Bay Area Fashionista

wearing: earrings / sunglasses / summer sweater (sold out, similar here) / summer nail polish / silver bracelet / black belt / neutral jeans (sold out, similar here) / black handbag / espadrilles /

What is being sustainable when it comes to fashion? It is a popular buzzword we hear often when people talk about manufacturing, farming, energy production, etc. While it has a lot to do with the production of goods and services, it is also related to how we, as consumers, actually consume.

Think about things you have purchased in the past, which ended up hanging in your closet unworn. Have you ever pulled something from the back of your closet only to find the tags still hanging on it? Yeah, we have all been there. There is no shame in making a mistake with a purchase, we are human, and have items in our closets we only wear once, if at all. This can be helped.

Back in the 1990s I used to buy something because I loved it, but I didn’t really think about where and when I would wear that item. So, you know the story. Said item would hang, unworn, in my closet. I had to put a stop to my habit. I worked really hard to not only think about where and when I would wear something before buying it, but how long would that item last? Was it good quality? Would it last past one season? Was the style timeless? If it was overly trendy, I would put it back on the shelf. I found myself saving a lot of money, and I created a much smaller wardrobe which was more sustainable over time. That is the ultimate goal.

When internet shopping entered the chat, I was thrilled! It really is an easy way to curb spending and really think about something before purchasing it. I always put something I want in my shopping cart and then walk away from my computer. If I still want it the next day, and can justify the purchase, then great! If not, I delete it. I have found nine times out of ten, I delete what was sitting in my cart. Love that! In the 1990s, those items would have come home with me, and very rarely would they have been returned.

In addition to being careful when shopping, a sustainable closet also contains clothing and accessories which can be used over and over again. It is important to buy things which transcend trends and can be re-integrated into one’s wardrobe every season. This is why it is important to shop your closet every season before buying new items. You might find the color of the year or the perfect top from two years ago to update your jeans.

Of course, not everything we buy will be a timeless hit! Sometimes an item seems like it will integrate perfectly into our wardrobes, and other times it’s a bomb. This is when we need to sell or donate the items so that they can have a new life and make another Fashionista happy. Unless an item is heavily damaged and beyond repair, it should not be thrown in the garbage. We don’t need to fill our landfills with our old clothing and accessories. If it can be worn again, it should go to new a home, if it can be upcycled, it should go to someone who upcycles and creates new items. This is being sustainable in reference to our wardrobes.

I am going to start an exercise in being sustainable here on the blog. If I am a consumer for anything, it is handbags! I am quick to admit, I own too many. My justification is that I have two daughters and my handbags will go to them when they are older. That being said, I do sell the bags I no longer wear, so they do find a new home and life after me.

For this exercise in being sustainable, I am going to change how I post about my handbag capsule. Instead of featuring my newest bags in a seasonal capsule, I am going to start featuring my bags on rotation each month and include one from the archives. Instead of a five-year-old handbag sitting in my closet, I am going to pull out an unused bag and put it into rotation each month to show how investments are supposed to be used! haha I need to use my investments! I challenge you to do the same. Pull out a different bag each month and integrate it into your wardrobe each month. Let’s work on being more sustainable together.

Thanks for stopping by, and when we all shop for fall, take inventory of your closet first, then make a list, and lastly, shop for what you need. We can all build a timeless and sustainable wardrobe together.

XOXO

Cathy