sustainable fashion

all posts related to sustainable and ethical fashion

The Most Sustainable Option is the One You Already Own

, 4 Comments

vintage closet full of hats, purses, dresses and shoes

I’ve been a part of the sustainable fashion movement for over a decade now, but unfortunately sustainability has become a bit of trend. You would think that sustainability becoming a fashion trend would be a great thing: we need more people becoming aware of the high cost of the fashion industry.

However, what has actually become popular is selling sustainability. But true sustainability, in my opinion, is “using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without” as the maxim from the past goes.

But what we see more of nowadays are things like fast fashion brands selling garments made out of “recycled” polyester or advertising PVC as “vegan” leather. It’s still just cheap garments made out of plastic.

Or garments being made of natural materials like wool and cotton, but poor quality, so they won’t last long without pilling or falling apart.

Or consumers deciding that they should quit fast fashion and create a high quality capsule wardrobe, but they start by replacing the items they already own for new versions of the same things, or they decide to simplify by decluttering their closets without taking the time to determine if those items are ones they truly no longer want to wear… or whether they’re chasing after some eco-minimalist fantasy (and then going back out a buying new things a few months down the road).

Or higher priced ethical brands falling victim to the extremely fast turnover of micro trends and scarcity instead of crafting collections and garments which will be available for more than one season.

And consumers are definitely falling into these pitfalls that are branded as “sustainable” options, but which are far from truly sustainable. I certainly have. And I’m not saying you should never buy anything from a fast fashion brand, purchase something that is trendy, or declutter your closet.

The bigger problem is this idea that we can buy and acquire our way to sustainability and that we’re only one “green” purchase away from a completely ethical closet when, really, sustainability begins with what we don’t buy. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. 

Sometimes this means just not immediately buying everything we like. “Doing without” or taking time to acquire new items (even secondhand items).

It means recognizing that the faux leather purse you already own and use every day is more sustainable than the new leather purse you could buy to replace it; “making do” until the time when an item is truly worn out. Which then leads us to the “mending” part of “make do and mend”- repurposing and repairing the things we already own to extend their usefulness and value.

Which is exactly why earlier this week I spent a few hours unpicking the seams on a pair of jeans and altering the waistband to fit. It might have been easier to just look for a different pair that fit better, even shopping at the thrift store for a pair, but I already owned these, and they work fine for what I need them for (working outside and going for walks in the cold).

mending black wool gloves

Last fall I took some time to mend the holes that had formed in my gloves. I talk a bit more about that project here. Would it have been easier to buy new gloves? Probably, but these were worth mending and definitely the more sustainable option.

But how about things that aren’t “worth mending’? The other day I ripped a hole in the hem of my dress. The dress is almost completely worn out, but rather than tossing it, I did a quick fix with some stabilizing iron-on interfacing. The fix won’t last forever, but it will give me a bit more wear out of the dress.

a gold belt with a leather patch on it

Or this faux gold leather belt which cracked on the back. It’s not the best quality item, but gluing a thin piece of leather to reinforce the material makes it strong enough to still hold.

I admit that I don’t always want to take the time to fix a broken zipper, or tailor a blouse by adding darts or unpick a wonky hem and re-sew it to be even. Sometimes it would just be easier to start fresh, but taking the time to “make do” with what you already own is the beginning of true sustainability. Fast fashion is more of a mindset. Of course some items are truly made not to last more than a few wearings and washings, but even lower quality items can last a long time if they are properly taken care of.

Here are some of the ways I thought of to “Make Do and Mend” with what we already own, repurposing worn out items and how to approach buying new items with a slow fashion mindset.

  • Taking time to do a stain treatment on a shirt
  • Washing your lights, brights and darks separately and then air drying them so they’ll last longer. Washing separately keeps your colours from fading or becoming dingy and dryers are time machines that take years off the life of your clothing.  I’ve had Joe Fresh t-shirts that have lasted up to 5+ years because I hang them to dry.
  • Following the washing instructions on the tag or hand washing and dry cleaning delicate items so they won’t shrink or otherwise get ruined. But if they have gotten ruined, they might be a candidate for upcycling into a new project such as mittens, a hat, children’s clothes etc.

vintage nylon scarf with a tear in it mended invisibly

  • Immediately darning or patching holes in garments so they don’t continue to ravel. Either invisible or visible mending, if that’s your style.
  • Polishing the scuffs in your leather shoes and replacing worn out laces or heel caps. If you aren’t able to make the repairs yourself see if you can take them to a cobbler.

polishing and shining shoes

  • Not being afraid to try repairing something- if something is truly unable to be worn in it’s current state, it doesn’t hurt to try and mend it. You might be able to save it, and you might not, but it was worth trying and you’ll most likely learn some new skills in the process.
  • Adding darts, shortening or lengthening hems, sizing up or down, adjusting waistbands etc. on pieces that don’t fit quite right, or taking them to a seamstress if you aren’t able to do the alterations yourself.
  • Turning the dress that you loved that doesn’t fit anymore into a new skirt or top that you’ll love
  • Taking up a new hobby like patchwork to repurpose textiles. Or turning them into children’s clothes- baby clothes are incredibly tiny and can be made out of quite small pieces of fabric.

felted elf style baby bonnet and matching boots with toadstools embroidered on the side

  • Not decluttering every item you haven’t worn for “x” number of months, but tucking away the items you love for the future when you’ll likely be excited to wear them again.
  • Instead of “adding to cart” every time you see an item you love, “do without” for a while and make sure it is truly a want or need, not a passing whim. If you want to move your style in a new direction, take time to slowly phase out and in new pieces rather than completely revamping with a shopping haul in your new “aesthetic”.
  • Learn which silhouettes and styles look good on you and make you feel confident. Rather than chasing every new trend, (skinny jeans, flared leg, barrel jeans, high rise, low rise…and the list goes on) wear the ones you love. Use your thrift store to try out new silhouettes and styles you aren’t sure of before taking a risk on more expensive pieces
  • Before you buy a new item, figure out how it will fit into your existing wardrobe. Will it fill in the gaps and does it coordinate with at least three existing outfits, or will it lead to you needing to make more purchases because it doesn’t go with anything else you own?
  • Consider the cost per wear of items you’re looking to buy. Statement items and accessories may be places to either splurge or save, depending on how many times you’ll wear them. For example my everyday satchel purse cost more than I’d ever spent on a bag, but is currently at less than $0.50 / wear, while my statement bamboo bag cost significantly less, but is sitting at $10/ wear.

everyday leather satchel and bamboo handbag

  • Declutter items responsibly- try to sell them or find new homes for them within your community, family and friends, or on a buy nothing group first instead of defaulting to sending to the thrift store. Don’t send anything to donation that you wouldn’t give to a loved one (ripped, stained or otherwise worn out) unless they accept textiles as rags, and then make sure you clearly label them as such.
  • Pay attention to which garments you’ve bought from brands that have lasted and which have not. I’ve bought clothes from the same brand (Mark’s) before where one t-shirt style held up well, while another did not. If you’ve bought an item that didn’t stand the test of time, learn from it so that your next garment purchase will be a better quality one.
  • Save the buttons, buckles and other hardware off of clothes that are worn out and use them for future projects
  • And if an item is worn out (we live in a world where moth and rust destroy after all) then repurpose the fabric for rags or dispose of it. Or use the fabric scraps to stuff a pouf!

And the best part of these tips? Not only are they more sustainable by keeping textiles out of the landfill, but by keeping money in your wallet!

Because the most sustainable option is often the one you already own.

What environmentally friendly or thrifty habits do you practice? Share your tips!

serger and sewing machine on top of sewing desk

My Honest Sheertex Review & Why Do We Have to Have Planned Obsolescence

6 Comments

sheertex tights paired with black mary jane shoes and a houndstooth patterned brown skirt

Today I share a sad tale of planned obsolescence and corporate greed. As the story goes*, back in the 1930’s when DuPont created the synthetic Nylon fibre, the chemists brought home nylon stockings to their wives and girlfriends to try them out. At the time, silk stockings were the norm, and while luxurious, they were fragile. This new nylon fabric promised to be more durable…and it was! In fact it was so durable that DuPont realized that if women were able to get nylon stockings like this, they wouldn’t have to buy stockings ever again…and that just wouldn’t be profitable, would it? So they told the chemists to alter the nylon to make it weaker quality; still strong enough to make a silky, stretchy, sheer stocking, but fragile enough that it would get runs and have to be replaced over time.

Fast forward almost 100 years later, and this has been the frustration of every single woman who has ever worn hosiery: stockings that are practically disposable and prone to getting runs at the most inopportune moment. Hosiery is the “paper towel of the garment world” to quote Hannah Louise Poston (although she was talking about acrylic knitwear, the principle still applies).

sheertex stockings packaging

So, when I first heard about Sheertex stockings a few years ago, to say I was excited was an understatement. A stocking that promised you’d “never wear disposable tights again”?! Rip resistant and featuring a photo of a pair of scissors inside the stockings on the cover of the box!? Available not only in sheer nude and black, but also in polka dot?! I was sold!

And I wanted to love these tights SO MUCH. So why have I now decluttered my Sheertex tights? Well, let’s just say that my experience wasn’t as good as I had hoped for. And I am sharing this not because I think this company is bad and I want to ruin their reputation, but because I really want them to improve and make a better product to replace the world of disposable, paper towel, stockings we’re currently living in.

Because of the higher price tag (though it’s completely reasonable if they last many times longer than regular stockings) I bought mine secondhand, but new in the box off of Poshmark and was able to buy 3 pairs for the price of one, at $81.

I had looked at the their sizing chart and fell in between two sizes, but considering that I usually size up in hosiery for comfort, I sized up to the XL. This was unfortunately a mistake because they do seem to run a bit large. However, I was accidentally sent a size L in one of the pairs (the seller didn’t realize that they had mislabeled the listing) and as it turned out, the smaller size seemed like a better fit. The three styles I bought were: Classic Super Sheer Black, Classic Sheer Nude and Polka Dot Sheer Black.

nude coloured stockings

First off I realized that the nude colour was very warm and orange and not a great match for my cool skin tone. I am not sure if they have various tints, but the colour of these didn’t match my skin tone and since the tights are slightly opaque, my legs looked visibly different in colour from my arms. I am used to sheer stockings being a lot more sheer and blending better with my skin showing through.

nude stockings with wrinkles at the ankle

Next, when I first put on the nude size L, they seemed to fit perfectly, but as I wore them, they began to sag, so I kind of ended up with elephant ankles. Very reminiscent of the stockings from the 1920’s, which, strangely, has never been a vintage style goal of mine.

black sheer stockings

This was even worse for the XL tights, which, granted, is because they are a bit big. Both the sheer black stockings and the black polka dot stockings that I was so excited to wear, didn’t stretch well across the leg, so I ended up with black ankles and lighter calves. This can happen with all pantyhose, but because of the sagging of this fabric, after a while of wearing them, they began to go basically opaque black on the bottom part of the leg and ankle and slightly sheer on the calf. For the polka dot tights, in person you can hardly even see that they are polka dotted.

polka dot tights sagging to become more opaque over time

Compared to regular opaque tights, though, I’ve never had this sagging problem with tights that are a little bit big, so it’s something to do with this fabric composition. You can see above left when I first put them on, and then above right after wearing them for about 15 minutes.

nude tights with snags in the feet

I also found that the fabric is not as resilient as claimed. I have calloused feet, and always have, but unfortunately after one wear, there were small little runs in the fibres of the feet. Because of their claim that the tights were rip resistant, I wasn’t expecting that so quickly. On the nude tights, when they stretch out, white lines appear, almost like elastic shining through. I have worn this pair more than the black ones, and while I can’t remember exactly how many times, I would say around 10 times.

sheer black stockings with horizontal lines

I was disappointed in the black stockings since they had these horizontal lines right out of the package. The colour also didn’t seem to be distributed well, so they looked a bit blotchy on the leg. You can also see some white vertical runs over the knee that appeared during one wear; I have only worn these black ones once because they just don’t look nice.

horizontal lines in the polka dotted tights

I wore the polka dot tights once, and you can see that they also had these small horizontal lines, and white vertical lines, although they aren’t as noticeable as the plain black stockings were.

Because several of the issues seemed to stem from that the tights were too large, I decided to try a pair in a smaller size when I saw some for sale for $30 each at Winners. Now I know that Winners gets all the “rejects”, but they were still new in the box, so I figured they were overstock, and decided to give them a try. Even though I wasn’t sure about the colour of the nude, I thought that maybe if they were more stretched out, they’d look more sheer.

However, the size medium turned out to be too short and so they slid down. Anyone who has worn stockings that started sliding down off your body, knows that that is not a very secure feeling! After waddling around for about 10 minutes trying to keep them from sliding down as I was getting ready, I finally changed into a different pair.

So, at the end of the day I had 2 pairs of too large tights which didn’t really look sheer and had lines in them, 1 pair of nude tights that didn’t have the lines, but were a bad colour for me and prone to wrinkling around the ankles, and 2 pairs of medium tights that were too small and slid down. One of the medium pairs was still unopened so at least I was able to re-sell them on Poshmark. I gave away the nude ones that weren’t a good colour, but were in good condition still. And I’m considering trying to alter the polka dot ones by cutting the feet off and trying to make them shorter, which would hopefully make them more sheer…I’ve got nothing to lose. As for the black ones, I don’t think anyone would even want them with those black lines, so I’ll just toss them into my textile bin to upcycle into something else, or use for plant ties.

So, how do Sheertex compare to other pantyhose? Well, compared to the regular 20 denier stockings, much more long-lasting and durable! As they claimed, the Sheertex got some small snags, but they didn’t rip or get runs. However, the problem with them is that I’ve never had regular pantyhose sag like the Sheertex ones did. It just wasn’t very comfortable or nice looking.

swedish stockings sheer pantyhose and packaging

And this longevity problem is not a Sheertex problem alone. I also had high hopes for Swedish Stockings which I tried out several years ago. Made of recycled fibres, I was very excited to give them a try, but they started getting runs after a couple of wears, just like other brands of pantyhose, which meant that their recycled composition only offered a small detour on their inevitable final resting place in the the landfill. (Actually I think I might have used them as textile stuffing for this pouf I made, but it was still very much a downcycle, not an upcycle) I still have all of their opaque tights, and they are holding up well. It’s just the sheer stockings that have a problem.

Last winter, after this failed experiment with Sheertex, I wore Silks Energizers compression stockings in 70 denier, which I have worn in the past. I don’t wear sheer pantyhose that much, I’d estimate only a couple of times per week, as opaque stockings are much more durable and long lasting. I wore them about 30 times over the winter, and by the end of the season they had holes in the feet, but I was able to get through the entire season on that one pair of nude stockings. I’m not saying they were the best stockings ever invented, but that wasn’t too bad for a pair of stockings that were more sheer, secure with a control top, didn’t get snags across the leg, and cost significantly less at $15 each. Maybe not the paper towel of the industry, but the Swedish dishcloth of the industry?

silks brand stockings packages

But now it appears that Silks has discontinued their 70 denier stockings!  So what is a dress-wearing girl to do?

I have no solutions or conclusions to this sad tale and it does not end “happily ever after”. In the meantime I’ve purchased a few pairs of Silks Classics 20 denier that I shall endeavour to treat with the utmost care in order to get as many wears as possible out of them…and keep searching for that perfectly durable, elusive, sheer stocking that one day may be made! Of course we live in a world where “moth and rust destroy”; that is inevitable. I would just like to have something that would at least last one season without runs. Maybe a sheer, yet durable fibre is just not out there and we’re not meant to wear sheer stockings….

Do you have any recommendations for where to find sheer stockings that are able to last longer than the current disposable ones that dominate the market? I’m thinking of looking for dance tights, or seeing if anyone else makes a good pair of 70 denier. Let me know if you have any ideas or brands you love.

I’ve also thought about those fleece lined tights that look like you’re wearing sheer tights, but they’re actually just printed- has anyone tried those?

And maybe your experience with Sheertex has been better than mine? Did I just get unlucky? Have they worked out well for you?  And if so, how long have they lasted for you?

*Source: I heard this story from Nicols Fox, whose father worked for DuPont, as relayed in the documentary “The Lightbulb Conspiracy” about planned obsolescence.

Six Books to Read About Intentional & Sustainable Fashion

, , , , , , 0 Comments

a stack of fashion books

I should have actually shared this post last week, as it would have been rather perfect for Fashion Revolution Week, but I guess today will do just as well. Fashion Revolution isn’t just applicable for one week in the year anyway, so perhaps this is timely, in case you have been wanting to read further about the fashion industry and how to put “sustainable fashion” into action.

I have a disproportionately large collection of fashion related books, compared to other topics at least, on my shelves. But as nice as social media and blogs can be for inspiration and information, there is still something special about pulling out a book and learning in-depth about a topic. So for today, here are some of my favourite books about sustainable fashion, as well as some of the books that sparked my interest in fashion, in case you are looking to add some books to your own library, or are just getting interested in sustainable fashion and aren’t sure where to start.

overdressed book cover

“Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion” by Elizabeth L. Cline

This is the book that started it all for me. A blogger recommended this book years ago (I think it was in 2012?) and I immediately went and checked it out of the library. It was an eye-opening look at what really goes on in the fashion industry supply chain, and is a deep dive into what happens before our clothing makes its way to the store.

overdressed book open to a page

While I had never been a shopaholic, or even very addicted to fast fashion, this book definitely changed the direction of my wardrobe, since I realized that many of the pieces of clothing I owned were from fast fashion brands. I immediately started looking at my clothing with new eyes- knowing the story behind the pieces- and changed my shopping habits for the better. If you are at all interested in ethical and sustainable fashion, this is definitely the place to start.

—

the conscious closet book cover

“The Conscious Closet” by Elizabeth L. Cline,

Also by Elizabeth Cline, rather than the investigative style of Overdressed, her follow up book about the fashion industry is more of an instruction manual or guide. I would say that this is probably the second book you should read once you’ve finished reading Overdressed and have become interested in ethical fashion. I have been reading about the cheap fashion industry for almost 10 years now, so this book was probably not as helpful for me when I read it in 2019, as it would have been if I had read it in 2012, because I was already familiar with a lot of the information within.

conscious closet book open to a page

Nevertheless, it does have some very good tips, so if you’re just starting out, this is also a good place to start to put the ideas into practice. She includes tips on how to change your shopping habits, create a more ethical wardrobe, how to sustainably pare back your wardrobe, as well as how to care for your clothes and other steps for getting involved outside of your own personal closet and shopping.

—

wear no evil book cover

“Wear No Evil” by Greta Eagen

This is another comprehensive “instruction manual” style book that includes many aspects of the fashion industry, as well as the beauty industry. I found this book extremely helpful when I first read it years ago (early on in my sustainable fashion journey) and I actually should read it again. I really like how she gives practical tips for how to move past the “awareness” stage to the “actions” stage.

wear no evil book open to a page

What makes this book so helpful is what she calls “The Integrity Index”, which is a list of sixteen attributes/categories that a garment could potentially fit into. While you are probably not going to be able to find a garment that ticks all of the boxes, you can start somewhere. For example you might not find a garment that is organic, natural fibre, recycled, closed loop, biodegradable, fair trade, and locally produced, but you might find one that checks off three of those categories. I found it so practical and helpful to pick the causes that are most important to you and use those as your guide while shopping, and she includes some very helpful charts and lists with suggestions to make shopping easier.

—

the curated closet book cover

“The Curated Closet” by Anuschka Rees

I don’t own this book, but I’ve checked it out from the library a few times and mentioned it before here (I probably should just buy it!). Even though I don’t own this one, I wanted to include it on the list because it has been a helpful tool to shape my closet. It’s not strictly a sustainable fashion book, but when you focus on creating a more intentional and curated closet, it is going to be more sustainable by default.

One of the biggest driving forces behind the cheap, fast fashion industry is the insatiable desire of consumers for more and more clothing. These impulse buys, in turn, push brands to create cheaper clothing and more and more trends each year in order to make more sales. But these clothes are often so poorly made that they degrade quickly or are flash trends that fall out of fashion so quickly that they need to be replaced- thus starting this unsustainable cycle all over again. By curating your closet to reflect your own personal style, with items that are thoughtfully purchased, you are going to automatically purchase less items and thus become more sustainable in the process. This is an excellent guide book if you are wanting to create a more streamlined closet by reducing the number of pieces you have as well as changing your shopping habits.

—

the one hundred book cover

“The One Hundred” by Nina Garcia

I got this book when I was 16 for a Christmas gift, and I have no idea why- I must have paged through it at the store and liked the illustrations. However, it is actually a fun book to read, and it sparked my interest in classic styles. While this book isn’t sustainability focused in any way, this book is about those timeless pieces in your closet that you always reach for over and over again. While some might say that 100 “must have” items is too many for a sustainable wardrobe, I think it’s a good start.

the one hundred book open to a page with an illustration of little black dresses

Rather than following this book as shopping list and going out and getting all 100 items to add to your closet, I think of this as an evaluation of why some items are so timeless and chic, and in finding the value in the items you have in your closet that you always reach for over and above other items. These are the pieces that you love and care for, and aren’t rushing to replace any time soon. Again, a more thoughtful and curated wardrobe is by default a more sustainable wardrobe, so it really is a good idea to reflect on what particular items are your most loved pieces, and why. And, of course, the alphabetical format of the book, witty quotes and illustrations just make this one all the better!

—

the sartorialist book covers

“The Sartorialist” and “The Sartorialist: Closer” by Scott Schuman

Finally, the last one on this list is the blog/book that started it all. I discovered Scott Schuman’s blog in about 2007 or 2008 (the olden days of the internet) and put his first book on my Christmas wish list when it came out in 2009. I wasn’t a very fashionable teenager because, while I liked fashion (especially historical), I had no idea of how to interpret my interests into a style that was wearable. His blog, and then later his books, about real people’s street-style showed me the value of breaking fashion rules, stepping outside of the norm and then going on to create my own unique style. Even though he never photographed vintage styles, without his blog I don’t know if I would have ever gotten interested in incorporating vintage into my wardrobe on a daily basis. And while I don’t wear strictly vintage looks anymore, without that early inspiration to dress in a different way, I probably wouldn’t have evolved to where I am now with my style.

the sartorialist book open to two photos of ladies

Scott is an excellent photographer and I love to look through these books occasionally to be inspired by all of the unique and different people in these pages. This book is 12 years old, but when I page through it, while I do spot some trends, it still seems as fresh as when it was first released. Again, this book isn’t one that promotes ethical and sustainable fashion in any way, but I think that it really demonstrates this quote by Yves Saint Laurent: “Fashions come and go, but style is forever”. When you aren’t concerned about the latest trends, but instead are choosing to wear your own unique, collected style you are, by default, creating a more sustainable wardrobe that is going to last you longer than any fast fashion trend.

—

So, there are some of my favourite books for learning about sustainable fashion. If you are wanting to learn about how to turn your wardrobe away from fast fashion, then these are a good place to start- though they are only the tip of the iceberg!

What are some of your favourite fashion books? Have you read any of these? Do you have any other recommendations to check out? 

Fashion Revolution Day 2021

, , , , 0 Comments

a row of dresses hanging in a closet on vintage hangers

Today is Fashion Revolution Day: the 8th year anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory tragedy in Bangladesh. In some ways, it doesn’t seem like that happened 8 years ago; it seems so long ago, yet in other ways so recent. For those who were directly injured by the tragedy or lost loved ones, I’m sure this is an extremely hard day for them.

I wasn’t sure whether to post today, since I’ve posted a lot about Fashion Revolution in the past, and I no longer have social media accounts to participate in the online movement. However, I did think that maybe some of my Readers might not have ever heard of Fashion Revolution, or Rana Plaza, or other issues that are ongoing today. That’s the thing about much of the fashion industry- an awareness of what is happening today in the fashion industry is still very much needed, because, sadly, human rights abuses are still rampant in the supply chains of most of our clothing. Eight years since the event that sparked my own personal dedication to ethical fashion, this movement is still very much needed.

Fashion shouldn’t be something to literally die for.

So here are some articles for further reading about current events, as well as some of my old posts. (And if you want to read all that I’ve posted on this topic, check out the “sustainable fashion” category in my sidebar.)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Thoughts on “Investing” in Clothing, Featuring the Purse of My Dreams

, , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

a lady wearing a black vintage style trench coat, satchel and beret

Dare I suggest that the Long Winter is nearing it’s end? With the warming of temperatures in the past week, it feels like it! Of course, we’ve still got a ways to go before Spring, and while that cold snap wasn’t really that long, it sure felt like it! We’ve gone from -38C to + 8C within a couple of weeks, and it has been so incredibly lovely to be able to go for a walk and open the windows for some fresh air and be able to leave the house to take some outfit photos without having to bundle up like a marshmallow. Even though I know that the temperatures will drop again before Spring, it is still worth it to have this small respite!

So, in other news, I’ve been searching for a new “everyday” purse for quite a while. I have been looking for a new one since my other purse started wearing out. (The leather strap was beginning to crack, the metal buckle had broken, and there was a hole forming in the top fold…) I bought that purse five years ago in England and carried it almost every day, though, so that wasn’t too bad, considering that it wasn’t full grain leather.

holding a vintage style satchel purse in copper coloured leather

In looking for a new purse, I didn’t have a definite idea of what I wanted, but I did have a list of requirements.

I’ve realized over the years that, while I do love a good statement bag to coordinate with an outfit, most days I walk or ride my bicycle and a large handbag is just not practical to carry for long distances. I also like having my hands free for when I am running errands or going shopping, so I wanted a crossbody bag.

I also didn’t want the purse to be too big, because while I do want to be able to put everything in my purse, I didn’t want it to become to heavy to carry, or too big to fit in my bike basket. However, I didn’t want it too small, otherwise I would end up carrying a purse and a tote bag.

It also had to be brown or cognac leather and I wanted something in a vintage satchel style, but not too bookish. I wanted something timeless and classic, but not too vintage either, considering what I talked about in my recent personal style post.

I searched for quite a long time, and while I came across a lot of purses, none of them quite ticked all of the boxes until I found this one on Etsy, made by Sunray Family Workshop from Ukraine. It was a bit more than I had originally planned on spending, but I used the money I earned on Poshmark so, as my mom said, it was like I traded a bunch of clothes and accessories that I didn’t want for something that I did! I was also able to get it on sale, so that was nice too.

a lady wearing a vintage plaid skirt and green sweater with a vintage styled purse and beret in the snow

I was nervous about purchasing online, because I’ve been disappointed in the past with online purchases, but my fears were unfounded, as the bag was even better than I hoped it would be. I asked the seller to make it in a darker colour of leather for me, and I love the shape and style of it. It’s so nice to be able to purchase a piece directly from the person who makes it, and it really is a piece of craftsmanship.  I think that this purse was a good investment, and is definitely going to be a good addition to my wardrobe since it fits in with my style description, “unconventional classic with a dash of history” pretty well.

I recently read somewhere (and I can’t for the life of me remember where) that we should stop saying that we are “investing” in clothing purchases, because the value of clothing depreciates immediately after purchasing. You only have to scroll through Facebook Marketplace, or Poshmark or Thred Up to see how much clothing has devalued once it has been worn. Even designer pieces aren’t worth as much as when they are new. Until an item has survived long enough to become “vintage”, it really can’t be called an investment.

lady wearing a vintage styled outfit on a snowy lane

However, I do think that even if we aren’t “investing” in clothing in a monetary way, there is another definition for “invest” that can apply to our wardrobes:

“Devote (one’s time, effort, or energy) to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.”
We should carefully choose which items we buy and add to our closets, even though that may add a bit of extra bit of time, thought and effort. I think that many of the clothing pieces that find their way to secondhand selling sites or thrift shops were not thoughtful purchases, which is why they are for sale again. (I often even see items with the tags still on!) Perhaps we should coin the phrase “purposeful” or “thoughtful” shopping. I think that it is a principle that most of us could use a bit more of- at least I know that I do!

While purchasing a higher quality item might not be an investment we will have a monetary return on, it may still be one that still has a worthwhile result. Having one higher quality item is always going to be more sustainable than ten cheaply made items because it will last longer, thus reducing the need for so much production. Fast fashion in and of itself is not sustainable because of the model of consumption that it is built upon. For example, vintage clothing is a testament to the longevity of a well made item- garments from the 1960’s will outlast a newly purchased item from Forever21 because of the craftsmanship of the items.

closeup of a vintage styled leather satchel purse with a buckle

Another worthwhile result of investing in clothing purchases, may be in having less items in your closet because the one item you truly love is better than having multiple items that you don’t love as much. I am not advocating for coveting fashion pieces, but if there is one particular piece that you want, then it’s not worth buying something else and being unsatisfied with it. Saving up to buy this one specific purse that ticked off all of the boxes was a better choice for me, than settling for a purse that I would end up decluttering down the road in favour of another because I wasn’t truly happy with it. As I’ve been going through my own wardrobe, I have tried to be careful to not turn around and immediately replace everything I’ve gotten rid of. Instead, I have been taking my time to see which are the items I should be concentrating on, and “investing” in, rather than continuing to have a closet full of clothing (or purses) that I don’t wear.

I have a few more posts coming up related to the topic of personal style and creating a purposeful wardrobe, so I think I will end this post here for today, but what do you think about “investing” in clothing? Have you ever saved up for a long time to be able to finally buy something your really wanted for your wardrobe?

a lady wearing a vintage styled outfit with a plaid skirt, cardigan and beret on a winter day

wearing a vintage styled brown leather purse

a lady wearing a black vintage styled trenchcoat and beret on a sunny winter day

a lady wearing a black trenchcoat and beret walking down a snowy lane

1 2 3 4 5 >»