What the Hell Is a Slop Wardrobe, and How Do We Fight Back?

It’s never been easier to pull together an outfit. I’m pretty sure that’s a bad thing. A single click, a day or two, and then a bag full of slinky pants and slouchy tees arrives at your door. But ease does not good style make. Especially when the pieces you’re ordering come from companies that make clothes, often unethically, solely for rapid consumption. One Instagram post and they’re already over. They don’t fit well or hold up over time; they’re just pumped out to keep you shopping, an IV drip of what’s trending right now. I’m calling it the slop wardrobe.It’s a trend spurred on by technology companies’ obsession with eliminating friction from every part of life. Groceries can instantly appear at your door, an AI assistant can draft your emails, and you can book a doctor’s appointment through an app. Much of this is a good thing, but when it comes to creativity, things shouldn’t always be so easy.Real style, and a great wardrobe, isn’t something you can throw together in a single go; it’s supposed to take work (and, as such, last). I’ve spent decades of my life curating pieces that reflect my own quirks and proclivities. Today, we may be culturally obsessed with personal style, with defining it (are you whimsigoth or gorpcore?) and streamlining it (what’s your vacation capsule wardrobe?), but I’m not sure we’re truly living it. That’s partly why, if you scroll through popular influencers’ pages, they all start to blend together. It’s like we’re collectively dressing with our heads, when we should be dressing from the heart, or more accurately, the gut.Aemilia MaddenChaotic, yes. But I still think this outfit works!While I won’t go so far as to say you should stop ordering from Amazon or Zara altogether (I occasionally shop at both), I try to think of them as stores of last resort. If you want style that’s personal, lean further into your own lived experience. To look different, you have to shop different. Admittedly, some things you try will end up weird (I have the outfit selfies to prove it), but that’s all part of the fun.So how exactly do you fight a slop wardrobe? Here are a few of the ways I’m making sure my closet doesn’t end up full of things I don’t really want:Aemilia MaddenEarlier this year on a visit to McMullen in San Francisco. The store is full of independent designers, and I left inspired, with a list of must-haves and some outfit inspo, too.Go shopping IRL Nothing surprises and delights me like walking into any kind of store (vintage, department, boutique) and letting myself discover. Touching, trying on, mixing and matching: That’s where the magic happens.Embrace a Little Marie KondoMarie Kondo’s approach to decluttering comes down to a simple premise: Does it spark joy? Not every item in your closet serves the same purpose. There may be small joy in a simple shirt you’ve realized goes with literally everything, or big joy in a shockingly priced designer find or a dress that makes you feel like a goddess. Either way, what you put on should elicit a feeling.Aemilia MaddenNot every look needs to be this crazy, but if this outfit isn’t an amalgamation of joy, I don’t know what is.Live Your Trend TruthYou don’t have to forgo trends altogether. Culture is a language; it evolves, and what you’re drawn to evolves with it. But don’t feel the need to tap into every trend or lean into one aesthetic completely. Master the art of cherry-picking.Aemilia MaddenI tried on this jacket in the Bode store in 2022. I thought about it for months after, and ended up buying it earlier this year.Create Some Friction for Online ShoppingAs an avid The RealReal shopper, sometimes I only realize how much I wanted a piece when it’s gone. Sitting on a purchase and giving it time to percolate really makes it clear whether it’s worth it. Even leaving a purchase in your cart for 48 hours before pulling the trigger can help you distill what you really want.Go Digging For The References Pinterest and Instagram are great places to start if you’re looking for inspiration. But to take things to the next level, chase down your own niche interests. That might mean borrowing style books from the library or renting a favorite movie. Even just an afternoon spent people-watching at a café can spark a new idea.Aemilia Madden is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant with over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry. She’s written for publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle,The Cut, and The Wall Street Journal. She also writes a newsletter called Taeste Bud, that covers stuff we buy, places we go, and the people we want to be. Previously, she held roles at The Zoe Report, WhoWhatWear and Popsuagar. Aemilia attended the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in Political Economics. In her time away from the internet, Aemilia is probably out on a hike. You can follow her on Instagram here.