Dilemma. How do you balance wanting to buy better quality/more sustainably/investment pieces with wanting to look modern?

[RaspberryThief]

Prompted by waking up to realise I've had a really grim year and desperately feeling the need for a style reboot, but suddenly feeling quite lost and unsure how to go about it.

For the last few years I've tried to shop more sustainably and better quality. Lots of good quality second hand via ebay, some good quality stuff in the sales. But I've woken up to realise that my wardrobe suddenly feels quite staid and dated. I don't feel the need to be bang on-trend but I do want to look a bit more modern. But I also really hate the idea of buying cheap clothes just to stay vaguely on-trend. I love the idea of buying investment pieces, dressing in really high quality clothes, shopping more ethically, and I hate poor quality fabrics and tailoring, but I still want to feel vaguely stylish and modern.

Given that fashions do move on, is there any answer to this particular dilemma? Or are there brands that are good quality and sustainable but also fairly stylish and modern, that run that elusive thin line between "classic and good quality but boring and frumpy" and "stylish, modern, affordable, but will rapidly look like last year's fashion and the fabrics are rubbish"? I've just ordered some dresses from Mango and Monki (lower price point than my typical high-end high street via ebay/the sales type purchases) and they do definitely look much more stylish, but the fabrics are pretty poor (I refuse to buy polyester full stop, but these are still viscose, or cotton so thin it's practically gauze, and everything is unlined) and I can't really see myself still wearing them in a few years' time... Is there any solution?

Things that you genuinely love and you feel comfortable in will live long in your wardrobe regardless of fashion I think.

I am trying to split my purchases into style , long-lasting items (trench coats, well-cut trousers, cashmere, shirt dresses, etc) and fashion , one season wonders (puff sleeve frocks, square-toed shoes).

I pay lots for style, and go to H&M or Zara for fashion.

Yes but I only know about higher end Net Sustain in Net-a-Porter for example

But if too ££ also H&M does an eco line

There must be something in the middle

I think that after covid there has been a bit of a lull in fashion and I’m not sure many people have the appetite to commit to much new just in case! I’ve not been wowed by much that I’ve seen online and barely been to real shops. I’ve found myself looking at things that have been on ‘the list’ (gotta start with a list!) but never go around to buying ie plain white shirt which actually turned out to be an off white linen collared pop-over from uniqlo for me.

I sometimes find that one new item might entice you to try out a different combo of what you already own. I’ll use Pinterest to search for outfit ideas and pick the ones where I know I have the other elements to give it a try. I have some H&M x Hasbeens I bought maybe a decade ago - they’ll be coming out this summer because they have similar strapping to the DM sandals that are in fashion at the minute. They’ll be coming out whenever clogs are in fashion, they’ll be coming out when wedges are in fashion, they’ll be coming out when white is in fashion. They were high street but not throwaway because they weren’t fast fashion in the first place (for me). You might also see the opposite effect and think to yourself I’ll just put those brown cowboy boots to the back of the wardrobe until a new style crops up that I can wear them with in a new way.

I think some of us do simply get bored of what we have, probably because we are only wearing a small portion of our wardrobes on repeat

I know exactly what you mean op. I always think the ideal style is slightly off the fashion radar, so neither dated nor high fashion. It's hard to pull off though because, if it's off the radar, you don't think about it and then even if you do, it's hard to find because it's not on the high street.

I also think it's worth playing the long game and paying more for those things that may still go out of fashion but, if you put them away (and yes you need space to do it) will come back around time and time again, and only need a bit of a tweak to look current again.

Also shoot me but I still like the odd touch of fast fashion, e.g jewellery and shoes can modernise a look.

Totally agree about using jewellery, bags etc. for a hit of fashion. Monki, COS, H&M all good for this IMO.

I agree jewellery, bags even belts can change up a outfit, not so much cheaper shoes for me, my feet don't like them.

I get some stuff from People Tree after receiving a lovely dress from them via Stitch Fix. Might be worth a look for that in between price point.

They are all natural fibres/environmental certification, plus Fairtrade.

This is all really interesting. I do agree that things you really love will often last long in your wardrobe. But for example, I currently have quite a few pairs of beautiful, classic heels (almost all only for going out: I never really wore heels during the day) which I now never wear because no-one wears heels at the moment. Many pairs of skinny jeans which fit and suit me and I do still wear constantly but will only ever look more and more dated now that looser silhouettes have taken over. Beautiful, comfortable brogues and ballet flats, but everyone is in trainers these days. Various going-out dresses that are too formal, or the silhouette looks wrong now that dress shapes have moved on. These were all good quality, semi "investment" purchases of what I thought were fairly classic clothes and shoes. Obviously I do know that I can wear whatever I like. But as I say, I do feel dated.

@Floisme I always think the ideal style is slightly off the fashion radar, so neither dated nor high fashion. Yes, this! I just have no idea how to achieve it. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear.

@Mumsnut I do like this idea. Do you ever find that it can be difficult to put an outfit together if you're trying to ensure that you've managed to combine enough elements of both sections of your wardrobe (the classic/timeless/good quality section and the cheap and cheerful fashion-conscious/modern section)?

Rent some more fashionable stuff - have you looked at things like OnLoan? If you borrowed one more "on trend" item a month and think carefully about the classic items it might sit along, you could get the best of both

@Floisme I always think the ideal style is slightly off the fashion radar, so neither dated nor high fashion. Yes, this! I just have no idea how to achieve it. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear.

It's my holy grail op and I wish I had more idea too I kind of stumbled into it because I wear quite a lot of second hand / vintage and I realised the best buys were the things that had been out of fashion for so long that they no longer looked dated, if that makes sense?
For example, I don't wear head to toe vintage any more but let's say if I wear a 1950s jacket and everything else is contemporary, I get people admiring it and asking where it's from because they can't place it.
Or I bought a Burberry trenchcoat for £50 about 3 or 4 years ago and part of the reason it was such a good price was that it was midi length - it no longer looked dated but it wasn't yet mainstream fashion, and all that summer people were stopping me to ask about it. The problem is that now it's right on trend which means it'll start to look dated again soon - I preferred it before!
Or I think now would be a perfect time to find one of those Chanel boucle jackets. It's never going to happen as I haven't got the budget but that style was everywhere in the early noughties (or was it later?) but I'd say it was off the radar at the moment.

I think another way would be to adopt a 'signature style' and just subtly tweak the details, e.g. the cut of the trousers, so that you look like you always wear the same things and yet you always look modern. I admire people who can do that but I'm too fickle and I get bored.

In the meantime I'd hang onto your heels and ballet flats and skinny jeans - or at least some of them if you're short of space - because I'd put money on them coming back into fashion. They may not come back in exactly the same way but often they don't need a lot of work to make them look modern again, although of course by that point you may not want to wear them any more (or, in my case, they don't always fit!)

What Floisme said.

Keep the classics, they come back.
Avoid the trends that will be one-season wonders (like the potat-shoulder tops and very low cut jeans were)

Get cuts that aren't current. I like straight cut jeans, and they suit me, and they are never in fashion .

Make sure that you keep your hair, specs if you wear them, and make-up current

I don’t think wearing heels in the evening would make you look dated in any way! Some things are forever. The style of the shoe might be “now” or not, but heels are a classic.

I have loads of books on style snd fashion and they all say to buy spendy classics, snd cheap seasonal accessories. Years ago I worked on a fashion magazine in a huge publishing house full of fashion magazines (inc Vogue) and the really stylish people rarely followed trends. It was the 90s so all of us juniors were wearing platform trainers and cargo trousers, but the proper stylish ones were striding around in whatever TF they wanted. They might have given a nod to “fashion” by wearing square-toed shoes, but otherwise their clothes were timeless. It was like they’d transcended.

Interesting thread op. I’ve thought the same thing and didn’t have the answer but I’m liking floisme’s tips

I was v interested in wardrobe icons when it started (don’t know if you’ve seen it), it’s supposed to be advice on how to buy less and buy classics but I’ve found it’s actually all about very expensive items which are termed classics but are actually just high end trend pieces mostly

Worse than that @Idonotwantitthanks, it’s about what the two “founders” like to buy and wear and what suits them. It’s a glorified blog, not a magazine.

@Floisme fantastic post as usual!

OP I am always in this dilemma as well and I too have the expensive skinnies, fitted shift dresses in my wardrobe. I think I need to grit my teeth and spend more on some more up to date things but it’s hard because a) those items really suited me so were easy to buy - I don’t trust my own judgement so well with current trends, and b) I’m pregnant!

That’s true Blair, it is really a blog about Laura and petro’s style, which is too expensive for me so I don’t know why I bother anyway! Petro said the other day that print is never right unless it’s designer, which made me question all the print items I have but I should have just unfollowed! Anyway, that was off topic, sorry!

Lovely interesting thread!
I think about this a good bit too & as I get older (50!) I'm far more comfortable in my own style.
I've worked out now which shapes suit me I think & I tend to wear pretty similar things year in year out.
I buy to the highest quality I can afford & rarely buy fast fashion or cheap items really

I love tapered tailored trousers with good brogues & a blouse/ shirt for work

I also favour a slightly androgynous 30s look but without veering into 'costume' territory.
I'm tall & slim so I know I can wear these things.
I wear flats mainly as I'm 5ft 9 but I like to wear dressier small heels at night - solid mid heel at the moment with wide legged cropped trousers (navy or black)

A small change can make a big difference. I was feeling dated but changed from slim/skinny jeans to barrel leg jeans and it has given my existing tops and shoes/ trainers a new lease of life so I haven't really had to change anything else. I like the large frilled collar look but bought my blouse from Tesco as think it will be a very short lived trend. I also spend more money on items that aren't necessarily classics but I know I am always drawn too. I bought an expensive bag but chose red not the classic black as its a perennial colour for me.

I am quite a classic dresser but like to look slightly edgy and I like Cos for good quality but contemporary that lasts and doesn’t go quickly out of style. Agree re simple but stylish accessories changing the look, and mixing and matching differently to stay on trend. I do stick with natural fabrics for the majority of pieces and do buy some more on trend clothes each season, eg this year some blouses with bigger frilly collars for example but from H&M as they probably won’t be worn for years and years to come.

I wear jeans a lot so I don’t spend a lot on them but try to keep up with current styles - I’m no longer wearing skinnies (except in the winter with wellies/country boots for walking/gardening). Currently in a pair of supermarket “mom” jeans which I love & look quite current. Many of my tops are years old but they are classic t-shirts. I never embraced faddy trends like cold-shoulder tops.

Re trainers I tend to go for ones that are neither in nor out of fashion. I currently live in a pair of Diesel trainers (which look kind of like converse) so not out of fashion as such but not like something like Veja which were all the rage a few years back but now look a bit dated.

I do have lots of tight fitted office dresses and high heels which I love but feel quite dated now

I’ve been trying to do the same.

I want to balance buying better quality pieces and keeping somewhat up to date, and I think I’m now comfortable buying new items if I think I really love them, and/or I think they’ll be ‘in’ for more than one season.

So definitely for me it was worth buying a few expensive non-skinny jeans - wider legs, straight legs etc - as I can see them being used for several years (I mean, how long did skinny jeans stay in for?) and they get used several times a week. Or if it’s something that I really love, I’ll either continue to wear it even if it’s out of fashion, or I’ll pack it away and be happy to wear it again in a few years.

I also agree a few new maybe cheaper things can help now and then.

And like @MojoMoon I was going to suggest some of the loan sites - Hurr, By Rotation, On Loan - as you can rent say a really lovely and fashionable dress for a wedding or party and feel up to date and just enjoy the random fun trends.

I think the Olsen twins are a good example of style that is always classic. They never really follow trends but always look really stylish and modern anyway.

I also think this stuff would be so much easier if we only had the gift of hindsight. I mean why oh why didn't I cotton on in the early noughties that the classic/modern way to wear skinny jeans was to balance them with a stripey top and a leather biker jacket? I could have bought the best quality jeans, Ts and biker in town and I'd have had a look that would have seen me through the next 15 years or so
(Admittedly I'd have been bored senseless by 2010 but that's for another day.)

Whatever you buy, buy things consciously, things that you absolutely love, then you are guaranteed to keep wearing them for at least a couple of years - and probably until they have holes. I personally think this is more sustainable than buying classic, because it inevitably dates. As for actual brands, I think gems can be found across most brands (although I avoid places like shein)