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Paying the Price for Cheap Clothing

At a time when Americans are pinching pennies, sustainable fashion expert explains how cheap trendy clothes will cost you
No毛l Palomo-Lovinski, professor, Kent State School of Fashion
No毛l Palomo-Lovinski, professor, Kent State School of Fashion

If you have any interest at all with keeping up with fashion trends, you have likely succumbed to the siren call of fast fashion at some point. Ever notice how the clothing section at Target seems to be updated every few weeks rather than seasonally? These affordable, trendy pieces may help you put together a cute outfit without breaking the bank, but they will end up costing you more in the long run, experts say. 

According to No毛l Palomo-Lovinski, a sustainable fashion expert and professor in 5X社区鈥檚 School of Fashion, fast fashion is about showcasing new clothes every time a customer comes back to the store. Rather than keeping with a more traditional seasonal calendar, new items show up on sales floors about every two weeks, Palomo-Lovinski said.

But here鈥檚 the hitch, these trendy affordable pieces aren鈥檛 built to last and have a limited number of washes before they start to look ratty, she explains. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to fall apart so that you鈥檙e required to buy more,鈥 .

Palomo-Lovinski teaches a sustainable fashion class at the School of Fashion where students are asked to catalog their wardrobes, writing down when they wear something, how they take care of it and how often it gets washed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really good reflective practice,鈥 she explained, one that can highlight the difference between quality clothing and cheaply made items.

, Palomo-Lovinski offers tips on how to make your clothes last longer with a few simple laundry rules and tips on how to care for your wardrobe between washes.

Learn more about Kent State鈥檚 School of Fashion.

 

POSTED: Monday, March 18, 2024 02:56 PM
Updated: Monday, March 18, 2024 03:05 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Amy Antenora
PHOTO CREDIT:
Image by聽Q K聽from聽Pixabay