Using Staple Pieces to Cut Down on Consumption

When I first started going "full time" sustainable, my bedroom was overflowing with pieces that never saw the light of day. With such cheap options at the thrift shops, my eyes became bigger than my closet and I ended up overwhelmed, drowning in impractical clothing. Not to say the eccentric isn't the way to go, I've always taken solace in the impractical, but when building a wardrobe, the ultimate route for convenience, and ultimately your sanity when getting dressed, is relying on trusted staple pieces.

Creating a rolodex of staple pieces won't only cut down on stress when it comes to choosing an outfit in a rush, but provide a foundation for the more treasured textiles, along with cutting down on your clothing consumption. Before really structuring this out, I'd felt the need to overcompensate and overbought piles of clothing, only to come out frustrated when I couldn't fully flesh out everyday outfits.

Though this is really customizable towards one's style and comfort level, here are a few of my personal staples and recs for supporting a balanced wardrobe:

xDoc Martens

There are no shoe I love more than my Docs. Ever since falling in love with my first pair* almost four years ago, I've developed quite the collection but always go back to these maroon classics, that I wear nearly everyday. Surprisingly, the color goes with most of the variety of colors I tend to don and can either be a statement piece or muted cog amongst others depending on the ensemble. Also they're just so comfortable (at least once broken in) and practical for walking constantly in. I've never identified as a "shoe person" per say but these are truly my babies.

(ps: I honestly would deem Doc Martens as an "ethical" brand since they provide livable wages- if you want to go through their code of conduct here and decide for yourself- if you're still shaky/unsure, Docs are incredibly easy to find secondhand)

*black classics that I put bubblegum pink laces in- in 9th grade, I had the members of As It Is sign with silver Sharpie on the toes. From 8th-10th grade, I wore these EVERYWHERE and absolutely killed them to the point that the leather feels like a sock material from being through so many adventures.

xThe Easy Jean

My love for this is all in the name. Though a little bit of an investment ($68, I however got mine on sale), I've completely paid these babies off. The fit is Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants level flattering on every body and is the high waisted cut of my dreams- also a little liberal to call these "denim" with the incredibly stretchy fabric. Though I'm guilty of owning way too many jeans I hardly wear, I love just being able to slip these on with anything if I'm not feeling up to it to creating a complex look.

ft this beautiful sleepwear shirt i'd thrifted for $1- thx for making me feel like harry styles

xCorduroy Flares

As seemingly unpractical these sound, I find myself wearing these babies at least once a week. What's so great about them is their borderline eccentricity in that I can make these the main attraction and not feel bad about tucking a simple graphic tee into them. Not to mention the comfort factor- though not as versatile as my beloved easy jeans, I still bless the day I bought these on a whim in a charity shop ($7!).

xDelicate Necklaces

I wear both these Verameat pieces literally everyday (Sweet Tooth and Lucky Wishbone Choker) and simple as they are, they make all my outfits look so much more put together. I couldn't recommend Verameat enough honestly, though these were both slight investments (I'd highly rec waiting for a sale as I did), they've held up amazingly and are all handmade in Brooklyn (along with literally everyone who works at their storefronts being incredible) and feel it's worth it putting extra cash towards ethical business that take care of their customers as well as Verameat does.

xBlack Beret

This particular one is actually stolen from my mother, much to her frustration. I've just fallen so in love with the simplicity and classic look of the color and shape (a little bigger than my head size, leading to a softer look) even though I've developed a small beret collection of my own (most of which coming from off the streets of St Marks). With my current fascination with Parisian street style and unruly hair, these french headpieces have really helped out my mundane outfits and far too voluminous bangs.

xThe Denim Jacket

I honestly have several of these but this oversized light wash one I'd picked up at No Relation remains my go-to. Denim jackets are amazing because they're timeless, can be easily paired with anything, and meld to anyone's personal style. Though I'd originally bought this during the spring to be a light jacket to throw over tanks and dresses, it's become an all year round fixture layered over thin down jackets, sweaters, and cardigans.

the front button had sadly fallen off but a safety pin has been doing a pretty fair job in place of it

xDenim Skirt

It definitely took a couple misses, but I've finally found the denim skirt of my dreams and ever since pulling it from a Goodwill Outlet (post on the matter coming soon), I've barely parted with the vintage Gap piece. Denim skirts are a true balance between femininity and practicality in this, with blouses and tee shirts and all the like being tucked into my own- just such an easy throw on if I'm not feeling pants/want to put in a little extra effort but not go the full nine yards.

Finding one's staples is undoubtedly a process, but with it comes a sense of self awareness in a wardrobe along with helping create a foundation for a more unified look. Once you find what you gravitate towards or lack when getting dressed in the morning, gaining a sense of clarity is a lot easier, along with cutting back on the constant over-shopping in order to satisfy these needs.

much love, 

Annie Louise 

Starting Sustainablly

Hi.

Out of my bedroom in New Jersey, at the age of 13, I entered the fashion industry through the start of my blog, How Fitting. Though there were definitely background issues, it overall was an exciting time- I was in one of those phases of being in fashion where everything is shiny and new and pretty and mesmerizing, you know that one phase where you're able to fully embrace how incredibly cool everything is before having to seem jaded and as if the cool stuff you're doing is a drag. Sometimes it is. Most of the time I just pretend as though it is to seem mature and jaded. At the age of 14, I gained my first internship, a position on the BP Fashion Board, a program by Nordstrom in order to prepare clueless teenagers to become sales assistants in suburbia for the rest of their lives. Or that's at least what it felt like. I eventually left due to a really out of control bullying issue. I might have deserved it for being in middle school, the youngest of the group, and thinking I was the ultimate ambassador when it came to merchandising, a title I do not wish to yield anymore. Things picked up at 15, after what I think to be a life changing meeting with the head of social media for Converse's concert series. I completely switched my destination from merchandising to marketing, at Fashion Institute of Technology's Precollege Programs. I was still excited and had my eyes wide open, taking all of the glamor I'd been promised in. Along with this, I began my writing career at Mimp Magazine , a toronto based publication focused around building a strong community of empowered women, in their fashion and personal entry department. My first piece was about Christmas window displays in SoHo, it was lost when the website revamped which wasn't all that upsetting since it was pretty awful. It was exciting nonetheless. By the time I turned 16 and had been working at Mimp for roughly six months, I was promoted to head fashion editor, a position I've held ever since. It's easy to get comfortable as fashion editor since you're not really producing anything and just have to say the word "vision" a lot even if you don't really have a vision. I loved the job from first sight and it still Mad Sounds, Written Citizen, and Crybaby Zine all writing about my love for fashion and self. At 18 years old, t's been five years since I started that blog, and ultimately, my career in fashion and I'm still excited, my eyes still become saucers when I attend NYFW, I still scream and jump up and down when I land my latest gig. Even if I act a little jaded sometimes.
hasn't gotten old. I think it's just because it appeals so well to my ego and previously mentioned overconfidence. By the time I turned 17, I was on the staff of

shot of an outfit I'd very proudly styled during an odd phase at 15

Though my story may seem unique, there are plenty of others who've entered the fashion industry at my age, or even younger. And the wildest part is that they're all over the world! From Los Angeles to Bangladesh, TONS of my generation and younger have taken part in the beloved industry. Take the roughly 170 million children, who at varying ages, entered jobs in factories owned by companies such as Zara, Forever21, and H&M, making garments at unlivable wages. Though I range pretty closely to these people in age, our experiences in the fashion industry couldn't be more different.

Before being introduced to the countless victims of fast fashion, the current state of the industry I have held so close to my heart, I was a constant shopper of popular brands such as Urban Outfitters, H&M, and my personal favorite, Forever21 (think about any mall store, all of these use this method). Unlike most higher class writers on the subject, I fully understand the experience and appeal. But I also understand the impact. And even if you choose to continue to promote and patronize such companies, everyone deserves to, and should, understand the impact of their actions and choose after posessing such information.

I've heard far too many accounts from those inexperienced/non dependent on cheap fast fashion and I'm over it. Make no mistake, I will demonize fast fashion because it deserves to be, but I'm looking to provide an equally as low cost solution for modern girls with a love for personal style and big wardrobes. Though I will undoubtedly touch on this subject later on, my closet, wallet, and self have felt so much more confident since cutting out this vice and I hope to promote the same.

I've dedicated my entire teenage career to fashion, I've grown up with fashion, it's nearly impossible not to think so, it has become such a solid theme in my life. It's hard knowing something you love so dearly causes such harm (fashion is the 2nd most pollutive industry in the world but we'll get into that later...) but that hasn't deterred me, only made me want to elicit change if anything.

I'm Annie Louise LeMonnier, I love fashion, and welcome to The Sustainable Diaries. 

-Annie Louise