Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you doing? This is going to be another outfit post focused on fashion sustainability. In this post, I'll share with you two winter outfits and forty ways to style a pair of brown block heel boots. Rewearing clothes or even repeating outfits is such an easy way to introduce and promote fashion sustainability. With each repeated wear we're reducing our carbon imprint. Moreover, shopping our closets can be so much fun. Building a wardrobe you love makes shopping our clothes easier, and you this is something you can start doing any time.
As I've said many times on my blog, styling clothes can be such an easy way to brighten up our days. Clothes are rarely just clothes. Our clothing items and outfits tell stories, one way or another. Telling stories with clothes is what we all do. Our clothing items tell a story, both on their own and as a part of an outfit. Plus, often we can tell stories about our clothes. It goes both ways. We create memories with clothes and this gives them additional meaning.
When it was time for me to choose a theme for my new post, I decided on these brown boots. Now, I've had these boots for ages, so I've probably worn them more than a hundred times. However, forty wears is what I found on this blog. How many wears should we strive for? For as many wears as feels right, I'd say. Thirty wears is a movement that started a decade ago (in 2015) that aimed to bring awareness by urging people to think of at least 30 wears to wear something. However, why not wear something forever? Why not aim for as many wears as we we can get?
Rewearing your clothes is easier if you like to play with fashion, but of course it can be done in a variety of ways. Both a minimalist and a maximalist can have a wardrobe they love to shop from. The philosophy of shopping one's wardrobe or being more self-sustainable is really in our approach to things and knowing what works for us. It doesn't really matter what your personal fashion style is or if you even identify with any fashion styles, as any personal style can be more sustainable.
I'm definitely an outfit repeater, and I don't see anything wrong with that. Often I change some details about my outfits. I like to think of different ways to style something. I like to change my outfits in simple ways by wearing different accessories and so on. I enjoy the challenge of wearing a clothing item or a pair of shoes in different ways.
I don't have a minimalist wardrobe. While I don't shop for clothes often, and sometimes months go by before I buy something, I've accumulated a lot of clothes through the years. I've obviously bought a lot of clothing items, but there are also ones I got, inherited or made. Another reason why my wardrobe is fairly big is that I tend to take good care of my clothes, so they often last me a long time. I have a lot of vintage clothes and I wear vintage often, but there isn't a specific fashion time period I'm trying to emulate. I'm just as likely to wear clothes from the sixties and I'm from the nineties.
I think we all have practical items in our closet. Just because it's practical doesn't mean we like them any less. When I look at clothing items I wear most often, I see a lot of classical clothing items. There are also some items that are less classical and that I wear pretty often as well. I suppose that getting dressed om a way you yourself enjoy gets easier as one has more experience with it.
Do you remember those lists about what every women should have in their closet? While they are pretty generic and don't leave much place for personal preferences, they can still be useful to a lot of people.
Some clothing items just work for many purposes and are very practical. Yes, some clothing items are simply more practical than others. Hence they will be worn more often and by more people. Still, personal style is important.
When it comes to building a wardrobe you're actually wear, personal style is everything, especially if you have a particular clothing style you enjoy. If you live in maxi dresses and skirts, there's no need to go on and buy a pair of jeans just because some magazine told you so. Some people just don't wear jeans, and that's alright too!
Does this means that all those fashion magazine articles that claim to have found the perfect formula for a perfect wardrobe might not work for you? Yes, it does. I mean, from what I read from fashion magazines lately, they are reposting what is trending and recycling the advice that's on the trend. I suppose it's easier than admitting that they might not know what fashion and clothes mean for other people.
I'm not sure if I even have a definite style. I suppose that the way I dress is similar to other women from my area or Europe in general. One cannot make definite conclusions or claims about European fashion as there are so many different countries and cultures in Europe, but there are perhaps some common traits. Europeans typically dress up more when leaving their home. Sporty or very casual items are often seen as not appropriate, especially for work or social occasions. It's also not unusual for European women not to wear a lot of make up. Generally speaking, heavy make up is seen as something optional, and heavy make up is seen as something worn only for special occasions.
Anyway, I don't think there's anything particularly revolutionary or interesting in the way I dress per se. Rather what I find interesting is finding meaning in small things- little moments and memories where clothes have a role to play. I like to write about the clothes themselves, what they mean to us, why we wear them and so on.
I remember a time when fashion blogs (both hobby and professional ones) were very popular, and I was always fascinated by how much can be said and shown though clothes. Some of you fellow bloggers might remember this period as well, a time predating the rise of social networks. The golden age of blogs, if you will. Not that I think blogs are changed.
Blogging is still often a community experience, there is that sense of a blogging community, but it seems a smaller community these days. Maybe that's not a bad thing. Maybe it makes blogging more precious somehow. When you message someone or leave a comment on a blog these days, the odds are you really have something to say. Of course there are spam comments, but those can just be ignored. The comments on blogs might become more meaningful, just because there will be less comments just for the sake of comments.
What I noticed about those old blog posts is that they were often very long meditations about life.
This doesn't apply only to fashion blogs. Blog posts used to be more about writing. They still are, just these days the blogs are almost hidden. Unless you have blogs you follow regularly, you might have a hard time finding authentic blogs as Internet is flooded with sponsored content. Search engines don't really like blogs that much or at any rate- they prefer sponsored content. It's hard for blogs to complete with an army of commercial sites. Still, blogs are still here. They still offer quality content. It's just harder to find it.
I've read so many interesting blog posts over the years, posts as fascinating and memorable as some of the best books I've read.
I honestly feel like I've learnt a lot reading blogs! I learnt a lot about- life. Yes, life.
Behind many posts that seemed light, there was also a lot of depth.
A story to tell. A life to live. It's always around us. Life. However, sometimes we don't see it. Sometimes we forget how
I read so many different stories on blogs, told in so many distinct voices.
Personal stories.
Professional stories.
Profound stories.
Painful stories.
Peaceful stories.
Pleasant stories.
Passionate stories.
In today copy-paste or AI generated content days, what is more precious than a true heart-felt story ?
Perfect stories. All those stories told on blogs were perfect stories, whether they were written well or not. They were perfect because they were human.
Of course, there are still a lot of blogs (fashion blogs included) where one can read a lot. However, a lot of bloggers moved onto social media, and I don't know what it is about social media, but you can't find a lot of good writing on there. I feel like most social media. I'm aware that sites, webpages and even blogs are considered social media by some, but still there's some difference.
Having a blog still feels more personal than an average social media account. It just feels like you're putting in more effort or making a bit more of a more lasting point. Social media has its benefits. It's easier to find and reach someone. You can make contacts more quickly. However, social media connections are rarely that deep. Many people have written about deleting their social media accounts and not even remembering hundreds of people they called or considered their friend. If someone is your friend only on social media, that's not really a genuine connection. If they can't remember you and you can't remember them after not being active on social media for a month or so- what kind of connection that is? Social media is all about quick interactions, blogs feel more slow and perhaps even more passive in terms of engagement, but they are also more meaningful or at least they feel more meaningful.
Why am I writing all this? Not because I'm expecting someone to read it, I suppose it's more for myself. As I mentioned not too long ago, I miss writing on my blog. Somehow my writing has turned more practical over the time, and while this can se useful as it makes my posts look more neat, I feel like my posts are missing some spontaneity.
I feel like letting my thoughts wonder at times. Just typing away on the keyboard and capturing my thoughts can be very freeing. So, I might do a bit more writing on my blog- or at least I'm trying to find the time to it. More time to capture some of my thoughts. I do have a lot of them. I'm one of those people who tend to overthink. While I've gotten better with this in years, sometimes I actually enjoy having a mind where thoughts seem to come and go. It's like having an open conversation sometimes.
Everything has its benefits and disadvantages. Every mind is different. It's always up to us to figure out what works for us. As humans, we like to put responsibility on the others. It's understandable as life is hard, and there always seems to be so much unfinished work. However, in the end, we're all responsible for ourselves.
This morning I went and look over some blogs that stopped posting a long time ago. They still have some great articles. One can still find some really quality writing on blogs. Not every blog posts is serious or is supposed to be, there's nothing wrong with light topics, but it's great that there was a time when there was so much writing on the Internet. In some ways, there still is. However, now the algorithms and the AI content seem to be changing things- and I don't think it's necessarily for the better.
I just don't have the stomach or whatever it takes for social networks these days. I only use LinkedIn these days and I often ask whether that's a waste of time too. Sometimes I do get some work offers and freelance work over LinkedIn but not enough to justify and significant engagement. From what I can see even despite not being on social media, because the news also carry those vibes, is that people are becoming more and more emotional and aggressive out there. Sometimes it feels like social media is the amplifier for everything negative that happens.
As I said, blogs are similar to social media in a number of ways. However, with social media and the pressure of constant posting, people are turning to AI more and more. They are passing AI written articles as their own- and that's just sad. Some people say that soon Internet will be just a mass of plagiarized content, recycled and recycled again.
For decades, there were so many unselfish people who have been uploading useful information on the internet, writing countless articles for free. There were whole projects of countless people working together, producing encyclopedia of knowledge through volunteer work. Now the AI thing is a legal plagiarisms on the work of others. It was honestly better when people plagiarized other people. At least there was a human element to it. Plus, one could point a finger to it and call it what it is. AI has made plagiarism legal by using the phrase 'training software' like we don't all know what it really means. None of us gave our consent to our date being collected and saved. Now, it's just software plagiarizing software- and what will happen to writing and reading as we know it?
But let's not be too negative. While there are many problems in the world, there's also a lot to be grateful for. We can still enjoy a nice walk. We can set aside a minute to just breathe. We can still try to make an effort for our loved ones- and sometimes it's all it matters.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY FASHION FOR A MINUTE!
I do sustainable fashion files on my blog pretty often. It's basically just a chat about my clothes and showing different ways I wore something.
Sustainable and/or eco-friendly fashion is more than a movement or a trend. It's a way of living. It's a way of appreciating what we have. It's about being grateful and mindful. It's about caring for our planet and our wallets. It's about building a wardrobe we can rely on, and not giving into consumerism. It's about treating ourselves and others with respect.
Fashion is never just about fashion. There's always more to it. How we treat things, how we treat others, how we dress, how we think...all these things are interconnected.
I always say there's more than one way to be sustainable.
I think true sustainability starts in our head and heads.
It's all about caring for ourselves, others and this world that surrounds us.
It's about respect. It's about finding ways to show that respect. It's about taking care of ourselves, others and- even clothes.
You can be sustainable in a number of ways and in different areas of your life. There isn't one single correct way to do anything in life. Some people will follow sustainable trends, while others will find other ways that work for them.
Some people will come up with new ways to be sustainable.
Sometimes at different stages, different things will work for us...and certainly different things will work for different people. We need to respect this, and not try to impose our own way. This applies to fashion just as it does to anything else. There's more to fashion and clothes than we might realize. Still, this whole clothes and dressing thing-it's worth some thought. It's not trivial...or rather it is as trivial as we make it to be.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION FILES- HOW I WORE THESE BROWN BOOTS BEFORE?
40 WAYS TO WEAR A PAIR OF LEATHER BROWN BOOTS
A PAIR OF LEATHER BROWN BOOTS - bought in Leonardo store more than a decade ago! Who knows how many times I have worn them?
Looking over the old posts, I was reminded how long have I been blogging! It's been positive ages.
1& 2) --- See two different ways I wore them in 2022, one outfit features these boots worn with black leggings, a black skater skirt, a pink cardi and a grey coat and the other worn with jeans, a camel coat, a pink t-shirt and a grey blazer.
3) See how I wore this pair of boots with a blue coat, a colourful scarf, a diy headpiece and blue jeans for a visit to Goranci in 2014.
4) See how I wore these boots with a black suit and a white shirt in this post from 2019.
5) See how I wore these brown leather boots with a magenta coat, a pair of blue jeans and a leather basketball cap in 2018.
See how I wore them seven different ways in this post from 2016 focused on styling boots in Winter and published in 2016.
6) here- brown boots worn with a blue dress, green scarf and a faux leather brown coat in 2014.
7) here - brown boots worn with a blue scarf, a vintage black blazer with gold threads and dusty pink skirt in a post published in 2014.
8) here- brown boots worn with black jeans from Mango and a vintage leather jacket in 2014.
9) here- brown boots worn with blue jeans, a turtleneck dress, a leather jacket and a folklore bag in 2015.
10) here- worn with grey jeans, a blue turtleneck, and a white hand painted vintage jacket in 2014.
11) See how I wore these brown boots with a printed t-shirt, a brown cord jacket, a yellow bag, a green tartan ski jacket and a mini skirt in 2014.
12) See how I wore these brown boots with a yellow tartan skirt and a green tartan jacket in 2014.
13) See how I wore these brown boots with a seaweed green dress, black leggings and a knit pink cardigan in 2014.
14) See how I wore these brown boots with a red blazer, a pair of dark grey trousers and a printed t-shirt in 2014.
15) See how I wore these brown boots with a black puffer and a pair of brown striped trousers in 2013.
16 ) See how I wore these brown boots with a vintage pink dress and a black coat in 2013.
17) See how I styled these brown boots with a yellow tartan mini, a vintage pink sweater with a double collar vintage shirt layered underneath and a white faux leather jacket in 2013.
18) See how I styled these brown boots with a vintage pleated midi skirt and a cropped black and purple jacket in 2013.
19) See how I styled these brown boots with a DIY butterfly necklace, brown striped pants and a vintage brown cord jacket in 2013 and here with a very similar combo 20) but styled with a vintage open neck grey t-shirt.
21) See how I styled these brown boots with flared jeans, a cartoon printed t-shirt, a black shirt, a denim jacket and a mustard yellow bag in 2013.
22) See how I styled these brown boots with leopard leggings, a long black cardigan and a faux leather white jacket in 2013.
23) See how I styled these brown boots with navy flared trousers and a magenta coat and in another outfit 24) with a pattern turtleneck, a black blazer, black cord jeans and a magenta coat in 2020
25 ) See how I styled these brown boots with wide navy trousers, a burgundy faux leather jacket and a striped shirt in 2020
26) See how I styled these brown boots with jeans, a brown long leather jacket with a faux fur hoodie, an overused tartan scarf, and a camel bag in 2019.
27) See how I styled these brown boots with a pair of brown striped flared pants, a long black denim jacket, a faux fur scarf and a knit beanie in 2013.
28) See how I styled these brown boots with a camel coat, an olive green vest and navy trousers in 2021.
29) See how I styled these brown boots with flared washed out jeans, a white shirt and a grey coat in 2021 when I also shared 30) this styling featuring the same boots and jeans, but a different black coat.
31) See how I styled these brown boots with a skater dress, black leg warmers and a camel coat in 2021.
32) See how I styled these brown boots with a peplum dress, a burgundy faux leather jacket, a black coat and leggings in 2020.
33) See how I styled these brown boots with a grey suit (blazer and pants) in 2020.
34) See how I styled these brown boots with straight cut jeans, a purple sweater with a white shirt layered underneath and an aviator jacket on top in 2020.
35) See how I styled these brown boots with a vintage pepita blazer, a statement belt, vintage flared jeans and a sweater dress in 2013.
36) See how I styled these brown boots with a dark navy vintage mini skirt, a striped top and a long pink cardigan in 2013.
37) See how I styled these brown boots with a black turtleneck, a long black faux leather coat, a black statement belt, a red beanie and a pair of tartan trousers in 2013.
38) See how I styled these brown boots with a blue and white vintage shirt, blue jeans, and a long beige puffer with a hoodie in 2013.
39 - 40) Two outfits I'm sharing today, one is composed out of a blue jumpsuit and brown coat, the other from a camel coat paired with black flared leggings.
THE CAMEL COAT- H&M (gift)
I told you the story of this coat many times. I continue to wear it fairly often!
37 WAYS TO WEAR A SHORT CAMEL COAT
#3 & 4 two advent stylings in this Advent post from 2019 (OUTFIT NUMBER #3 A CAMEL COAT PAIRED WITH A PRINTED DRESS AND A FUN BEANIE /OUTFIT NUMBER #4: A CAMEL COAT WORN WITH A WHITE SHIRT, A LONG GREEN VEST AND NAVY FLARES)
#5 See how I have worn with a maxi skirt, a pussy bow blouse, a vintage sweater and brown boots HERE in 2021.
#6 worn with flared pale denim jeans and a tie HERE.
#7 showcased with one of the outfits worn for visiting Sućuraj on island Hvar HERE.
#8 & #9 showcased worn with two different winter outfits in a multiple outfit post HERE.
#10 worn with a maxi beige skirt in this multiple outfit post HERE.
#11 worn with the same beige maxi skirt for a book review shot in Jelsa, island Hvar HERE
#12 worn with one of my outfits from 2022 (the one I wore for a dinner in restaurant Romanca near Mostar HERE.
#13 worn with a floral skirt for a cozy look in Jelsa HERE.
#14 worn with an orange dress for a visit to Stari Grad HERE in 2019.
#16 worn with a Stanka Zovko set and heels HERE.
#17 worn with a blue pleated skirt and a beanie HERE in 2021 for an outfit post.
#18 worn with a blue denim skirt and camel boots HERE in 2020 for a post that focused on twenty different ways to style the above mentioned Amadeus denim skirt.
#19 worn with cord leggings, tartan blazer and a mustard turtleneck HERE.
#24 worn with handpainted jeans and a brown blazer HERE.
# 37 The outfit I'm sharing today!
7 WAYS TO WEAR THE BLACK BAG WITH STUDS
This bag was an anniversary gift, but since then I have worn it so many times! See 1) here, 2) here, 3) here ,4) here, 5) here 6) here and 7) here. 10 WAYS TO WEAR THE BLACK FLARED LEGGINGS (no name)
My mother gave me these leggings a few years ago. She said that there were too small for her if I recall correctly. Most of the time, I don't even link these leggings up, since I rarely wear leggings on their own. I see them more like undergarment, like tights. However, today I decided to look up for other outfits I have styled these leggings with and I found ten published posts on my blog. I have even found one outfit where I wore them on their own. I'm pretty sure I wore them at least a hundred times, as I wore them to work a lot. When I styled them for work, I always wear a dress on top.
1) Black flared leggings worn with a long cardi, black high heeled boots and a red puffer jacket in February 2025.
2) Black flared leggings worn with a black tunics, pointy stiletto heels and a black and gold vintage vest in January 2025.
3 & 4) Black flared leggings worn two ways with two black and white outfits in November 2024.
5& 6) Black flared leggings worn with two outfits featuring the same olive blazer in 2024.
7) Black flared leggings worn with a geometrical green dress and a black blazer in May 2024.
8) Black flared leggings worn with a mini blue dress and BW sneakers in January 2024.
9) Black flared leggings worn with a mini skirt and a red checkered jacket in March 2024.
10) Black flared leggings worn with a red top with lace details and high suede heels in July 2023.
6 WAYS TO WEAR THE GOLDEN SILK SCARF WITH A MALTESE CROSS (bought in Malta of course)
5) The golden scarf worn with a pair of black leggings and a black top (linked above)
6) Worn with a camel coat in an outfit I'm sharing today
How do you like this styling? I felt very comfortable in this. As you can see in these photographs, I have worn this for a sunny winter walk in Mostar. Sometimes simplicity is the way to go.
Thank you for visiting and commenting!
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Wonderful pics dear Ivana! Have a nice weekend ❤️
ReplyDeleteLeone
Thank you Leone. Have a great weekend, too!
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