June 19, 2018sustainable fashion

The Power of Sustainable Basics

Fashion basics have the magic power of making your everyday life easier. Maybe you know it already, maybe you don’t yet think that basic clothing is the way to go? How I came to get to know this power and what it is that make sustainable basics so powerful, I will tell you today.

As I grew up, I’ve been largely manipulated by modern media, like most youngsters and even most adults are. It took a lot of time and effort, two degrees and some intense work on my own habits to break this irritating need to always have a wardrobe full of things I didn't actually need. The habit of always wanting to have something new is clearly socially trained and if we are honest, it has nothing to do with our basic needs as humans. Furthermore, those trendy pieces are seldom made from organic fabrics, let alone made under fair working conditions.

basic clothing

Photo by © Ann Cathrin Schönrock

During my fashion design degree in Germany and London, where for the very first time I had to measure, cut, sew and knit garments, the awareness of how much hard work goes into each individual piece made me more and more conscious about my own buying habits. Ironically, the fashion degree - where the aim is to keep producing new things - shaped my desire to dress more the same. This is how I came to love basic clothing.

Basic

So today I want to let you in on the secret, which is the real power of basics.

I need to ask you: I know, it is cliché, but when was the last time you stood in front of your full closet and despite of all those beautiful pieces you just couldn’t decide on what to wear? The media tells you this is the sign you need something new. This is simply not true.

basic clothing

Photo by © Ann Cathrin Schönrock

Apparel

Free your thoughts.

First of all, your thoughts should be free for more important stuff, like planning your day or writing into a journal. Or something else you might consider important. Secondly, the right way to make faster decisions is to reduce your options. Not to broaden your possibilities. This is what basics are great for.

Not only do basics free your mind from unimportant stuff like wasting time on thought about today’s outfit in the morning, they give you time to enjoy life, pursue your passions and get something done. I would always exchange wasteful minutes of outfit-brainstorming with cuddling for some more minutes or replying to my first emails.

basic clothing

Photo by © Ann Cathrin Schönrock

Easy-to-combine

Also, a wardrobe based on basic clothing is easy to combine and extremely diverse. Basics don’t just come in plain black or white colors, but in basically every color you can think of. My personal favorite for years now is a plain navi dress with pockets by Grüne Erde. I wear it plain, with jeans or trousers underneath. Combined with a cardigan, it looks amazing too. I just add some accessories in the end and I’m out the door.

Money for the good stuff

Besides saving time, going for basics also saves money. You simply don’t buy into trends that noone wants to see anymore after a short while. This brings you the benefit of having the money to wear the good stuff. I’m talking Filippa K. and friends. Who doesn’t want that? With high quality basic clothes you do not only facilitate your everyday life, you have more of your clothes.

Basics Clothes

Especially high quality sustainable basics have a much longer life-cycle, which is not only great for the environment, but for you too. I truly believe in the power of basics, which is why everything i do focus on sustainability. As parents, we can easily show our kids from the cradle why sustainable and basic clothing is awesome - simply by establishing a basics wardrobe for them that becomes a capsule wardrobe later on. I for one, plan to spare my kids the long self-realization that basics are the way to go. Or at least I can tell myself they might listen to me :)

basic clothing

High-Quality basics for women and men:
Funktion Schnitt // filippa k. // Grüne Erde // Acne Studios // Jann June // Jungle Folk // Lanius // Maas Natur // Knowledge Cotton Apparel

Ann

Orbasics-basic-clothing-ann

Freshly arrived in Berlin, Ann had discovered right at the beginning of her studies in fashion and knitwear design that the industry (and her life) have the urgent need for more sustainability. Now everything she does circles around a more sustainable future: As well in her freetime as in her everyday work.

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