Navigating your Wardrobe in a Post-Tariff Economy

In case you haven’t been on social media the last couple days, there are big changes projected to come to America’s economic landscape in the next couple of years. As a result of tariffs being placed on nearly every manufacturing company, prices are expected to increase across the board for nearly everything by Summer. Fashion is turbulent, so how do you prepare your wardrobe for a period when you might be buying fewer pieces? I’ll try my best to help guide you.

I’ve spoken in past articles about the rise of the capsule wardrobe. It’s hardly a new idea by this point, but if you’ve been putting off building your own personal capsule wardrobe, now is a better time than ever to consider getting started. While I am hardly the type to ever push going out and buying something right this second, there’s merit in buying something now when you can almost guarantee it’ll be more expensive in even 6 months’ time. So if you’ve been eyeing up some basics, I strongly recommend getting them while you can.

I’ve also been a heavy proponent of sustainable fashion. Slower, more intentional wardrobe additions are good not only for the environment but also for sharpening your own sense of fashion. By purchasing less, you’ll be inclined to wear what you do have in different ways, and experimentation is the foundation of developing your personal style. As well, it may push people even further towards thrifting and away from microtrends, a silver lining in uncertain times. It’s also a fantastic time to learn to repair your own clothes, it’s easier than you might think and gives your pieces detail and charm entirely unique to you. Fast fashion is universally agreed to be something we should move on from, for a multitude of reasons, and the recent economic downturn may give a reason to possibly do so, and start making more informed choices about what we want and not what’s trending on social media that week. 

With that said, ultimately fashion is going to become less accessible in the near future. There are legitimate arguments to be made that fast fashion and cheap clothing makes fashion and self expression more accessible to lower-income people, and that is going away. As well, even for companies based in the United States, prices will likely increase to match the competition, if COVID is anything to go by. It’s unfortunate, but we’re blessed with foresight. Planning accordingly by building a timeless wardrobe that you’ll still love in 5 years, and shopping slower with more intention are practices that are good for both your wallet now, and sustainable in the future. In times as uncertain as these, just do your best to strike a balance.

Images sourced from Pinterest