Do You Want a Timeless Wardrobe?
A wardrobe that lasts, that you can wear for many years, is a wonderful thing. It's good for not only your bank balance (as you're not jumping on every new trend) and it's also good for the planet, as you're not buying lots of clothes that you don't end up wearing. Plus in the long run it saves you time and energy each morning when you're getting dressed.
That said, there is more than one way to get that long lasting wardrobe.
Invest in Fashion Classics
So often you'll read that you should be buying fashion classics (I wrote about what they are and the difference between Classic Personality and Fashion Classics here). Fashion classics such as a trench coat, a Breton tee, a denim skirt etc, are great if they are items you love, that you feel truly at home in, and that you would be happy to wear week on week, year on year.
This white blazer is an example of a fashion classic that's been in my wardrobe for a decade now. There is nothing extreme about it (no particular style of collar that can easily date a jacket) and it's in a neutral so there is nothing that really makes it obvious about when it was bought and I still wear it today.
There are countless lists of all the basic classics that every stylish woman should own, yet these are not garments that work for everyone and you need to know if this is for you and your personality, or something you should avoid.
If simple and plain are not your style, you may find that fashion classics don't make you feel good, in fact, you feel bored and bland. I've tried striped tees and they just aren't me ( unless I pattern mix them with a floral or some other pattern). I don't mind a blazer, but rarely in a classic colour or style (I like a creative twist or a dramatic colour or some feminine detail).
Fortunately, if you've tried fashion classics and really don't wear them (even though you've tried) there is another way to have a long-lasting and sustainable wardrobe.
Invest in Creative Pieces
Creative pieces stand the test of time because they are never really in fashion so they don't go out of fashion. Creativity can expressed in so many ways, and because creative garments don't follow fashion trends or fads, then they never really go out of style, because they weren't the height of fashion at any one time.
What makes a garment more creative? There are a few ways to spot one:
- Unusual or interesting construction
- Uniqueness, you don't find it in every chain store
- Unexpected details, they are the opposite of fashion classics in that way which have traditional styling and details.
Here's an example, this silk top, great quality, is at least 10 years old and yet I still wear it today. Because I love the pattern and it suits my personality. It was never really "in fashion" so it hasn't gone "out of fashion" and become dated.
Here's the green top that I was wearing under the classic white jacket in the photo above. I bought it second-hand (so it was already not the current season when I acquired it) and its asymmetrical neckline and unusual construction put it firmly into the creative garment camp that was never really in fashion, so hasn't gone out.
And when I trawl back through my computer for garments that I still own and wear today, the ones that have lasted the longest, like this silver jacket with unusual creative construction, and is another piece that is still in my wardrobe (and this photo was from early 2010 and I bought it in 2008 so it's now 17 years old).
So if fashion classics are less your style but you still want a sustainable wardrobe, consider the creatively constructed garment, made in a quality fabric, as that too can stand you in good stead!
Further Reading:
Do You Need Interesting Basics or Understated Staple Garments in Your Wardrobe?
How Non-Dull Basics Make Your Whole Wardrobe Exciting
Why the Wardrobes of the Most Stylish Women are Built Over Time