7 Australian creatives style an outfit they’ve owned for more than five years
WORDS BY EMILY HOLGATE
“A large part of making ethical clothing choices is wearing clothes you already own.”
There are many things we can do to make more sustainable clothing choices. Of course, you can shop secondhand, support sustainable fashion labels or repurpose tattered clothes into a new outfit (or even rags for cleaning).
But what many people starting out on their sustainable fashion journey don’t realise, is that a large part of making ethical clothing choices is wearing clothes you already own. While a rhinestone-clad tank top circa 2012 sitting in the bag you’ve been meaning to take to the op shop for six months might be off the cards, there could be an item already in your closet that hasn’t served its full purpose in life yet.
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This is largely the premise behind the popular capsule wardrobe, which encourages us (when we do make purchases) to buy clothes that we’ll wear time and time again. But with styles and trends constantly changing, it begs the question: what makes an outfit timeless? And how can I style old, possibly outdated pieces?
To assist my research, I reached out to seven Australian creatives to see how they style an outfit they’ve owned for more than five years.
Ruby Staley, journalist and content producer
This red mini dress has a few stories to tell, I’m sure of it. I bought it back in late 2016 for a party as a base layer for a mildly embarrassing devil costume. Being such a versatile style, with a cute figure-hugging silhouette and mini straps, I ended up wearing this piece for years to come. I still love and wear it to this day, even though it was a bit of a cheapo buy. It’s just a piece I’ll hopefully never have to update and keep styling forever.
Camelia Farhoodi, model and content creator
I hate to be basic but… seriously, a good quality black tank top has been a staple in my wardrobe since I was around 13! One of the most versatile/easy to wear pieces for sure. It also comes in handy on days where I’m not feeling so creative… chuck on some fun bottoms and a black tank, you’re set! Or even for a night look with a black mini skirt. I love this basic… you can seriously squeeze this tank into pretty much any scenario and it will always fit the part. I don’t think we will EVER part ways.
Sarah Zilberman, multidisciplinary artist and makeup artist
Finding clothing that has lasted more than five years was a challenge for me, because of COVID my body has changed a lot in five years. When looking through my wardrobe I came across some items I upcycled to fit my new style and body.
The floral top was a skirt I bought during a gap year in Italy from Zara. I fell in love with the embroidery [but] the skirt was too short so I now wear it as a top. For the blue knit shrug, it was a maxi skirt I got from Camberwell Market years ago, however, I never wore it, so I flipped it into sleeves during lockdown. [The] Y2K bedazzled jeans are from an op shop in Sydney.
Joely Malcolm, content creator
This outfit is comprised of some of my oldest pieces. The pants, which I still wear on a weekly basis, were a Pretty Little Thing purchase from at least six years ago. Although I don’t shop from the brand anymore, I still think it’s important that the pants live a full life!
The top is from my first Omighty order when I was still in high school, and has done the rounds through my friend group and ended up back with me. The jacket is an old op shop find, so who knows how long it’s been around and how many lives it had before me! This bag has sadly fallen apart now, but I purchased it in an op shop when I was 16 and wore it almost every day since then.
Jess Seeto, fashion model
It’s so funny to see the progressive changes, yet obvious similarities, that are reflected in my current style vs me five years ago. The dress I am wearing is close to five years old and was a gift from my grandma when she visited me at 18 years old, after making the big move from Sydney to Melbourne. It is a beautiful Gorman tulle dress with embroidered sequins fashioned to emulate flora and fauna.
Now, at almost 23 (and as my fashion sense has developed over the years) this is probably one of the very few pieces that I have carried with me throughout. I think the reason that I have remained so in love with it is that, while elegant, it has that quintessential sexiness that has been consistent and core to my style.
Emaan Alamgir, paralegal and content creator
I bought this outfit quite a while ago – the jacket must be around five and a half years old and the pants a little after that! I love this outfit because it’s so comfortable yet also versatile. I’ve worn it to brunch, working from home and even a picnic. It’s the perfect ‘do everything’ fit and you can mix and match it to your heart’s content!
Kitch Catterall, digital content producer and founder of Bispha Studios
I bought this blazer on a whim at an op shop down in Ocean Grove about six years ago with my partner. At the time, the whole oversized blazer trend wasn’t really a thing, but I had an upcoming job interview and I thought it would look great over the top of a black tight-fitting dress to look a bit more professional. I bought it and I did in fact get the job! I never parted with it even though I didn’t wear it again until 2020. Now I’m more confident in my style and have worn it in so many different ways. It’s actually a men’s blazer but the fit is perfect.
I’ve thought about removing the shoulder pads a few times which I might do in the future to give it another lease of life. I like the fact that it’s a neutral brown shade as it’s a little less ‘businessy’ than a black or grey blazer and I feel it’s been more versatile and matches denim nicely without making me look overdressed. I think this piece is something I’ll have forever and it serves as a nice reminder that if I see something I know is a great value staple but I’m unsure at the time, just get it. Your style evolves and things go in and out of style, so timeless pieces like plain coats and blazers I think will always be worth having in your wardrobe!
You can learn more about sustainable consumption here.
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