Trend Alert! Sustainable fashion is in, fast fashion is out.
Through the clutter of our closets, we are seeing a new trend emerge from the rubble. It’s a movement that is really the antithesis of the word ‘trend’ itself. This anti-trend is the concept that less is SO much more. The decluttering of our lives, Marie Kondo style, has trickled down into fashion. Out with the disposable fashion, wear-once-and-toss, more-is-more behavior and in with a more conscious thoughtful method of shopping. Steadily, more people are deciding to slow down and be mindful about what they are purchasing and why. Even life long fashion junkies are taking a closer look at what they already own to repurpose and reinvent their favorite pieces.
THE THEORY OF A WORK “UNIFORM”…
Taking a cue from her male counterparts, Art director Matilda Kahl decided she had enough of the stressful daily routine of pulling together appropriate work outfits. According to the article in Harper's Bazaar, this morning ritual not only added unnecessary stress to her day, it consistently made her late. Her solution came in the form of investing in 15 white blouses and a few black pants. She thoughtfully created her work “uniform” which she has stuck to for 3 years and counting. Not only has she reclaimed control of her mornings, she has also learned to let go of the pressure women often feel to uphold a flawless appearance.
The “uniform” method Matilda Kahl has adopted has also been a way of life for some of the most successful men in business such as Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Barack Obama and Karl Lagerfeld to name a few. Recently Mashable posted an article titled “Why successful people wear the same thing every day”. When Mark was asked why he choses to wear a plain grey t-shirt his answer was similar to that of Matilda’s; To cut down on the wasted energy and to clear his life of unnecessary decisions to focus on the important ones.
“FAST FASHION” BECOMING LANDFILL…
Besides cutting down on the amount of time we waste staring into the abyss of our closets, we are also helping our planet by being more mindful. NY Times recently posted an article about the massive inventory problem that H&M is facing to the tune of 4.3 Billion dollars in unsold clothes. To cut down on a portion of it, a local power plant in Sweden burns the unwanted goods for energy. Cutting back on supporting this wasteful consumerism will in turn help the planet and make us feel like we are doing our part in some small way.
HOW CAN WE REDUCE OUR OWN CLUTTER?
Marie Kondo suggests piling up ALL of your clothes into one big pile to really feel the magnitude of the amount that has accumulated. Letting go of pieces that are ill-fitting, bad quality, don’t bring us joy and pieces we haven’t worn in over a year is a good place to start. When shopping for something new, thoughtful purchasing of clothes that fit, clothes that serve multiple purposes, and finding quality pieces that embody a positive emotional connection is what we should be filling our closet with. Does this jacket make you feel powerful? Do those pants make you feel confident? These are the questions we should be asking ourselves when we add a piece to our closet.
THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE LABEL…
When creating my collection of tuxedos for women, my philosophy was simple, to make beautiful clothing that is both timely and timeless, using high quality materials and workmanship; clothing that is empowering and imbues confidence. When you feel beautiful you are powerful and this is a legacy to pass on to our daughters in the garments themselves as well as the perspective of how clothes should serve us. Unlike the disposable ill fitting pieces that end up filling our closets and eventually our landfills, a few tailored tux pieces will continue to serve us again and again.
Out with fast fashion, in with quality conscious mindful consumerism!
