I must admit, up until recently I would have told you I was the last person who should be giving style advice. It may be an odd way to encourage you to keep reading, but it's the truth. I used to always feel like I had a closet full of nothing to wear. I was the last one to find out that skinny jeans were out and wide legs were in (breaking news, some sources say skinny jeans are back. It's enough to give you whiplash). You know that feeling where you find a cute top, you buy it, and then instantly regret it because the color, cut, feel - take your pick - are wrong and it just doesn't give off the vibe you thought it would? Yup, that was most of my purchases. I didn't go to school for fashion. In fact, I did the furthest possible thing from that and got an engineering degree - and I certainly didn't enjoy spending a ton of time browsing through the latest trends. I still don't.
But, I also knew two very important things:
Style matters: for better or worse, what we wear is a huge part of how we show up in the world. When there's a mismatch between who we feel we are and what others read from our outfits, we can't feel good in our skin. We all deserve to feel good about the image we project to the world.
Clothing has huge human, ethical and climate impacts: From exploitative labor practices to excessive waste and pollution, each item we purchase and wear (or don't wear) has a cost beyond the price tag. We have a responsibility to each other and to the planet to minimize that cost of dressing ourselves every day.
So I dove in. As an engineer (did I mention this already?) I looked for the patterns that would add structure to the very nebulous problem of being fashionable. I discovered that the important elements to achieve this have nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with finding out who you are.
Let me explain.
The key to a great wardrobe, to me, came from being extremely intentional about what I had in my closet. For this, I had to reflect on what I needed from my clothing, what I felt great in, and what image I wanted to project out to the world. And I created the Climate Capsule to help others do the same.
Start with How You Spend Your Time
Of course, you say, your wardrobe needs to align with how you spend your time and how you like to dress for those occasions. That's not particularly insightful. But, does yours? And when was the last time you thought about the gaps between what you own and what your lifestyle requires? I know personally, unless I am deliberate about this, I will tend to gravitate to the same type of clothing (for me, it's relaxed outfits, usually athleisure) and then bemoan that I have nothing to wear for a nice dinner out with friends.
Reflect on How You Want to Show Up in the World
Now that I know how I spend my time, how do I want to dress for those occasions? In general, I think of 3 key categories of outfit styles:
Casual Looks: When I'm dressing for comfort or an active lifestyle. Depending on your style, this could include athleisure, your favorite jeans, hoodies, or even a soft flannel button-down.
Polished Outfits: When I want to elevate my look for dressier occasions. This could include jeans (or not), jackets, cashmere sweaters, etc., depending on your style and what dressy means to you.
Professional Settings: These are looks that are worn at work, in a meeting with the admission office at your kid's school, or closing on your next home but that don't translate well to other dressy occasions.
A note on technical gear: If you work, work out, or take part in physical activities or sports that need technical gear, deal with this category on its own.
Build Out from What You Love
What you already love in your closet can tell you a lot about the style elements that make you feel great in your skin. Put these loved pieces at the core of your wardrobe and intentionally complement those pieces with items that will add variety while staying true to what makes you feel your best. An easy way to get started with this is to be intentional about the color palette you choose and what those colors evoke for you.
Make It Happen for You
Lastly, if you're thinking - gee, thanks for the great advice, but that's still a lot of work - the Climate Capsule is here to help. We guide you step-by-step toward a more organized, functional, and stylish closet. Learn more here.
Comments