Sustainable Style: Before You Shop, Try This

When I get bored with my wardrobe, going out shopping is the worst choice because it usually leads to impulsive purchases. Despite knowing this, my emotions sometimes take over, as they did earlier this month when I made several spur-of-the-moment buys. Instead of bringing me joy, these items only caused more frustration since they weren’t well thought out or coordinated with what I already had. Upon reflection, I realized that what I needed was to not shop and spend some time in my closet. After returning the items to their stores, I  set aside some time – way less than I would spend on a trip to the mall – to create a few summer looks with pieces I already owned. As I began packing away my heavier fall items and bringing out the summer pieces I had set aside as “try-to-style” earlier this year, I remembered why I bought these garments in the first place—each one had something I loved, or I wouldn’t have kept it. What I realized was that I hadn’t taken the time to look at each piece beyond its initial purpose and figure out how to truly make it “me”.

First, the dress…

Last summer, I bought the Everlane Riviera dress for my trip to Spain. In love with the dark olive color, I overlooked the fact that the dress did not sit properly on my natural waist, and now, whenever I wear it, I find myself tugging around the waist area because it’s too short on me. By taking the time to play around with a few belts, shirts, and a blazer, I not only corrected the waist issue but added additional personality and personal style to a simple summer tank dress. Outfit 1: Riviera dress | Ann Mashburn gold sandal (similar here, here, here , here) | Straw mesh tote bag –  love, and only $31.00 (AMAZON | here). This look feels a bit boring for my personality and I’m uncomfortable with where the waistband sits on me. Next… Outfit 2: I love the fit of this pink shirt, but the color feels too bright up close to my face, so I never wear it. However, I love it tied around the hips to bring the eye away from the high waist on the dress and the pop of color makes this look feel more “me”. Outfit 3: This leopard print long belt goes with another dress, but here it adds some personality and again, “fakes” a waist. Outfit 4: Tying this cashmere sweater off to the side vs in the middle adds some interest I think. Outfit 5: I’m not sure how I feel about this look overall, but I do like how the orange bag and camel blazer create an entirely different look with the same dress. Can you see what I did?

Onto other items in my closet…

After having success with the tank dress, I moved on to create more summer looks with pieces I already owned. I challenged myself to view each item as an individual piece, rather than being confined to its original purpose or intended style. This week’s challenge pieces: the “why” I bought them & “how” I styled them, from left to right:

• Blue & white stripe Tibi blouse (why: loved the tie waist detail, but stripes can be a challenge for me). Pairing the stripes with light denim is less of a contrast to say, the more obvious, a white pair of jeans, making the stripes a bit more subtle – and this worked for me.
• Marimekko printed midi skirt (why: love the print, but again, it’s too high-waisted on me). Matching the top to the skirt created a neutral canvas and hides where the waist hits me, the pop of pink dropped the waistline and made the outfit pop.
• Denim blazer (why: I bought it as a set with matching shorts. I love the feel, weight, and color, but don’t wear either much). This outfit would have worked with a denim jacket as well, but I like how the denim blazer adds a modern city vibe. I plan to try pairing the short with the Tibi stripe blouse, shown above.
• Riviera dress (why: travel piece and the color). We covered this look above 🙂
• Linen maxi dress (why: purchased in Spain for the color and neck detail, but the head-to-toe color is a bit “bold” for my personality). Tying a printed shirt around the waist breaks up the column of color and I didn’t feel so “bright and bold”. The straw bag keeps the overall vibe summery and light.

Go on, give it a try…

If you’d like to add more interest and personality to your style, look no further than your closet. Figuring out your style requires self-awareness and introspection. It’s not just about what looks good on the surface; it’s about what feels real and comfortable to you. This process of self-discovery takes time and can’t be rushed. So, give yourself the space to explore and embrace what truly resonates with you.