How to update your clothes, rather than throw them away

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It is super easy to buy new clothes all the time because the prices are so low, but throw away fashion won’t do the environment any good, even if it does increase your Facebook likes. We have been looking at how you can update and transform the contents of your wardrobe, without adding to your carbon footprint.

Find a tailor
We understand that you want to look your best, so why not get changes made to the clothes you love so they look really fantastic? Adding darts to shirts and jackets, taking up hems and swapping buttons are all small things that can have a big impact. If you are a dab hand with a needle and thread, or have a sewing machine, you can make these changes yourself and you never know, it could turn into a money-making side hustle for you too.

Fitted, not baggy
OK, we know there are some days when you want to kick back in your joggers and sweatshirts, but most of us look better when our clothes fit us well. If you love palazzo pants, then add a fitted top and heels to give you a smart look, and pair those flared jeans with a long-sleeved t-shirt, leopard print cardigan and white trainers, for a casual look, with an on-trend edge?

New polish, not new shoes
It is amazing how a tin of polish can make a massive difference to your shoes, boots and even handbags. Use a clean brush to apply the polish, then buff up the leather with a rag (cut up and an old t-shirt, if we are thinking of sustainability) and watch your beloved possessions come back to life, and sparkle in a whole new light.

Think about underwear
Maybe you don’t need a lot of new clothes, you just need some decent underwear that works with, rather than against, your body. Shape-wear will instantly make your clothes feel better and create a flattering silhouette, and with a wide range of options out there, you are bound to find something that’s right for you. In the same vein, why not have a professional bra fitting and see the difference the right bra will make to your t-shirts, dresses and jumpers.

Layer it up
Layering isn’t just a way to keep you warm, it is also a really easy way to breathe life into your existing wardrobe. Putting a thick knit over a midi dress, wearing a lace vest under a slouchy sweater, and bringing dungarees to life with a Breton t-shirt are all ways to change an outfit in an instant. Think about creating new looks with contrasting colours and clashing prints and rather than one big coat, layering a biker jacket with a hoodie is an easy look that will take you from one season to another.

Mix and match
Mixing and matching your clothes will make them work harder for you, so don’t keep anything for best. That beautiful dress you wore to a wedding, can be made casual with a fitted jacket and flat pumps, jeans can instantly be made stylish with heels and a silk shirt, and remember that jewellery can brighten up anything, so don’t leave it in the box gathering dust.

If there are items you don’t need anymore, take them to the charity shop which can also be your first port of call if you have a gap in your wardrobe, but don’t want to buy brand new.

Team Pure Beauty

Unplug and live life

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100% focus, alarm clock, amazed, apps, badminton, ban, bedroom, bedtime, bike ride, boyfriend, brain, breakfast, breaking free from technology, bus, cheeking, computer, desk, dinner, distracted, end of the world, everyday life, Eyes, Facebook, fast paced, friends, Google maps, gym, head down, hit the sack, hours, how long, Kindle, life, likes, look, meditation, museum, National Unplugging Day, netball, note, OK, old skool, online, out of office, out of touch, paperback, personal mobile, phone, plugged in, Prime Minister, question, read, report, research, rest, screen, slow down, Snapchat, sneak a peek, spend, technology, tennis, text, to do list, tomorrow, train, turn off, turn off all devices, UK, walk, Wi-Fi, yoga session

 

Sunday 25th June marked National Unplugging Day, the third of its kind in the UK and something we think will grow and grow as more and more of us question just how much time we spend online.

National Unplugging Day is a day all about breaking free from technology and having fun with family and friends away from the screens and gadgets many of us use for more than eight hours a day.

Taking a break from social media is easier said than done as it is part of everyday life, but we have some ideas that might work.

Rather than starting your day checking Facebook, why not kick it off with a decent breakfast, yoga session of do a little meditation. Concentrate on you first thing, then worry about how many ‘likes’ you’ve had over night.

Go old skool and rather than buying the latest novel on your Kindle, got for the paperback and read it on the train or bus and we think you’ll become so absorbed you’ll forget to check your phone.

One day a week, maybe a Sunday, turn off all devices and have a totally unplugged day. Meet friends (no selfies over lunch), go to the gym, have a bike ride, visit a museum – the ideas are endless and none of the require technology.

Pick a sport, any sport but one that means you can’t look at your phone. Tennis, badminton and netball are all fast paced and need 100% focus, so unlike golf or running, you can sneak a peek at Snapchat every now and again.

Turn apps off. Remember the days when a phone was a phone? Go back to those times and take social media off your mobile and limit the amount of time you can check on what your boyfriend had for dinner or where the girls are planning to go at the weekend. The end of apps doesn’t mean the end of the world!

If you do work at a computer, turn the Wi-Fi off and simply concentrate on your ‘to do list’. OK, you might need to do some research for a presentation or look at stats for a report but other than that, leave social media behind and you will be amazed at how much you get done.

When you do leave work, really make sure you leave it behind. Turn on your email “out of office”, don’t divert works calls to your personal mobile, and don’t check emails until you return to your desk. Very little is so urgent that it can’t wait, even if you are the Prime Minster it seems!

Be in the moment. Rather than head down and eyes on the screen, you will get so much more from life by actually living it. Go for a walk but don’t take Google maps. Get on a train and see where it takes you, without looking at a travel and rather than sending your flatmate a text, leave them a note, go on, give it a go.

Don’t only ban tech from the bedroom, also give it a bedtime! Agreeing that you will turn of the screens an hour before you hit the sack will mean you and your brain start to slow down and turn off and really get some decent rest.

Buy an alarm clock. Out of touch we know, but if you wake up to the alarm on your phone or iPad, chances are you will check them before you go to sleep or if you wake up in the night. If they aren’t around, you can’t look and won’t get distracted for hours.

We aren’t saying do all of these tomorrow, but over time just watch how long you spend plugged in and think about what life might be like if you were unplugged.

Team Pure Beauty