Deck the Halls

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! Now that we’ve stuffed ourselves silly, we have steamrolled into one of the craziest times of year. I’ve loved Christmas since I was a little kid. I love the music and movies, the way that home feels more cozy at Christmas and snow more magical, and the way that we gather together and share a meal. I love dressing up for Christmas parties and I love love love holiday fashion. The glitter tops and dresses are so temping around the holidays, especially given that I am a sucker for glitter any time of year. This brings me to today’s subject: holiday outfit shopping. So many people seem to buy an outfit with one party in mind and never wear the piece again. I just can’t stomach what that does for the environment and how that impacts those who make the item. Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT telling you not to buy a glitter top. In fact, quite the opposite. If you’re going to wear it anytime of year, it’s totally worth the purchase. But if you have a single party in mind, consider swapping it out for something more sustainable (both for your wallet & the planet).

So here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to challenge myself and you to rewear this holiday season. Maybe you want to treat yourself to something new (we are human after all). That’s fine! But make it something versatile, that you will wear well beyond just the holidays.

I started off the holiday season doing just this. The day before Thanksgiving, my mom and I stopped in one of my favorite local stores, Good Neighbor. I tried on a pair of jeans that I fell in love with (so much so that I debated having them just cut the tags at the register so I could wear them out). I felt good about those jeans as they were made in the US (implying they have ethical manufacturing practices) and I knew they would fill a gap in my winter wardrobe. So I bought them! And boy do I love them! So of course I wanted to wear them for Thanksgiving, although I didn’t buy them for the holiday specifically. I paired my new jeans with a thrifted black eyelash sweater already in my closet and my pair of clogs I purchased on a trip to Paris. While I don’t wear my clogs often, they are a piece of my closet I don’t know that I’ll ever get rid of.

I’m challenging myself to carry this thinking into the holidays. While I think New Year’s may prove to be a bit challenging, as I have party with my boyfriend and his family, I want to challenge myself to stick to it! I have plenty of things in my closet that I think could be fun New Year’s attire, and many of those pieces can be styled so many different ways. Maybe I’ll share a few ideas…

Now the pendulum can swing the other way as well. While some people are one-time-outfit offenders, others get really hung up on only buying things that are mega versatile. While that works for some people, it’s not a match for everyone’s style and vibe. And that’s OK!! If you’re like me and you love to have a mix of basics and ultra-unique pieces, you probably won’t thrive on a capsule wardrobe. The important part is figuring out ways to wear & rewear those unique pieces for years to come. I offset my larger wardrobe by making a point to shop small and usually thrifted. You’ve gotta find what works for you, and it’s a process of trial and error. But starting with a simple challenge, like avoiding one-time outfits this season is a great place to start!