I've been thinking about this idea for a while, possibly inspired a long time ago by the fabulous Lauren Bravo and Caroline Jones aka Knickers Models Own. As they co-own a trench coat which they alternate ownership and wearing throughout the year.
With the cost of living crisis and a lot of you wanting to make more conscious and considered fashion purchases, this idea of co-owning your wardrobe seems like a bit of a no brainer.
The main benefits of co-owning your wardrobe are:
You can maximise your existing wardrobes by swapping with friends or relatives, allowing you to cherry pick 'new' items from someone else's wardrobe and lend out the items from your wardrobe that you don't get much wear out of
You can buy investment pieces with someone else, enabling you to afford pieces that wouldn't usually be within your budget
You can find items for special occasions or events from your co-owners wardrobe rather than going out to buy new pieces or paying for rental
You get to refresh your wardrobe without the cost or the impact on the planet, giving you the buzz of something new without the detrimental affect on the environment
You'll challenge yourself to think outside the box and maximise the styling potential of each item you swap with your friend, bringing the joy back into getting dressed
You strengthen your bond or friendship with the person who you are swapping or co-owning your wardrobe with over a positive impact, rather than going out shopping on the high street, which can have a negative impact
A few practical points to consider with this are:
You might want to have a shared calendar on your phones so that if you're co-owning items you know when each person 'needs' that item for a key event or period of time
Book ahead - think about what special occasions you have coming up and set some time aside with your co-owner to 'shop' their wardrobe
Make it a regular monthly event to visit each other's wardrobes for inspiration and to help each other to create new outfits from existing pieces
Be clear up front of any washing instructions which need to be taken care of, e.g. if something is dry clean only, who is responsible for paying for that, take it in turns if it's something that you are buying together and co=owning
Make a wish list at the start of each season or year of the investment pieces you are both wanting to add to your wardrobes, and define which of those are a priority that you would like to hunt down that year
Share the details of your Vinted and Ebay accounts with each other, or create a joint account, where you can each save items onto a wish list so it's easier to have discussions about which pieces you want to invest in
If you'd like some help reconnecting with your own style identity, transforming your confidence, and creating more conscious shopping habits this year. I'd love to support you on my new group program launching in April. Why not join with a friend who you're thinking of co-owning your wardrobe with so you can go on the journey together?!
If you get on the wait list now, you can receive my early bird offers which are only live until Tuesday 14th February. These include £250 of bonus 121 sessions with me and an extended payment plan. Click the link HERE to get the full details and drop me an email if you'd like to book in!
Comments