WHAT CAN YOU DO?
        
        
          
            First, we can think about
          
        
        
          
            what we do with our own
          
        
        
          
            old clothes
          
        
        
          • Before you throw any
        
        
          clothing away, consider
        
        
          donating it to charities who
        
        
          can pass it on to others in
        
        
          need.
        
        
          • For budding fashionistas,
        
        
          you can upcycle garments by
        
        
          dying or printing directly onto
        
        
          old tees.
        
        
          
            Next, we can think about
          
        
        
          
            our shopping habits
          
        
        
          • As we browse the (virtual)
        
        
          aisles for our new season
        
        
          buys, think about how many
        
        
          times you will wear an item,
        
        
          and how many looks you can
        
        
          create with it.
        
        
          • The fabric quality, the make
        
        
          and finish of the garment
        
        
          and the style longevity are all
        
        
          important factors to consider
        
        
          when you are making a
        
        
          purchase.
        
        
          • If you are hesitating to spend
        
        
          that little bit extra for a
        
        
          higher quality garment, think
        
        
          about the ‘cost per wear’
        
        
          and view your purchases as
        
        
          investments. For example,
        
        
          wear a HK$600 dress once
        
        
          per month and the cost per
        
        
          wear in a year is HK$50.
        
        
          Assuming the dress ticks
        
        
          all the ‘investment dressing’
        
        
          criteria – timeless style,
        
        
          functionality, versatillity and
        
        
          quality fabrics – then the cost
        
        
          per wear reduces further
        
        
          the more you wear it. Now
        
        
          the HK$600 doesn’t seem
        
        
          so high, especially when
        
        
          you can be assured that the
        
        
          people creating your garment
        
        
          were more likely to have
        
        
          been paid fairly with decent
        
        
          working conditions.
        
        
          Abstract prints
        
        
          The spring/summer runways were
        
        
          abundant with vibrant palm prints,
        
        
          updated florals and pastel geometric
        
        
          shapes. For the style-savvy fashionista,
        
        
          bright prints are essential for your
        
        
          wardrobe – but again, be sure to invest
        
        
          in pieces that combine function and
        
        
          style.
        
        
          Choose silhouettes that are
        
        
          bump-friendly but not bump-only,
        
        
          and button-front details that allow
        
        
          for breastfeeding post-pregnancy.
        
        
          Breathable, fluid, silky soft fabrics are
        
        
          great investments, perfect for summer
        
        
          holidays in the sun and a sure street
        
        
          style winner. Opting for pleated details
        
        
          at the empire waistline accommodates
        
        
          for growing bumps, while stretchy
        
        
          necklines that can be pulled down
        
        
          for nursing baby means you can
        
        
          wear them before, during and after
        
        
          pregnancy.
        
        
          April 2016
        
        
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