Wardrobe therapy
We’ve said goodbye to 2018 but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to the clothes we wore. Dan Ahwa looks at ways to spice up your existing wardrobe.
New Year, new you. Or so they say. When it comes to a brand new year, there are a couple of areas in our lives that might warrant buying new clothes. Maybe it’s heading back to work, or starting a new job; perhaps it’s sweat-resistant workout gear in the hope it might motivate you to use that gym membership this year. Whatever the reason, our relationship with clothes varies across the very broad spectrum of emotions; from the nostalgic to the practical. These days, buying clothes also comes with an added awareness of our environment.
Yes, the “S” word. Sustainability. Several brands have made an effort to produce and manufacture clothes that have less negative impact on people and the planet, an issue that gained international prominence when the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh in 2013, killing 1134 people in just 90 seconds, prompting brands and retailers to finally act upon an issue long neglected.
While some brands are genuinely making admirable steps to creating better, more socially responsible business, others are simply paying lip service. Not Maggie Hewitt though. The New Zealand fashion designer behind the sustainable womenswear brand Maggie Marilyn believes we really should discard the old notion of what we should have in our closets at the start of a New Year and that this concept no longer has a place with what’s happening in the world right now.
“I believe our closets are like a memoir or autobiography of our lives, each year contributing to a new chapter,” says Hewitt. “Love and cherish that outfit you wore to graduation, your first job interview, your first promotion, the first time you said ‘I love you’ to your lover, partner, husband or wife. These memories live on in your wardrobe.”
A closer look at your wardrobe at the start of the year is also an opportunity to figure out what your style actually is. Some of the most stylish people I know have a regular uniform of jeans and a T-shirt, simple but carefully chosen pieces.
“The New Year is a good occasion to have a fresh look at your closet,” says Marilou Dadat, head designer of fashion label Kowtow. “It’s about gradually building up a wardrobe you feel confident in. Because I have a lot on my plate every day, with a toddler and a busy job, effortless dressing is key. Having those classic wardrobe staples that fit well is essential. I pretty much wear the same thing every day — jeans and a white shirt, or a black dress. I do spend a bit of attention on keeping those T-shirts crisp-white and I rotate dresses on the rack, so my tiny closet doesn’t feel crowded.”
Taking care of your clothes is perhaps one of the greatest things you could do to avoid buying more clothes. Simple acts taken for granted such as folding knitwear carefully and separating whites from colours helps longevity. If you’re in need of a few key pieces, invest in good-quality garments, support local designers and think about cost per wear.
Perhaps it’s less about clothes and more about how you could wear something differently. Give something to someone who can sew and re-work an item of clothing that needs new life.
“The ‘out with the old and in with the new’ culture that fast fashion cultivated has singlehandedly fuelled the fashion industry to become the second-most polluting industry in the world,” says Hewitt. “The small act of buying less and holding on to what you have is an important contribution to the future of our planet.”