HI everyone,
This is one of my favorite winter looks – it keeps me warm and helps me feel in my skin. If you wonder how to look sustainably chic in winter, this article is for you.
SUSTAINABLE CHIC
What does it mean? A look put together from pre-loved (= second-hand or gifted), sustainably sourced, and/or ethically made clothes.
My white rollneck is made of non-mulesed wool. Even though wool is a natural material, its production is not always ethically kosher. There is a controversy over mulesing the sheep, which involves cutting skin from the buttock region without anesthetic.
SUSTAINABLE WOOL
If you want to buy “sustainably sourced“ wool, you have several options. You can look for a wool sweater/coat in a second-hand store or find a brand that uses non-mulesed wool. Personally, I prefer the first option. Not only that I save money, but I also save clothes from a landfill. And look original and unique.
The second option requires time and energy. I find it helpful to use the application Good On You that rates fashion brands based on several factors: sustainability of materials, respect of human/workers rights, environment, and animal welfare.
If you like to shop at online fashion platforms, check if you can filter clothes by their sustainability. I noticed that several platforms offer this option, and it makes your search easier.
SECOND-HAND JEANS AND UPCYCLED CASHMERE BERET
I found these dark blue Gucci jeans in a consignment store in Geneva. They are by Gucci, size IT 44, which is 38 EUR. Although they were not cheap, I loved their high waist. And thanks to their loose fit, they are very comfortable. As my husband likes to say, they make my bum look good. 🙂
Until recently, I used to get only black leather shoes for winter. Black is a safe color, but dark brown is even more elegant and chic. These ankle boots are from a German brand Gabor. It makes great quality, comfortable shoes in large sizes. I am European size 42,5 (11 US size), and it is a challenge to find nice shoes that won’t make me look like a grandma. The heel is about five centimeters (approx. 2 inches) – a maximum that I can wear for the whole day. I like how high-heeled shoes look in photos but could never wear them for longer than a few minutes. Who else agrees that one does not need to suffer to look beautiful?
And I finished this look with a grey beret made or upcycled cashmere. In fact, there are two Swiss brands that I really like when it comes to headwear. The first one is a Geneva-based brand By Vanja Jocic, which makes handmade couture hats. Tallis is my to-go brand when I look for cashmere beanies and berets since they use upcycled wool and cashmere.
Is there a small, local designer that you like in your city/country? Don’t forget to let me know in the comments below.
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