Sustainability is a hot topic – still. I am not going to tell you Webster’s definition, but I am going to give you my opinion on what sustainability means in my day-to-day Indianapolis Wardrobe Stylist sessions.
Wardrobe Sustainability with King Charles
The New Yorker magazine recently featured a story about King Charles and his perspective on clothing and sustainability. The King has long been known for his views on the environment, as evidenced in Poundbury, a model town built by King Charles III—then Prince of Wales—on Duchy of Cornwall land in Dorset. The town was designed to challenge modern architecture and embody Charles’s principles of urban planning.
Furthermore, King Charles has been known to fuel his Aston Martin with wine and cheese products. At an Op26 summit, he proudly said that he runs his Aston Martin on “surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese process.” It’s a wild idea for sure, but who knows?
I was even more interested in the King’s view on clothing. He said his shoes were 20 years old and his coat just as old. We can’t even imagine that! But this is probably one of the best examples of sustainability in our wardrobes.
So I believe the crux of sustainability has to be high-quality clothing made to last. I can’t even imagine the expense of clothing a king, but I predict it’s hundreds of thousands of pounds! Maybe more!! So, looking at it from that perspective, it wouldn’t be hard at all to buy high-quality clothing that can be sustainable, like pure wools, leathers, silks, and cottons. Also, the king’s staff takes care of his wardrobe. They store it, clean it, and keep it high-quality. (Maintenance is next to Godliness in our wardrobes.)
Indianapolis Wardrobe Stylist Sustainability Tips
So what does sustainability look like for those of us who may not have an unlimited clothing budget? Here are some ideas:
Think of sustainable clothing as the highest quality clothing you can afford in pure fibers that will breathe. One example is 100 percent leather shoes for men. After a certain age, I stopped buying cheap shoes because I needed more support, and I learned synthetic-made shoes trap odors. 100 percent leather shoes breathe. This is why they stand the test of time. I always buy a 100 percent wool blazer for winter in a fine fabric.
Another example of sustainability in outerwear is a 100 percent wool, cashmere, or camel hair coat. They are the warmest and will last if you take care of them. (Don’t overdo the moth closet.) Sometimes it seems impossible in women’s coats to even find a coat that’s half wool. But they can be found.
Sustainability may mean to you that you buy vintage or secondhand clothing. That is a great way to save the planet and give clothes a beautiful new life! I am currently searching for a 100 percent suede brown coat, since it’s really trending right now. I have previously had a synthetic suede coat, and it did not last. There are several vintage stores in my area, and I hope to have fun hunting.
Another simple way to think of sustainability in your closet is to find new ways to wear older clothes.
Schedule a Closet Cleanse with an Indianapolis Wardrobe Stylist
I have been doing so many closet audits lately, and this is a very popular Indianapolis Wardrobe Stylist service. Maybe you’d like it as well! For a closet cleanse and guidance with sustainability in your closet, contact me at beth@bethdivinestyle.com.
Keep it sassy, Indy.
Beth Divine, MA, AICI-CIC, Personal Image Consultant
