ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF 4

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RECYCLE FASHION
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ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF

OUTFIT 4 : CASUAL EDGE

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Please enjoy part 5, outfit 4, 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 two 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, all the leather is faux and cruelty free.
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TO READ THE INTRODUCTION TO THE "ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF", CLICK HERE.

Sun (I am) wearing 
My vintage sunglasses were bought 9, almost 10 years ago, in Milan at Fiera di Senigallia. They're probably originally from the 70's, and the best sunglasses I have ever owned- In both quality and the way they fit my face. They are my "go to" sunglasses for most occasions.
My "AWESOME" tank top, is close to two years old, and one I wear frequently when I'm casual, but still want to project some edge.
My faux leather skirt is cruelty free, and about 4 years old. I love the way leather adds texture to an outfit, but I don't want to support animal cruelty, or any form of cruelty for that matter. So, faux leather and faux fur is the eco-friendly way to go if you want the leather or fur look. As a style choice, it's a good investment since the "leather look" keeps coming back in style, so you can reuse it as long as the quality lasts. 
My gold colored bracelets are about two years old.
​My pantyhose has lasted a remarkable three years, since I don't wear them much. 
My Dr.Martens boots are about four years old and counting. It's my second pair, and I wear them with pretty much everything. They're super comfy, good for your back compared to heals, and they seem to always come back in style.
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Mia is wearing 
The classic black tank-top underneath is about one and a half years old. A basic needs to gets replaced once in a while, so quality over quantity is a good rule for buying basics and other things you know will be used a lot. If you don't have to replace it too often, you will make a much smaller ecological footprint on the planet. 
The jeans are about three years old, an "in the nick of time" find from a "Swap Party", and she wears them a lot. Jeans are practical and comfy, even suitable for work if you are a designer like her. If you find the right pair, you only need one (Sure, you might like a pair in black or white too, but one pair per color should be sufficient​. Some people I know have easily ten pair of blue jeans...that they never wear. So invest in the good ones, and don't waste on the "closet fillers"). 
The black ankle boots, the sunglasses, and the faux leather jacket are all a year and a half old, and some of the last things she bought before she decided to do a shopping free year. You might notice that she will repeat the shoes and the sunglasses in about every outfit she has done. They are versatile and perfect for her personal style, and when you have one pair you love, you don't need as many options. 

As I've mentioned before, Mia has been doing a shopping free year. So, to everyone who wants to do this, here is a new tip!
​Before starting, she made sure she had some "go to" favorites and necessary​ basics in her closet. When you have what you need, you don't really need more, and that will make a shopping free year less "painful". If you need something replaced beyond that, there is always such a thing as a sewing machine, and it's not as difficult and time consuming to repair your clothes as you might think. After all, most of our female ancestors did it for centuries. So, we are genetically capable. Also, my dad learned to sew in the military, so historical gender roles are not an excuse for men not to learn. On top of that, It's very economical, and a great basic skill to have.
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For more tips to prepare for a shopping free year, "The Golden Wardrobe Rule" (at the bottom of the page) might also give you some pointers. Doing a shopping free year, is probably most about detoxing from your shopping habits, and hopefully learn to live with less. Being eco-friendly and still have fun with fashion, is a lot about being consicous about your choices. 

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 YOUR WARDROBE IN ORDER, CLICK HERE.

FOR 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 and I. Everything we wear are about a year old and beyond, and definitely from a previous season. Proving that old trends can be reused for a current look. As a matter of fact, I've seen plenty of similar styles in shop's right now. So, these outfits are just as good as new.

Stay tuned for more looks from my functional closet-project, Eco-Express yourself, and Mia's shopping free year. 

The images are mine. Location: Vika, Oslo. ​​