For week two of Slow Fashion October Karen‘s action item is to clean out your closet. I have already recently done this. In Spring I had this unending itch towards my wardrobe. I’m still not sure what exactly the itch was but it expressed itself as a craving for minimalism and personal style definition. So I sorted through my closet. I brought my peripheral never-worn-enough, not-loved-enough items to my favorite consignment store: Fury (I have found so many great things here. Thank you). In June I brought them summer items and just a couple weeks ago I was able to bring them my fall and winter items. For six months I had my no items nicely folded along the wall of our bedroom and hanging near the bed. It feels more wonderful than I thought it would to finally have them out of the house. Lightness.
So in the mood of “what’s in your closet?” I decided to document my favorite pieces from my closet. My Yes! pieces. The things I always feel good in and love to wear. These things lift me just by touching and seeing them. One thing that soothed my itch was thinking about my favorite clothing pieces and the joy I feel from them. A good practice for slow fashion and conscious living is to reflect and appreciate what you already have. I know, I know. It’s a beaten to death sentiment. But it is true. How can we appreciate anything if we cannot even appreciate what we already have? I ask this question not simply about clothing and objects but also about personal skills, experiences, thoughts and people. The greatness of a thing can be dwarfed by everydayness. So remind yourself what in your life you appreciate.
The other thought that arose, as I pulled out all of my absolute-favorite-i’m-in-love-with-you items, is why do I have the other maybe-practical-but-liked-not-loved items in my life? Would only having the items I absolutely love be too radical? Do the secondary, liked pieces play a role? And without them I would have no pants to wear? Or am I just telling myself that because the alternative feels too unnerving? Am I hovering close to the pure joy of true closet minimalism but unable to take that plunge? I know there is a point where a closet is too minimal, I’ve seen it. So where is that balance? I had an art teacher, referring to 2D art, once say "sometimes you don't know when to stop adding until you've gone too far". Maybe a closet is the opposite of a painting. With the painting or drawing you must add too much to realize the balanced sweet spot. With your closet you must remove until you find that sweet spot of balance. Do other people think about these things as much as I do?
Week 2 Discussion Questions:
What is the oldest or the most treasured thing in your closet?
I feel very grateful and fortunate to have a closet full of objects I cherish. That is why I decided to pull some out to photograph :)
👆(from right to left, top to bottom):
Margaret O'Leary 100% cotton rib knit crewneck, bought from Margaret O'Leary store, Seattle
Bassike wool blend cropped jacket, bought from Bassike.com
Bassike 100% organic cotton long sleeve tee (I have about six of these in black, white and different greys), bought from Bassike.com
Simon Miller 100% cotton black brush sweatshirt, bought from Farfetch.com
Vintage Liz Claiborne beige linen and cotton pants, bought from Persephone Vintage on Etsy
Bassike cotton blend black midi skirt, bought from Bassike.com
Eileen Fisher 100% cotton light blue jacket, bought used from Driftwood Consignment (which has changed ownership and is now Jules)
IRO 100% linen and leather beige jacket, bought used at Crossroads Trading Co., Broadway
Brooks Brothers 100% wool grey houndstooth plaid coat, bought used at Fury Consignment
Sisley black 100% wool coat, bought used at Crossroads Trading Co., Broadway
Totokaelo 100% cotton cropped cream sweatshirt, bought at Totokaelo.com
Vintage Levis 100% denim cotton, bought used at Lucky Vintage, Ballard
Vintage Tom Tom cropped 100% cotton tee, bought used at Take 2 Consignment
What is the item you wear the most? Why?
The specific items depend on the season. The items I wear the most are made of comfortable fabric like sturdy cotton, the fit tends to be straight but loose, the color neutral and the style simple. In the summer I am constantly wearing my white Pacific Cotton tops with my beige linen pants or blue bassike skirt or blue nike skirt. In winter I am constantly wearing a bassike long sleeve shirt with a crew neck sweater and a long jacket or coat.
Are there any “investment pieces”? How did that work out?
I treat every piece as an investment. The whole problem with fast fashion is that people treat clothes as temporary and disposable. Usually the term “investment piece” is used for expensive purchases. Since it is expensive it tends to be well made and long lasting. I want everything I bother to buy to be high quality and last a lifetime. I do this without spending a fortune. By buying consignment and watching for a selected piece to go on sale (not simply shopping sales for sales sake), I can acquire quality at a more reasonable price point. However each purchase should be thought of as an investment weather it is $5 or $500. Because an investment is not just about money, you are also investing space, time, care and energy. If you buy a piece for temporary use where will it be in a year? In a donation heap? In a landfill? In the ocean? At least if it is a natural material with natural dyes, it will break down and rejoin nature but synthetics and polyester are just more plastic polluting our world.
Does anything still have the tags on it? Why?
No.
How much is handmade, hand-me-down or has some other personal meaning?
I have a white wool aran knit cardigan that was made for my grandpa by his friend when he first moved to Seattle. I remember him wearing it all the time. For awhile it still had his scent but that has faded now. I wish it could have that smell again.
How does what’s in your closet align with the mood board you made about how you would actually like to dress? In what ways are they the same/different?
I think my closet looks a lot like my mood board or vice versa. The cuts, colors and materials are in agreement.
How do the colors align with the color palette you made?
Pretty spot on. I wear a lot of neutrals in my clothing and get pops of color from accessories.
How do your clothes align with your lifestyle and climate?
My lifestyle is easy going and laid back hence all my comfortable-easy-to-move-in clothing. I have lived in the same city my whole life so climate and style is a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg question. Is my style simply my style and it happens to suit the climate? Or is my style greatly influenced by and a product of my climate? I guess a little of both.
What percentage of your closet feels like YOU?
I would have said pretty much the whole thing, maybe 98%. The pieces shown are definitely 100% me. But, as I mentioned above, pulling out my absolute favorite items has made me wonder about the other items and their place...