruge det. Den dag kommer hĆøjst sandsynligt ikke!
Plan your shopping
/ I rarely go into shops or webshops purely to “have a look around”, not knowing what I’ll be going home with. That thought freaks me out today, haha! I plan my shopping from season to season, to make sure I don’t buy stuff I don’t need. Taking some time to really consider your upcoming purchases also forces you to reconsider if you really need those new things afterall. You can watch my AW 17 capsule wardrobe planning video (gosh, what a long name!) right HERE.
Jeg gĆ„r efterhĆ„nden sjƦlendt ind i butikker bare lige for at kigge, og ikke vƦre sikker pĆ„ hvad jeg tager med mig ud derfra. Den tanke skrƦmmer mig lidt i dag, haha! Jeg planlƦgger min shopping hver eneste sƦson, sĆ„ jeg er sikker pĆ„ jeg ikke kĆøber noget jeg ikke fĆ„r brugt. NĆ„r man bruger noget tid pĆ„ at planlƦgge, sĆ„ er man ogsĆ„ mere kritisk overfor, om man nu virkelig ogsĆ„ har brug for det produkt. Du kan se min planlƦgningsproces for min efterĆ„rs capsule 2017 HER.
The Comments
Martina
Hi! Looove your blog and your YT videos. You saved me. You are so right about everything! Keep up the good work. Oh, and could you do a so called handbag collection you have in your wardrobe?
Martina
signeh24
> MartinaThank you so much Martina! <3 That's a good idea. I'll put it in my idea book right away <3 xx
Jewel
Hello. I stumbled across your YouTube channel by chance. The more I watched the more I realized, I have too much stuff. While I always try to by quality pieces, the materials are not always premium or sustainable. And I have fallen into the trap of “sale” so many times! I am the Queen of “finding a great deal.” But I realize, it is not about that. There will always be deals to be had. You don’t need 1000 t-shirts or shoes. That does not make you happy–it makes me feel crazy! With your help I am trying to be more mindful of what I buy. It will be a long process but I look forward to de-cluttering. Thanks for all you do! I love your style and how you have designed your home as well! It seems so peaceful.
signeh24
> JewelThank you so much for leaving me this feedback! Can’t describe how thankful I am. <3 It's so great to hear, that you've gotten wiser! i used to be just like that. My money could go "a long way" and I was kind of "talented" of finding a lot of stuff for no money. But that wasn't good at all, I've realized that now. Keep up the good work <3
Nguyen Tran Thi Xuan
Hello Signe,
Thank you for all the posts. I really enjoy reading this. Could you please recommend some online portal for secondhand clothes/shoes/bags…
All the best!
Nguyen