Oh hello darling and welcome to April on benpechey.com (finally). April ushers in a new quarter of the year, and with that some changes in our day to day lives. This month; I will be bringing you a series of articles loosely based around the concept of seasonal change. Kicking things off we will be looking at the way we dress.
If you are in the U.K. you may have noticed the subtle change in the weather around us. I know I have spoken several times about seasons, and my dedication to Autumn and Winter. However, there are benefits of spring; and that's wardrobe fluctuations.
This winter has felt brutal what with Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis on top of the seasonal expectations. I have relied heavily on my thermal socks, which have been a life changer - who knew they made 2.5 tog socks? I have also rejoiced in my extensive coat collection which has seen me through all weather fronts.
As much as I love a coat, there are days where wrapping up in several layers is taxing. So the thrill you feel when you go out for your government-approved walk without a coat for the first time, can be exhilarating. This new season doesn’t mean you need a brand new wardrobe if anything you get to treat your current wardrobe as a brand new capsule collection.
In 2020 I have made a conscious effort to reduce the number of new garments entering my wardrobe. Certainly, I have bought things, I am a person who likes to consume, but I have thought about the places I choose to support. My major purchases have been on eBay, buying second-hand investment pieces means that the impact those things will have is lessened greatly. I have also searched for and supported smaller independent brands that focus on sustainability and ethics.
So it should come as no surprise when I suggest that in order to prepare for the new season, you should look within for sartorial inspiration. Look to the outfits you wore the most, and take the essence of those looks and pair them down into a more springlike version.
My go-to casual outfit, is a striped t-shirt (organic cotton only), cardigan, jeans and then a coat. For spring I will switch out the knitwear and the coat, and bring in a blazer, and more seasonal shoe*. All of these garments were things that I already owned. Writing that gave me Gok's Fashion Fix vibes from his capsule wardrobe voiceovers if you know you know!
I know this kind of stuff isn’t that revolutionary or even life-changing. Yet, choosing to rejig your own possessions to react to the passage of time will actually reduce the overall strain on our overwrought planet. Plus the more of us that do this, the higher impact this will have.
I covered similar topics last May in Slow Fashion Month, read about reshaping your wardrobe here, how to avoid waste in your wardrobe here and how to shop responsibly here.
So step into the new season with the things you already have. It's a great chance to reset with zero impact! I will be back next week to continue New Season month!
*Obviously you don’t need to wear a 6” heel for spring, and if I wasn’t just standing still for the camera I too would require a more sensible shoe for the sake of my ankles.
Images shot by Rachel Pechey
Shop my Lewk:
Blazer: M&S, Old
Top: Seasalt
Jeans: M&S
Shoes: ASOS, Old
Earrings: Zara, Old