UNDRESSED is a new editorial outlet, a part of the story about interconnectedness, focusing on conscious consumerism, sustainable apparel & lifestyle. Come, get (un)dressed with me.
on Outfit repeating.
I remember the first time i noticed the online fuss on outfit repeating years ago - a fashion blogger who promoted sustainable practices was speaking about how she does, indeed, outfit repeat. i was like what?! are they serious?! i didn't even know it was a thing. it didnt even occur to me that wearing something more than once is considered uncool because - what? it shows that you actually liked what you were wearing? That you made a good choice? that you know yourself and what suits you, what makes you feel good wearing? i don't know what kind of values are pursued by not outfit repeating and i certainly don't understand what's desirable about a disposable lifestyle.
so, beyond confusion: here's an ode to - you got it - outfit repeating.
and why the hell wouldn't you?
i dress to feel confident, to express myself and when i've found a good fit, i imaginarily note it onto my go-to list in my head. on a day where i feel off or have a long day of tasks ahead - i simply turn to my go-to's and choose from there. they never disappoint. my imaginary go-to list has themes and sections, curated moods. what is the mood i'm in or the one i want to pursue for that day? as i remember how i felt wearing a specific outfit, probably also what i did that day, who I hung out with, which part of the city I walked through, i beam myself back into the confident state of that specific day as i put on my - most likely - jeans. high waist, low percentage of elastan.
if i'm feeling curious or have the time, i spice it up with a different bag, headscarf or pair of shoes to make the go-to unique for that day. the shoes ultimately make the outfit, more on this another time.
i aspire to have a closet full of favorites.
if you could choose, wouldn't you always wear your favorite sweater? cause you know, you actually can choose. and what if all your possible choices were favorites? wouldn’t that make life a whole lot easier - i think hell yessss.
i love having a piece belong to me - i choose high quality staples and make them mine. i make them belong to my everyday vibe and aura. I love wearing the same jewelry every day and I prefer investing in a few key pieces, with some variety rather than having a ton of artificial pieces that I forget about having and never wear. I like it simple. I want to spend my day creatively and while getting dressed is for sure part of that creativity, I also like to make it easy for me. Having a well-selected collection of pieces does that to me.
That also brings me to the forever hunt of the perfect pair of jeans/earrings/boots. These are definitely some of my key pieces that I take great care in curating. *find my go to brands at the end of this article.
Here are a few rules I’ve built the past years to curate a conscious closet. and life in general. cause when you think about it, all these rules go for your choice of friends, jobs, groceries, relationships - anything, really.
rule no 1. No shitty back-ups
don’t get the stuff that has the right color but you don’t like the material on your skin and also you can’t find anything else - you can do better. Next.
rule no 2. Know what you want
this is fun because it allows you to browse Pinterest/xanga/tumblr/the gram (does xanga still exist btw?!) to find the looks you fancy & decipher the key pieces: do I already have something similar that I could build that look with? If not, do I really need the remaining piece? Am I really gonna wear it that often? Is it versatile? I put it on my imaginary wish list and wait a few weeks, or days.
In order to decide on this, I go online to see what is offered in my size and what the cut of the item is unworn, which materials they use for which price range - imagining how it would look on me. this becomes easier with practice (and in my case, studying textile engineering and working in retail has helped as well. *geeky emoji*) If I have found a convincing piece online and I can’t stop thinking about it - I go for it. Once received, rule no.1 kicks in!
P.S. there’s a new kid on the block called Stylemine that i’ve really been digging and you can find all of my fave outfits there (and those of total babe & style muse Philippa Parnevik as well btw). the handle is outfitoftheray, leave some love.
rule no 3. Go for high quality materials
this is so key when it comes to keeping items for a long time and making sure they are wearable beyond 3 washes. (also make sure you wash them right ;) low on frequency and temp preferred) deciding if something is high quality also depends on what you’re using it for. Polyester is not necessarily bad or low quality. Cotton is not necessarily eco friendly or sustainable. (I could write a whole book about this and you know what, maybe I will.) the easiest way to go on this one is see what it feels like on your skin and between your fingers. And think about the purpose you want the piece for: if it’s really delicate, wearing it on a night out might not be the best idea. If you need something water-repellant, a cotton coat might not be the best fit. If you need a staple piece, you’ll be spending a long stretch of time in, like a pair of office pants - choose natural materials e.g. wool over artificial e.g. polyester. The price point can be a good indicator for this but again, high prices don’t always mean high quality. More on this in another release of UNDRESSED.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to integrate my passion for sustainable apparel into what I’m sharing online. After I’ve started building venusianpleasures_ bookclub meets dinner party, which is all about wellbeing and the pleasurable experience of living in a body, apart from material consumption, I’ve noticed, even though it’s a completely different tale to tell, how much it shares the same values and visions, it ultimately comes back to the same thing: a story about interconnectedness. This is not only the name of my substack or the punchline of my website, it’s at the core of who I am, what I do, what I’m good at, what I’m here for - it’s a way of life. One, that I wanna share with you. One to connect to you.
So, I won’t be posting new outfits everyday from now on because - duh - that wouldn’t make sense. As a proud outfit repeater, I will occasionally share new fits, facts and thoughts, or irregularly post the same one in a new combination twice and keep raving about my favorite key pieces that I’ve had for years and years. Those I’ve bought decades ago and would buy again - because that’s ultimately how I approach sustainable consumption in apparel and in anything: I choose wisely, I take great care in maintaining it, I make it last and enjoy for as long as I can. Knowing my style, ultimately means knowing myself better and knowing I can rely on the key pieces in my wardrobe allows me to grow in confidence and spend my energy on writing blog posts like these, time spent connecting to you.
UNDRESSED is a new editorial outlet, a part of the story about interconnectedness, focusing on conscious consumerism, sustainable apparel & lifestyle. Come, get (un)dressed with me.**
**pun intended
*my go-to brands for
jeans: the one and only and forever: Nudie Jeans Co. a brand with sustainable practices from day 1, leading the field with integrity and great taste in music - anything i’d appreciate in a good friend.
boots: Vagabond - had some of their boots for 7 years and still love wearing them. while sustainable practice is an explicitely tough one when it comes to leather, making things last becomes even more crucial. quality that stands the test of time and gets more beautiful with age without loosing its key properties of being footwear is where it’s at for me. Did you know they’ve integrated a take-back scheme in their stores?
earrings: For Adélie - Barcelona-based, consciously crafted, women-led. my sensitive ears have not once complained getting in touch with their high quality metals.
let’s stay connected.