The easiest way to make your closet sustainable is to fill it only with your favorite items. To do this, of course, you need to stop buying things that don't fit, are short-lived or of poor quality. However, the real key to a sustainable makeover is to find the pieces that represent you at your core and then search for them specifically.
For some, personal style comes easily. Others don't. No matter how you look at it, these three steps to finding your style will help you work on your perception of yourself and fashion to find your signature look.
The seemingly easiest step on your personal makeover journey can be the most difficult. Often when designing women's clothing, more thought is given to the viewer than the wearer. Women are conditioned to put the preferences of others above their own style and comfort when choosing clothes. That stops now!
Forget the styling tips from “experts”, don't ask yourself what others think about your clothes, ask yourself how you feel in them. Start with your favorite comfy outfit. It may not be fashionable, but why do you like it so much? Is it the color, the cut, the fabric? Does it bring back fond memories or are you simply nostalgic? Remember why you feel so comfortable in it and then turn to your standard “I know what I'm doing” look. Is it the trusty little black dress or your favorite jeans and top combo or an elegant pantsuit? Women's outfits in which women actually feel comfortable are a powerful thing. So focus again on why you feel so comfortable in this particular style.
When you combine aspects of all the outfits you own, patterns will emerge. Perhaps you feel most comfortable in loose, flowing shapes, warm colors and vibrant patterns? Or do you prefer pared-down, monochrome colors, razor-sharp cuts and timeless fashion classics? No matter what you discover, this is just the beginning of your personal style journey.
Now that you've moved on from other people's style tips, let's start again. Don't look at the women whose style you admire, but at those who have a similar style to you and can serve as inspiration. What do you like about this style? Audrey Hepburn's style looks beautiful, but it's not for you if you prefer to spend your free time outside in sneakers. Your style role models don't have to be celebrities. Look at women in your family, friends and women who have worked in your industry over the decades - and looked stylish doing it.
The point here is not to mindlessly copy every single tip, but to take note of the positive aspects of other women's outfits and adapt them to your own personality, body shape and lifestyle.
Learn more about the history of fashion while always thinking about your own preferences. “The Little Book of Fashion” by Christian Dior, the essay collection ‘Women and Clothes: What We Wear, What We Are’ or ‘The Style Guide: Setting Accents - Looking Better’ by Nina García are good starting points.
Once you've found your style and know exactly what goes with it, start with your capsule wardrobe. Get rid of old pieces that don't suit your style, focus on the ones that do and set a few ground rules for new purchases. It's your wardrobe, so you set the rules (see step 1). You just have to stick to them. You can find the basic ingredients of a sustainable capsule wardrobe here.
Image credits:
Header image: Getty Images
Image of woman looking through a rack of curated clothes: Stocksy
Image of two women in front of a roller-door wearing trendy outfits: Stocksy
Optimizing your closet? We are optimizing our sustainability. Want to know more about what Dylon is already doing or planning? Find out more here.