My Year Round Zero Waste Wardrobe

                         

Au bureau, je porte une robe, parfois un jean, un t-shirt blanc (lin ou coton), et un manteau oversized. J’enfile un jean près du corps, un t-shirt col v et des talons hauts ou des baskets pour un dîner ou le weekend, avec leggings et un t-shirt (bien évidemment du sweat dans l’hiver) chez moi. D’habitude, je porte un slip soie La Perla (un cadeau de mes meilleurs amis aux Etats-Unis) pour pyjama. Et un soir de gala? Une robe rouge de Dior.

How to make your wardrobe work year round? By choosing temperature regulating, all season fabrics, like woven wool, thick linens, and waxed cotton in muted or jewel tones. Layering is easier when items already have some structure, so material doesn't cling or form unforgiving wrinkles. I also like to have all the hardware in my wardrobe match, which is probably crazy- gold everything from zippers to my two pieces of jewelry (wedding ring and a gift from my sister). Not only does gold suit my skin tone, but I remember watching an episode of Clueless where they said silver was tacky, and it always stuck with me.

You don't need a huge accessories collection to mix things up. Shoes or creative layers add variety, giving me practically endless combinations. For instance, the black jacket, heels, and boots go with everything, the sneakers match all my casual clothes, and I wear the shirt and sweaters over dresses and skirts sometimes.

The additions

Since this post, I've made a few changes. I haven't bought a new pair of jeans since middle school- it's one of the easiest things to buy at thrift stores- and for the first time in years, I have two pairs. My previous jeans didn't fit anymore; now that Vetements made flares cool again, I'm taking it back to 2014 with skinnies. I should have switched long ago, but I'm sartorially self flagellating. The Maria jean is true blue, the 811 indigo. Buying used meant no color bleeding, though I still wash them inside out with a capful of vinegar to fix the dye. This denim is less dense than my last pair, so I could wear them in a humid desert and feel fine. Conversely, they were warm enough for freezing Cleveland, easily tucked into boots, substantial enough not to rip or tear. Best of all, the fabrics don't attract or show much cat hair.

I usually shy away from collared shirts, but some corporate settings require them. All the Paris Vogue women wear checked shirts- this Etoile Isabel Marant shirt felt like the perfect nod to both my Ohio roots and new French home. It came with a weird pleat that formed a big bubble down my back, which I stitched flat to look better. Again, linen-cotton blend is great on hot days, yet cozy enough for winter. In Cleveland, I wore this with high waist jeans and boots and never felt chilly at bonfires or shoveling snow outside. If you can't thrift or purchase an ethical, sustainable collared shirt, consider custom made options to wear forever.

I got the white t-shirts in Cleveland and the tank top in Paris, naively imagining the ribbed tank would make me look like Emily Ratajkowski at Coachella (Fun fact: We were both photographed by the same person, obviously with very different outcomes). I don't care if I look like everyone's great uncle at the Fourth of July family reunion, it's comfortable, isn't sheer, doesn't shrink when washed, and is perfect for la canicule.

Winter is coming

Everyone worries about me being cold, but I'm from Cleveland, so I'm practically viking. If it's freezing, I add tights and a coat to my regular outfit; if it's raining I carry an umbrella and wear boots or patent leather shoes. I spend a lot of time outside in business attire, and this formula works well. Thanks to climate change and the small size of my wardrobe, I don't keep anything in storage. Everything can be washed or hand washed except the down coat. I air dry (no ironing!) before hanging them in the closet. Shoes stay in their original dustbags and shoeboxes where possible. Also, ever since I got multiple t-shirts, tank tops, and jeans I feel like I'm constantly doing laundry. I'm actually still doing all of our household washing only weekly but it seems like there's way more and it takes longer.

Note: Normally I hang the cashmere sweater in the shower so it's unwrinkled when I wear it. Kar's been climbing up on the closet shelf to sleep on it for two weeks so I wasn't going to bother getting the creases out for a few pictures. I'm not smiling and I'm clutching my stomach in a bunch of photos because I took these when I was sick... I don't know why I'm hunched over on one side in most of them though. This is a new level of awkward, even for me! P.S. I was sneezing in many pictures.

Not pictured: Eight pairs of socks, grey tshirt and leggings for exercise, wool tights. Stockings (Elin nude and Stefanie seam) and sunglasses purchased new

Sources

I. Navy wool Dior dress, Ferragamo Vara shoes in nude bisque, black H&M cotton jacket, Christian Louboutin Simple pumps, Louis Vuitton wool skirt, organic cotton Nuria Couturiere espadrilles, grey wool Dior dress

II. LK Bennett Marina dress in natural barley, grey angora cat

III. Prada shirtdress, cashmere J Crew sweater in heather acorn (worn over navy dress), J Brand Photo Ready 811 jeans in Bluebell

IV. Red Dior dress

V. Madewell whisper cotton pocket v-neck

VII. J Brand Maria high rise jeans in Storm, Etoile Isabel Marant Keiran linen t-shirt

VIII. American Apparel 2x1 u-neck tank top, Etoile Isabel Marant Tom cotton linen shirt

IX. DIY t-shirt (based on Isabel Marant Felipe), Nike Sky High dunks

X. Dior down coat, Louis Vuitton trench coat, Celine cashgora coat, Alisa Design sharp shoulder handknit alpaca sweater, Lomaki handknit alpaca hat and mittens, Geox boots

Most items secondhand except espadrilles and handknits ethically made from sustainably sourced wool.