Autumn is finally here, which means that many of us will consider changing our clothes and creating a personal style appropriate for this season. With an abundance of different trends that surround us, it is difficult to form your unique taste of fashion in a sustainable way that will benefit both you and the environment. This is why we put together a list of 5 steps that you should make in order to create your personal lasting style and become a more conscious consumer:

Step 1: Discover yourself

To develop your own unique style, you must first learn about yourself, understand who you are, and visualize how you want to look. Understand how you want to be perceived, what color you want to wear, and which style you believe best suits you. Consider your lifestyle, career, and occupations: a 20-year-old young mom’s clothing will certainly be very different from that of an older lady who works as a teacher. You can look up inspiration on sites like Pinterest, look through magazines, or simply observe how other people whose style you like a dress. Create an image in your head of how you want to look and begin working around it.

Step 2: Declutter

Secondly, take everything out of your closet. When you lay all of your belongings out on your bed, you’ll see what a large pile of clothes you have and how many of them you truly need. In order to declutter your clothing, you can ask yourself a series of questions, such as: do I like this item? Is it possible to make an outfit out of it? Would I repurchase it today?  Is this piece of apparel made of a material that I like? You can also follow Marie Kondo’s technique and simply ask yourself, “Does this item spark joy?” However, even if it does, it’s crucial to recall when you last wore it, and if the response is more than a year ago, you should consider getting rid of it. You can choose to sell or donate the items that are still in good condition, and throw the ones that can’t be worn anymore.

Step 3: Make a list

After you get rid of all the things that you didn’t like anymore, create a list of all the essential pieces that you already have in your wardrobe, as well as the ones that you need to buy. Obviously, this list will be different for every person, but regardless of your age, occupation, or style you want to embrace, there are some things that everyone should own in their closet: a white t-shirt for casual outfits, a button-up shirt for more formal attire, a high-quality pair of jeans, a warm sweater, as well as a few classic shoes, bags, and accessories. All of these items will make up your basic wardrobe, and they will go nicely together as well as with other items you will purchase throughout time.

Step 4: Do your research on the stores

Next, it’s time to do your research on where exactly you can get the things from your list. For a lasting style, make sure to research not only for price comparison and various offers but also for the sustainability of a store. If you want to know how eco-friendly a particular website is from where you would like to make an order, check out goodonyou.eco. There you can find out how favorable particular sites are to the environment, humans, and animals. For example, if you are looking to buy a sustainable sweater you can go to Tara Irish  Clothing to find authentic Irish sweaters that are made of 100% Merino wool and are ethically produced. And if you want to have even less of an impact on the environment, you should consider shopping at slow fashion or second-hand stores.

Step 5: Experiment

Now that you’ve purchased all of the desired items of clothing, you’re ready to start experimenting. Don’t be hesitant to attempt new things, to play with different styles, materials, and combinations, especially ones you’ve never considered before. Wear lace with wool and dresses with sweaters, and experiment with as many strange combinations as you can, as this is the only way to figure out what you like and makes you feel good and confident. Keep in mind that your style can change over time, which is perfectly normal and acceptable since you learn and grow as a person and your interests change.