Sustainability is gaining momentum! I am seeing more and more social media action related to sustainability and “conscious closets” and more people following the Buyerarchy of Needs…
You might be following this without knowing it! Good job, You!
I’m pretty solidly at the “thrift” level (!) but I had the pleasure of helping Liesel go through her closet recently and she is at the foundation! Liesel is a hard-working full-time kindergarten teacher and was looking for some help to find new outfits from her existing wardrobe – the highly technical term for this is “shop your closet” and it truly is the foundation of mindful consumerism. Instead of buying, use what you have! The trouble for many of us is that we get stuck in a rut and don’t even see the possibilities of our clothes! BUT I DO! Read on to see all the cute outfits and style tips that Liesel and I found together after only a few of hours in the closet!
The first thing I noticed was the quality of Liesel’s pieces! She had a good variety of colours, prints and pieces, many from local shops or craft sales. There was virtually no fast fashion in her existing wardrobe!
Liesel did a good job on her “homework” before my visit! She went through her wardrobe and culled any pieces that were worn, in poor repair or just weren’t doing it for her anymore! She was looking for ways to style a few pieces, like a pretty a-line skirt. Liesel has an hourglass figure with a small waist – so feminine, but sometimes hard to find a piece that fits in the waist and the hips.
The obvious solution (to me) was to TUCK! Many of us think we can’t tuck our tops but WE CAN and should! Tucking accentuates the waist, and using a belt can help define the transition between top and bottom. This skirt works well with the classic chambray, coloured tops and mixed with other prints. It works with all her footwear!
We discussed the “Rule of 3.” If you’re tired of hearing me talk about this, too bad. Put on a necklace and I’ll be quiet. The Rule of 3 is that you need not one, not two but THREE significant elements to your outfit for it to be complete. (Usually the bottom of your outfit is a neutral that doesn’t count in the equation, and yes, Liesel’s skirt is essentially a neutral.) The top, belt and necklace fulfill the Rule of 3 and provide an easy fashion formula that can be applied to many pieces in Liesel’s closet!
Cardigans are a staple for many a teacher (or OT!). You can wear them buttoned, open or belted. To belt a cardi, button the two buttons at your waist, put on your belt et voila! Exact same pieces, entirely new look!
Liesel has two skirts – the perfect-print a-line skirt and a basic black… She already has some good black-skirt outfits in her repertoire but wanted an idea how to style a new acquisition, a black and white finishing layer…
It’s not a cardi or blazer – kind of like a blousey blazer! We tightened the back ties and pushed up the sleeves to give it a youthful vibe, then added a top with polka dots for some print-mixing! Most classic patterns – stripes, plaid, polka dots, floral – can be intermingled easily. I loved the sparkly whistle bling – stylish AND functional! Since Liesel is a kindergarten teacher, interesting pieces like the whistle pendant are perfectly appropriate and even engaging for little children who like sparkly things and eye shadow.Here’s another option for the b/w piece! Any pant with a basic black cami + a necklace = easy style!Belted cardis are not just for skirts and dresses! You can also add a belt at the waist with a pants-outfit. I *know* your pants don’t come up that high even if you are a super fashionista! But the belt defines the waist and creates a longer leg line! #winning You also can leave the cardi open rather than buttoning before belting. Looks cool and shows more of the pattern! Same pieces, new look! I love how the necklace echoes the Flatter Me belt closure! (Liesel tried my belt, but could consider getting her own – it is THE solution to get a good fit with pants and add a stylish element to your ensemble.)
Next up, we looked at one of Liesel’s dresses to explore different ways to wear it. Some dresses may seem like they can only be worn one way but that is usually not true and definitely not true in the case of Liesel’s navy print dress…
Mixing neutrals like navy and brown looks chic, and a pop of red is perfection! The belt, blazer, dress and tank more than fulfill the Rule of 3, but you could certainly pop on a necklace here if, like me, you feel naked without one. Cardis and blazers make great finishing layers over dresses, but you can also wear a denim jacket or any other light jacket as the finishing layer. I love how Liesel’s necklace ties it all together!Navy is an amazing neutral! It looks great with all neutrals and colours, like this purple cardi. I’m coveting Liesel’s She Does Create versatile necklace! Scarves are a great way to work in a third element… or stay warm. Liesel can add capri leggings or tights and wear this dress well into winter!Another way to extend the life of your dresses is by throwing a sweater over top! Go for fitted sweaters to avoid looking frumpy! I loved the stripe/polka dot pattern mixing going on in this outfit!You can’t transition every skirt or dress to chilly seasons, but adding a cozy knit is a good way to get a bit more wear before saying goodbye till spring! Feel free to swap the sweater tie that comes with your sweater for any belt for yet MORE variety!
Before we move onto pants, let’s talk about an exception to the Rule. Some dresses are special and interesting all on their own! Desigual dresses may fall under that category and so does Liesel’s black dress.
There are interesting details all over this dress – it fulfills the Rule of 3 all on its own! BUT you could add a finishing layer like a denim jacket or chambray knotted at the waist – another styling trick for dresses!
Despite having only a handful of options for bottoms, Liesel chose well in building her wardrobe! She only has two pairs of pants!!!! Yet, she’s got versatile khaki and teal that can be used to build a TON of outfits!
Without the necklace, this would be meh. With the necklace, it’s a stylish ensemble! I love pairing fancy or dressy pieces like the necklace with casual pieces like the sneakers. This is another styling principle that can be applied to Liesel’s wardrobe. For a little more pants variety, try rolling them! It’s a bit more casual but still totally appropriate for kindergarten! Swap out the finishing layer, incorporate pattern-mixing or try a belted cardi with pants!Though some may argue with me, another easy style trick is to treat bold colours like neutrals and mix ’em up! I love red and teal together!Or teal and blush, or teal and any solid colour! Put on a necklace, scarf or finishing layer to look put together!Head to toe style!Here’s one last Fashion Formula: SHORT OVER LONG OVER SKINNY! Works every time! Looks great with flats or tall boots! If your bum is covered, don’t worry, we know they’re not pants!
Liesel has several pairs of locally made leather shoes that are sadly starting to wear already. Thrifter tip: when pieces are getting close to the end of their time with you, start hunting for replacements rather than leaving it till they fall apart completely. Though she is not afraid of spending money on footwear, I bet Liesel will find some good-quality thrifted shoes if she makes regular short stops in thrift stores on her way home from work. (That’s your next homework!!) I like to leave a shopping, or better yet, a thrift-hunting list for people to get even more out of their closets! IF you’re going to go up the Buyerarchy Liesel, here are some things to look for:
interesting shoes – look for colour, details and ankle boots
Miz Mooz shoes are great for those of us with a wide forefoot, and they come in wide-calf options too
cute blazers – thrifting is affordable way to get blazers that kindergarten kids could very well ruin!
Liesel, I think you look AMAZING! You have excellent fashion instincts that already led you to buy so many great pieces (I’m a little jealous of some of them)! I hope you can use the style tips we discussed to get even more mileage from your wardrobe! I count 26 different outfits there – all new to you, and all without spending a cent! Using what you have is not so bad after all!
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I’m loving that shirt on the right! And, obvs, the chambray.