OK, it’s the striped jersey maxi dress again…
Doesn’t this woman have anything new to show us? Is that what you’re thinking? Well, I have a very small wardrobe, and I like it that way. My life is easier and less stressful when I have less stuff to store and take care of. And when it comes to clothes, I tend to wear the same thing over and over again anyway. Or at best variations of the same old, same old. And I’m fine with that.
I also like a limited colour palette as it makes it easier to mix and match my clothes. That being said, I also like to have a few items with a little bit of a wow factor.
OK, an oversized linen shirt is not exactly a ‘wow‘ item. But hot pink is certainly a ‘wow’ colour. It also happens to be one of the best colours for me.
By the way, this shirt really is ‘oversized’, i.e. it’s about 2 sizes too big. I wanted a shirt that was big, huge even. A shirt I could wear instead of a jacket, or tied at the waist, or loose and flowy.
That’s because I don’t particularly like linen shirts: they’re not very comfortable (OK, I hate all button-down shirts), and they need to be ironed. But they serve a purpose: they’re a cool and practical way of protecting my skin from the sun (I burn very easily).
The problem with linen shirts (or linen clothes in general) is that it’s very difficult, if not totally impossible, to find good quality, thick linen. Most linen clothes, this shirt included, are more or less see-through. In other words, not worth spending money on.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m more than willing to spend good money on quality clothes I can wear for years. In fact, I think this is what we all should do: spend more money on fewer clothes, and wear and cherish them forever. That’s sustainable shopping.
And yes, I know that a lot of people can’t afford to buy expensive clothes. Neither can I. Which is why I insist on getting my money’s worth when I go shopping. I can’t afford to buy cheap tat. And I can’t afford to buy stuff that I will just throw away a few months later. And more importantly, the planet can’t take that. Not anymore.
So, what does this have to do with a linen shirt that is clearly not top quality? Well, sometimes we have to compromise. I needed a linen shirt, yet couldn’t find one in the colour or quality I wanted, and ended up settling for an affordable (though not cheap) alternative.
However, I only bought one shirt. In the past I would have bought the shirt in 2 or 3 different colours, and hardly worn any of them. But now, I plan to wear this one all summer, and all next summer, too (yes, that means you’ll be seeing it again).
Besides, hot pink really is one of the best colours for me…
Outfit details:
dress: Pelle P / linen shirt. Marks and Spencer / shoes: Vagabond /
bag: Marc Jacobs (old) / sunglasses: Longchamp
What’s your ‘sustainable shopping strategy’?
Tiina
PS: I’ve been taking a lot of pictures of the local flora and fauna this summer, and managed to capture, for example, some urban wildlife:
You can see more of these on my other blog: Dilettante Artist. (www.dilettanteartist.com)
Linking up with:
Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, High Latitude Style, A Labour of Life, Curly Crafty Mom, Doused in Pink, Not Dressed As Lamb, Living on Cloud Nine, Elegance and Mommyhood, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Shelbee on the Edge, A Pocketful of Polka Dots Style Splash, Away from the Blue, Mummabstylish , Mutton Years Style and I, Confessions of a Montreal Styling Diva, Independent Fashion Bloggers
That duck pictures is beautiful! I love how you remix what you have to create new outfits. That color is definitely one of your colors. I am not a fan of button downs myself but I have a couple that I use like you as a light layer.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Author
Thanks, Mireille!
Do you find button-downs constraining? I do, especially cotton shirts, and that’s why I never wear them. I like the look of them, though. But I’ve come to the conclusion that as much I like the look of something, any piece f clothing has to earn its place in my (very small) wardrobe, so I stopped buying clothes that I never wear. So, now I have only two button down shirts, both linen, to wear in summer.
A shirt is handy when it’s too warm for a cardigan. I bought one recently in something called ‘Tencel’ apparently it’s made from wood pulp. It’s thicker than linen, bit too warm for July. Have you noticed the evenings drawing in? Maybe not in your neck of the woods but on the Med it’s already noticeable.
Author
Exactly! And a shirt makes great sun protection, too.
Yes, tercel is basically the same as viscose but a lot stronger: man-made fibre, made of pulp. It’s softer than cotton, and more environmentally friendly but otherwise has all the same (good) qualities. It’s a great option for easy-care clothes as it has all the good qualities of natural fibres, too, but without many of the drawbacks.
Oh yes, the evenings are getting darker fast now: sunset is after 10 now, and sunrise is getting later, too. We’ll have dark evenings again in a few weeks.
Your hot pink linen shirt is fabulous with your striped maxi dress! Definitely a good color on you. I once read where President Obama had all identical suits, so it would be one less thing he had to think about everyday. There is wisdom in keeping your wardrobe minimal and manageable.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Author
Thanks,Michelle!
I like that easy approach to dressing: we all have days when we need all our energy for the more important decisions we have to make, so dressing should be simple and stress-free.
This shade of pink really is quite brilliant on you! It is one of my favorite colors on myself as well. In fact, I have been organizing my resale pile and just recovered a similar linen top in bright pink and I don’t know why I was going to get rid of it. I tried it on one last time before letting it go and was like, “Wow, this shirt looks amazing on me. I can’t get rid of it.” Ha. I need to try it over a dress like this! I am with you on button down shirts. They are ridiculously uncomfortable unless you buy them two sizes too big! Great post, great outfit! Thanks for linking up.
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Author
Thanks! Oh no, going through the resale piles is dangerous: in the right frame of mind, everything looks suddenly new and fabulous… But it’s so difficult to get rid of things, especially at the moment, isn’t it?
This is a fab shade of pink, so no wonder that you bought this shirt even if it was not top quality linen. Totally agree that it’s almost impossible to find it anyway.
I like this ‘buy less, buy better, wear forever’ lifestyle, as it feels right for me (and feels right for the environment too). I’m quite picky about quality too.
besos
Author
Thank you! Yes, its a fabulous shade of pink, almost neon pink, quite vibrant. I usually go for a bit more subdued shades as they’re better for me, but somehow this works.
I think we need to extend the ‘buy-less-buy-better’ approach to other aspects of our lives, too, in order to reduce clutter (both material and mental) and stress. Quality over quantity is my new mantra, and I’m trying to apply it to just about everything from now on.
That pink is a great colour on you! And I agree with you on buying less – even before the virus changed life I was being much more thoughtful with my purchases! I did no buy July this year and it was so easy – although it is the 5th or 6th year I’ve done it I think not going many places because of the virus is part of the reason I’ve shopped so little this year, haha! 🙂
Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup!
Author
Thanks, Mica! A no-buy month is a great idea, although I would probably choose November (that’s the boring, grey month here) or February (usually the coldest month, so I seldom want to go anywhere)…
The hot pink looks great with the stripes. I don’t have many linen pieces because of the crease factor but they are perfect for hot Summer days. I’m trying not to buy much now because I probably won’t have anywhere to wear them. I’m working from home quite a lot now but my my freelance work will probably dry up soon so there’s no point buying any more clothes…besides, i have loads already. Thanks for linking up.
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Author
Thanks, Emma. Oh yes, the grease factor, hate that. That’s why I only have 2 linen shirts, and I don’t wear them very often.
It’s scary, isn’t it, to think what will happen to freelancers’ work opportunities if this continues? I’m a freelancer, too, and although at the moment I have quite a lot of work, I can’t help but worry about the future…