‘The big thing is prices’: The impact of inflation on fashion

A hair salon best known for their colourful dye jobs has noticed a drop in requests.

The Sapphire Hair Lounge's co-owner Kelly O’Leary said the reason for the change is inflation-driven budget constraints.

“Full bleach-outs are kind of taking a step back, and more lived in highlights, and working around them so they can go a little bit longer without having to come in all the time,” O’Leary said.

She says talking about budget is key.

“It has to be part of the conversation always. And I have to be ready with a lot of options,” O'Leary said. “People are asking 'what's a colour that I can grow into that lasts a little longer?'”

Hair isn't the only thing people are hoping to save on. Ruth Penner, a volunteer at The Overflow, a thrift store in Osborne Village, is kept busy by thrifters.

“The big thing is prices,” Penner said. “Majority of the customers come in just to look around and find something they like rather than coming in for a specific thing.”

In the meantime, others are holding onto older clothing. That's where Anna-Marie Janzen steps - and sews in. Seven years ago, she started her business Reclaim Mending. Now, she’s so busy she hired an employee.

“It's not necessarily related to inflation because clothing is so cheap,” Jansen said.

She said it's sometimes cheaper to repair clothing than it is to replace it - especially if it's high quality.

“If mending when needed, you can make a pair of jeans last decades really. And another thing is to make sure to wash them properly,” said Janzen.

If buying new or thrifted clothing, Janzen says to buy as high quality as you can afford and to look for materials that can be repaired to stretch the items lifespan.