3 Reasons To Buy Fast Fashion 

There was a time when I enjoyed the latest trends in fast fashion stores.  I had a wear-today, dump-tomorrow closet full of clothes.  Then my husband and I had kids and moved to a hobby farm.  We now compost, recycle, donate, and conserve.  We’re more conscious of the way we spend our time and resources.  I try to buy higher quality clothing in natural fabrics (silk, wool, leather, and cotton). 

But one day, last month, Ifound myself shopping at several fast fashion stores in New York City.  

It was all because of a birthday, a long-distance friendship, and this blog.  

One of my friends from my fashion career was going on a business trip to NYC.  She had a one-day break, that happened to be on my birthday.  I asked my family to postpone my cards and chocolate cake for a few days, while I flew to NYC to meet her.  We had endless options for celebrating: Broadway shows, gourmet restaurants, rooftop bars, and gorgeous museums.  Which ones did we end up going to? None, of course.  Did I mention that she was a fellow fashionista?  We shopped from morning until night.  

Fast Fashion In NYC

With thousands of stores to explore, I decided to focus on the stores that I didn’t have in my home town.  I spent two hours at Bloomingdales, and I realized that designer brands with their consistent fit and impeccable workmanship were easy to shop for online.  So I spent the rest of my time at the fast fashion stores. I wanted to experience with the blaring music, touchscreen mirrors, and organized chaos. I foudn all that at Zara, Mango, Uniqlo, and Aritzia.  

Then 3 unexpected discoveries, prompted me to buy fast fashion again.

Discovery 1:  Quality

Fast fashion retailers have a reputation for cheap fabric, imprecise stitching, and unreliable fit.  I was very pleasantly surprised by Mango. I bought this dress which was a perfect fit, a flattering color, and nicely stitched and finished.  Their leather handbags were a nice quality too. I didn’t try on any of the Mango shoes on this shopping trip, but I have worn their shoes for several years.

I think that if you find something at a fast fashion store that will last you a while (or that you’ll get a lot of wear out of it) it’s worth the purchase.

Discovery 2: Uniqueness 

Uniqlo (aptly named) is a Japanese brand that has a mission to create “simplicity, quality and longevity”.  In the U.S. it’s considered a fast fashion brand.  The result is decent quality and refined design, at low prices.  Win-win!

Uniqlo often partners up with luxury fabric printers such as Liberty of London or Marimekko.  I couldn’t resist this bold, cotton top, and was very tempted by the polka-dot version too.  (These tops were on sale for under $20, whereas similar tops at Marimekko’s online store are $215.00!)  

What I found to be most unique, though was Uniqlo’s Airism line of innerwear.  This includes seamless tanks, camisoles with self-deodorizing built-in cups and underwear.  If you are an A or B-cup (possibly even a C) you’ll love that these pieces eliminate the bulk from a bra + camisole.  If you’re larger than a C-cup, there are seamless t-shirts, tanks, and camisoles without the built-in cups so that you can wear your own bra.  

I also bought some short and long-sleeved seamless baselayers that I can swear under sweaters (so that I don’t have to wash my sweaters as often).

Discovery 3: Practicality

There are some items that I don’t rusually splurge on:

1. Clothing/accessories that I don’t wear often. 
2. Pieces that are easily stained/ripped. 
3. Trendy items that I will soon want to retire.

For me this means that I don’t spend a lot on: 

1. Hats (I only wear them on vacation) 
2. White T-shirts (stains and holes). 
3. Straw bags, PVC clear bags, embellished clutches. 

For these items, I shop at Zara, the darling of Pinterest, fashion editors, and influencers.  I spent almost two hours at their Soho store, but since my bags were already heavy, I decided to come back and order some of my favorites, online.  

Zara also has a huge kids collection, so if you have kids under 14, they’re a fun resource for trendy, practical clothing. I bought a cute white t-shirt for my daughter.  It’s tough to photograph the burnout part at the top, but it is the most adorable cat pattern. It has held up for several washes, and I’m pretty sure she will outgrow it or stain it before it falls apart.  

One Fast Fashion Brand You’ll Find Everywhere

The other fast fashion brand that I have to mention is the Gap.  I don’t buy a lot of their clothing and accessories anymore but their GapBody line continues to be a staple in my closet.  I didn’t go to their NYC store, as I know their sizing well and can shop online for practical, on-trend and durable pieces.  

Do you have a favorite fast fashion store?  What’s your shopping strategy?  Fast Fashion, designer investment pieces,  or something in between?  

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