New year, same coat
I have a real feeling of content with my wardrobe. There is nothing I'm looking to immediately add and I'm avoiding the feeling like I need to keep up. Let's keep it that way.
Whistles Men
Peaked lapel overcoat
A.P.C (sold out)
Steven quilted shell gilet
The Cords&Co.
Loose fit corduroy pants
Paul Smith Design
Levon sneaker
There’s always a slight worry when I wear this coat again for a blog post. I’d say in the past 18 months I’ve begun to appreciate clothes a lot more. How something is made, where it is made and the store shelf it ends up on. I champion the mantra of investing more and buying less whenever I can within reason. In the past there has been occasions where I’ve fallen victim to a sale or ordered with no real consideration. Within a couple weeks, they become an empty purchase.
My joy now comes from wearing pieces over and over again because I truly enjoy wearing them. Items that I know work well and will last years don’t become laborious to wear. This coat is a prime example. It’s from Autumn/Winter '16 and has stood the test of two winters and I honestly can’t think of a reason to get another navy coat. I’ve had the opportunity to, but why? If it still fulfils its purpose and I still feel good wearing it, then why hide the fact I wear it so much. I know I can’t wear a new coat every blog post and I shouldn’t pretend that I can either. It sets a false standard to achieve. Yes they’ll be new items here and there to share with you (read: Houndstooth and Chasing winter light), but the core of my wardrobe remains firmly intact.
Treat your investment pieces as the base of your outfit, your real go-tos. I think I definitely have them in the outerwear, trouser and trainer department.
And if you need to bring something new in there’s two ways to freshen up your styling. One could be by bringing in some smaller additions like this Campbell Cole coin pouch and navy A.P.C navy gilet (the latter has been worn on every occasion except when I go to bed). The second way is to open up your wardrobe and think how can you wear something you already have differently. Could you layer an outfit in a different order? How would the trouser turn-up look if it was bigger or smaller? Sometimes it pays off to think unconventionally as you may come across a look you’re excited to wear again. My example would be when I wore my gilet under a thinner layer. Perhaps strange, but that’s why I liked it.
It’s time we start to see trends as inspiration, not rules. They very rarely sway me, except cord. Cord is great. What I’m trying to say is that I hope you all don’t mind seeing the same few items carousel around on the blog, with the odd new bit here and there. Anything more doesn’t sit right with me. I’m looking for some grey trousers and have been for some time, but other than that I’m satisfied. By the time I find some they’ll be deserving of their own blog post. But that’s how it should be.jbicon
Could 2023 be the ultimate year of sustainability for fashion? Probably not, but there are some positive things happening if you look for them.