We all love a good deal. When you see a really cute top for only $5… obviously you're going to order it! With stores like Fashion Nova, Pretty Little Thing etc popping up, is the cheap cost really worth the hassle? 

When visiting a website like Fashion Nova you’ll find that everything Nova is extremely affordable, which is appealing to customers that have a smaller budget. But these cheap prices have a larger cost… the quality. If you have shopped at these stores, you know the quality isn’t always there. The clothing from these stores are great for short term picks or perhaps a special occasion but not for selecting pieces to build a strong foundation wardrobe. 

With fast fashion being so popular right now, everyone is shopping at the same online stores which means everyone is dressed in the same clothes and it’s harder to be original and showcase your personal style. In order to craft a strong personal style you cannot be a slave to trends or to the hottest stores. In fact when building your personal image treat trends as you would jalapeños handle them with care and only to taste! You can’t just shop at one store and say it’s your style. Style is something unique to each person and is developed by shopping around and creating unique pairings. Fashion Nova sells what’s trending, which will never 100% fit into your long term style box. 

We understand that not everyone can spend over $50 on a tee shirt just because it’s sustainably made, but would you rather spend $10 on a tee shirt to just have to buy it again in a few months? Don’t worry, there are solutions. If you can’t afford to shop at a sustainable brand, shop second hand! It’s the most sustainable way to shop. Thrift stores and consignment shops have some great finds at an affordable price, sometimes it can be even cheaper than shopping at Fashion Nova! 

Another way to avoid shopping at fast fashion websites is to build a capsule wardrobe using quality pieces. According to Sustainably Chic. “A capsule wardrobe is a limited selection of interchangeable clothing pieces that complement each other.” A capsule style wardrobe consists of clothing pieces that are considered more classic that can be paired in so many different ways. Purchase nice clothes, just not a lot of it! You can do this slowly over time to build your capsule style wardrobe.

Stores like Fashion Nova are great for college students on a budget or a special occasion, but not for building a strong wardrobe and personal style. The quality just isn’t there, and these pieces won’t last. And if you want to consider our planet, fast fashion just isn’t a sustainable way to build a wardrobe because the clothes will fall apart and you will continuously be purchasing them over again. Overall, if you are looking to build a strong wardrobe that aligns with your goals plan to shop more strategically rather than trend based or emotion based. Fast fashion is ok for special occasions or a quick trend but should not be the base of your wardrobe. Think bigger, plan smarter and look more polished by purchasing items that serve you, not just save you a coin.