Buying less is super important to me. After years of fast fashion and witnessing the amount the human race buys, I am now trying to do my part to help reduce my carbon footprint.
Fashion never used to be this throwaway but I remember when it all changed. I remember when online brands went from non-exist to running the show and how trends lasted at least a year and not 3 months. My time at Topshop really should have opened my eyes earlier. My role there was to maximize the sales of the departments I looked after at 214 Oxford Circus. With clever visual merchandising, speaking to the display teams, and working with the shop floor staff and head office, I was able to help grow department profits and predict what customers were going to love and hate. I even suggested Topshop bags have an xbody strap option on some styles which was implemented(thanks Jane Shepherdson) and used for many years after. I was there when the first Kate Moss collection launched and saw the store bring in over 2 million a week. It was a fast fashion train I loved being part of but I really had no idea how it was affecting the planet. Sadly an estimated £140 million worth (around 350,000 tonnes) of used clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year. I don’t know about you but that is scary to me! So with my past firmly behind me and a new outlook on life, I want to do what I can to help reduce my carbon footprint and maybe help others see that they can too.
I think it’s also pretty important that we generally have less stuff in our lives anyway so I’m taking this time to rid myself of any old clothes I don’t wear anymore and sell them to people that like me, want something new to them but is really second hand. By getting rid of things I don’t use anymore, I will also have more room in our tiny house and have a clearer mind which can only be a good thing.
Going forward, if I do decide to buy anything, I want it to be something useful that I will use repeatedly, keep for years and be something I actually LOVE rather than just like.
With all this in mind, I wanted to share this latest outfit with you that I wore at the start of the month. Of course, most of these pieces aren’t recent but there are plenty of items similar that you can purchase to love for years to come. You may even have something similar or close enough to this, so I hope this look inspires you to get them out and wear them with love.
For those of you that have been following me for a while, you have probably seen me wear this coat before. I bought it back in 2016 when Kenzo collaborated with H&M. At first I was unsure of its £199 price tag but it is the best coat I have ever bought. Full leather with a faux sheep shearling pink interior, it is incredibly warm and keeps me sheltered from the cold breeze in the winter. It always receives many compliments too and has aged so well. You can still get this coat on eBay but if you have a similar style to this, it’s not something that is going to go out of style. I have seen the flying jacket trend repeatedly redone every winter since 2016 so you can wear your aviation-inspired coat each year and not worry about what others think.
My lovely husband always treats me at the end of the year (it’s my birthday and Christmas 6 days apart), and 2020 was no exception. He knows I love a designer bag I can use for my trips to London and traveling around the country for work and this Rainbow canvas Coach bag he bought is just perfect for that. I can wear it either on my front or back and it’s a great size to fit all my daily bits in. This bag is definitely going to be in my collection for years to come and it is so well made and I feel so special taking it out with me.
As well as trying to have less fast fashion, I also want to have more pieces that are staple items that will never go out of fashion. If you are looking for pieces like this I find H&M is great for this. I recently bought these zip leggings and a sleeveless knit jumper from there. Both these are classic pieces of clothing you can mix and match with loads of things and having plain coloured clothes is great for outfit building all year round.
My latest purchase is something that is totally going to help me during each winter.
I always save up the money I’m gifted for my Birthday and Christmas and recently I decided to spend it on some boots that will last and not be weathered. If you haven’t seen them before, the new Chloé Betty Rain Boots are just great for this cold, damp weather us UK dwellers get every year. Made from a rubber mould, these boots are completely sealed up to the zip so great for puddles or snowy pavements. They fit like a glove, are so comfy and keep your feet super toasty. Size-wise I choose my normal size but be aware that the top of the boot that meets your calf is slim with no room to stretch so I would advise trying these on before you buy if you can. Regardless, I have to say that these are the best winter boots I have ever had and the best thing about them is that if they do get a bit dirty, it just takes a damp cloth to make them like new again.
Coat – Kenzo x H&M (similar here), Sleeveless knit jumper – H&M, Black leggings – H&M, Rain boots – Chloé at Net-A-Porter, Bag – Coach, Signet ring – Sparklane, Cross necklace – FearxLess.
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I’m based in the UK, but collaborate with clients around the globe.
E: loiswaller@btinternet.com
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