Quality over Quantity - Building a Sustainable Wardrobe
So, lately I’ve been doing an overhaul of my wardrobe. As someone who loves clothes and style, I am now on a mission to curate a timeless wardrobe of quality pieces. I have learned through this redesign of my closet that not all materials are equal. Fast fashion will often use cheap materials that are not good for the environment and do not last past one season.
Here are the materials that I look for when buying my clothes:
Cotton and Organic Cotton - this material is a great staple for a reason. It’s comfortable, sustainable, supports farmers, better for sleeping, hypoallergenic, easy to care for, and drapes nicely on the body. I look for 100% when I am shopping for any new clothes now. You can find cotton in lots of stores, but I like J.Crew, Madewell, Sezane, Everlane, Banana Republic, and, believe it or not, Old Navy makes some great cotton dresses and pants.
Cashmere - This is a pricier option than cotton, but it is so worth it especially in the winer. The benefits of cashmere are that it helps regulate body temperature so you are always comfortable; it is always soft against the skin; it’s anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic. Cashmere makes you look expensive. I like to buy my cashmere tops from J.Crew, Quince, Everlane, Sezane, and HM Premium Collection
Linen - You’re just going to have to embrace wrinkle. It’s a part of the outfit. Linen is a natural fabric known for strength, durability, lower environmental impact than cotton, breathable, absorbent, insect repelling, and luxurious. Linen is great in the warm summer and fall months here in California. The more that you wear linen, the softer it gets. I love wearing linen button up shirts, linen shirt dresses, and linen pants. I always get complements when I wear linen. It looks great on everyone. I love linen from Everlane, JCrew, and Quince.
Silk - Silk is so soft and shiny! It soaks up moisture and is a breathable fabric to wear and sleep in. It’s lightweight and thin and keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I love wearing silk tops and skirts. And I always sleep with a silk pillowcase! My favorite silk skirts are from Quince.
As for style, lately I am gravitating towards a more neutral pallet of black, brown, navy blue, green, grays, taupes, creams, and whites. I find that these colors match each other really well, and I try to stay away from patterns. I incorporate texture now instead of patterns that I can easily get tired of.
As for investment, I now spend more on one item of quality fabric and construction, vs. getting 10 cheaper pieces that fall apart at the end of the season. The less options that I have the more that I can see what I own and can mix and match to create endless outfit combos. I think that really owning less gives me so much more creativity.