ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF 5

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RECYCLE FASHION
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ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF

OUTFIT 5 : TROPICAL CHIC

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​Please enjoy part 6, outfit 5, of the "Recycle fashion" series.
In short, same girls, old clothes, new style.
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If you haven't read one of the previous post's explaining the purpose of the "Eco-Express yourself, Recycle fashion" series, click the link directly below or at the bottom of the page. You can also scroll down for a quick repeat and introduction after the photos. 
​Basically, everything we wear is about a year old and beyond, and definitely from a previous season. 
​Proving that old trends can be reused for a current look. Also, we do our best to keep the leather faux and cruelty free.

To READ THE INTRODUCTION TO "ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF", CLICK HERE.

​Sun (I am) wearing
Everything I'm wearing is at least a year old, so it's hard to keep track of the exact era. But more or less... 
My vintage sunglasses were bought almost 10 years ago, in Milan at Fiera di Senigallia. They're probably originally from the 70's.  
​My gold colored bracelets are about four years old and my gold belt is about two years old.
My black sandal-heals are about four years old, and inherited from my former roomie during one of her closet clean outs (Having clothes and shoes in the same size, is one of the glorious benefits of living with a friend who is as tall as you are). 
My white peplum-top is about three years old.
My white skinny jeans are about a year and a half old, and a newer favourite of mine.
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I do sometimes buy new stuff, but I try to use the "quality over quantity" rule and take my time finding the right style. (It took me six years to find the perfect black winter coat). I know exactly what I want, what looks good on me, what doesn't, and that makes me picky.
I do have a habit of spending about half a decade searching for the perfect item before I am able to track it down...But, I have come to think that stuff you loose interest in too fast, or stuff that's not perfect on you isn't worth having anyway. If you invest in the right item, you'll need less stuff. If you buy the almost right item, you'll easily find yourself wanting more. It's like food- Eat right, and you'll feel full and satisfied. 

Mia is wearing 
The white transparent shirt-dress and is borrowed from me, and is about 4 years old. So is the white tight dress she is wearing underneath.
The white watch and black belt is also borrowed from me, and about 5 years old (watch) and 8 years old (belt).
The black ankle boots and the sunglasses are about a year and a half old, and some of the last things she bought before she decided to do a shopping free year (Which has now come to an end).
Her pantyhose are new- But let's be honest, some things just don't make it a year even though you try to be eco-friendly.
(Also, her daughter's clothes are relatively new, because kids grow and she doesn't have older siblings to inherit from).

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Notes from Mia's shopping free year, to everyone who wants to try it
​(Or maybe just be more eco-friendly).
If you need something for a special occasion (maybe a wedding) and you don't have anything you feel like wearing, ask if you can borrow something from one of your friends for that particular day. We don't really wear ballgowns or party dresses very often anyway, and a lot of us don't like to repeat ourselves. So, to avoid buying stuff you only use once or twice, why not borrow the dress?
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If your friends are as shopping happy as mine (and Mia's), another option is to ask them to invite you over when they're cleaning out their closet. Their trash might be your treasure. People tend to outgrow the style long before the clothing is worn out, so don't underestimate the second hand option.
My group have a yearly "Swap Party" at my place. It's fun and social, and everyone goes home with some new cool clothes that someone else has outgrown (physically or mentally). A "Swap Party", is a win win situation for both the environment​ and your wallet.

​There are lots of ways to go about getting new clothes without having to actually buy new ones. 

for more "eco-express yourself" outfits, click here.

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Most of the time we see pictures of clothes, someone is trying to sell us something. There's always some new trend and must have for our shopping list. That's just how fashion works, it always needs to stay one step ahead (As it must, to keep interest up. Usually with the help of something new and different that will provoke a reaction, the way all art should). 

​This project is about separating the fashion from the industry, and a reminder that style doesn't come from a store, but from creativity and personality. Fashion can be about so much more than just shopping and having a certain look. 
Besides the fact that we need clothing to keep us warm, or to cover certain body parts, fashion and style is more about self expression. It can be fun and creative, and a great tool for making a statement about who you are (or want to be). It can make you feel beautiful or cool, and changing up your look can sometimes be that little extra to make you feel new and refreshed. I would go as far as saying, that at least to me, fashion makes me happy. Visual beauty can turn a bad day into a good one, with just an "injection" of something pretty to look at. Bad design, makes me stressed out, and things I find beautiful calms me down and inspire me. It just put's me in my happy place (and that is probably why I got into fashion in the first place). Looking at beautiful and fun things can be good for your mental health, you could say. 
But, to keep this short, let's skip straight to the most important part of the message. Trends follow cycles, and is revived every so often. So, you actually don't have to buy something new to keep up with all the trends. Well, at least not if you plan ahead a little (See the GOLDEN WARDROBE RULES, at the bottom, or click link to read the intro to the series).

To show you what recycling fashion actually looks like, I have decided to perpetuate and share some looks put together from "old " clothes, a.k.a from at least last years fashion and beyond.
These outfits aren't just for show, but a caption of an actual day out (Also why I'm not wearing heals. I try to get around it as often as possible, and only wear them when the outfit demands for it).
​This is fashion in real life, emerging form a real wardrobe or two, belonging to "normal" fashion-lovers. Because, most normal people can't afford to wear something new every day. 
​So, I thought it would be fun to do a "fashion in real life", kind of shoot. The goal is to (hopefully) inspire others to realize that you don't need to buy new clothes all the time to be fashionable or express your creative side. ​

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THE GOLDEN WARDROBE RULE
​Be smart and selective about what you buy, and think long term. Remember that fashion goes in cycles. In five to ten years those last years jeans will be the hottest thing again. The trick is to think of your closet as a collection, and only shop for what's missing. Never just buy something because it's pretty or cool. Take notice of what you really you need, when roaming through your clothes getting ready, and make a list. This is a good way of preventing that impulse shopping, based on your feelings for that random shiny dress you just got a fleeting crush on (that you'll never get to wear). The key is to build a wardrobe where you can find an outfit for any occasion, without having to go shopping. Even if it's for work, a birthday party, camping, or a wedding. Too many of us have the "I have a hundred party tops, and yet I have nothing to wear" kind of closets. Instead, spare the environment the pollution, and save money on buying long lasting quality items.

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want more tips on how to get you wardrobe in order, click here.

want more fashion advice from idealist style, click here.

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Amateur models for the day are my bestie (and fellow designer) Mia Åkerlund, her daughter Stella, and I. Everything we wear is at least a year old and beyond, and definitely from a previous season.
​Proving that old trends can be reused for a current look. 
Stay tuned for more looks from my functional closet-project, Eco-Express yourself, and Mia's shopping free year. 

The images are mine. Location: Botanisk Hage, Oslo. ​​