FINDING YOUR FOREVER STYLE
The best way to avoid ‘a wardrobe full of clothes, but nothing to wear’ syndrome and the cycle of buying disposable fashion that never gets worn is to find your forever style. It’s an idea that Rêve En Vert’s Cora Hilts (above) says is key to her business. ‘We believe in a wardrobe that will stand the test of time, that is not comprised of fast fashion, and that is filled with items you truly love,’ she says. Founder of Eco-age, and champion of sustainable fashion, Livia Firth almost never has need to sort hers. ‘My wardrobe is full of old clothes, ones I’ve bought over the years and ones inherited from my mum or aunts,’ she says. ‘I upcycle a lot. I have a dress, for example, which I made using the top of an old dress and the skirt of another one.’
If you do shop, Cora suggests seeking out well-made pieces. ‘By investing in higher-quality items that aren’t trendled, people will end up being happier with their wardrobes and, incidentally, more sustainable. It’s a win-win.’
Higher quality obviously means a higher cost. ‘Sustainable fashion is admittedly more expensive than fast fashion,’ she says, but remember that a garment made with innovative materials that’s ethically produced and responsibly shipped is always going to have a larger price tag. It will also last for years as opposed to months. ‘If you buy one or two sweaters that you genuinely adore and wear for five years, it will end up costing you much less in the long run than purchasing 10 you wear a few times and throw out,’ says Cora.