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Strictly Sustainable: Why the 'buy me once' movement is changing our outlook on festive fash


There are few TV programmes that feel as magical and inspiring to watch as Strictly Come Dancing.

Something about the sequin dresses, the glitz and the glamour have a habit of making even the least flamboyant want to don their sparkliest, slinkiest slip and waltz off to the nearest ballroom.

This year, sequins have been all the rage, from the catwalk to the TV screen. Take this summer’s Love Island finale, for example, where two of the four female finalists opted for sequin dresses, while ASOS currently stocks nearly 1,500 items fitting the “sequined” description. .

That said, environmentalists warn consumers not to be too dazzled by sequins, which are often made from PVC and can be used in huge numbers – sometimes more than 200,000 on one garment.

The solution, if you can’t resist the glitz, and until recycled and biodegradable options such as those created by the Sustainable Sequin Company become more available... is ‘buy to last!’ or ‘buy me once,’ as it’s also known.

‘Circular fashion’ (ie. clothes made for longevity) is a relatively unknown term that is currently being bandied around as a means to creating less waste and save money. Thankfully, the fashion industry is getting on board (check out Jigsaw’s ‘For life not landfill’ campaign if you’re not convinced).

Investing in timeless sequinned pieces that you can wear not just this festive season, but Christmas after Christmas going forward, is being touted as a possible antidote to the ordinarily throwaway nature of festive fashion.

We found this seasonal sparkly number at Hush, whose commitment is to design clothes that are to be ‘worn a lot. Over many seasons. And hopefully by more than one person’.

Strictly speaking, therefore, the ‘buy me once’ mindset might just be ONE possible solution to the style vs sustainability dilemma that’s got us all thinking a bit more about our buying habits this festive season.


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