My 'Buying New' Criteria for Sustainable Shopping!

Hello lovelies!

Long gone are the days where I pop to the highstreet to buy new, but every so often I need a specific item to add to my wardrobe. So I thought I would share the criteria that I follow when shopping for clothing with you, and why I think my Aurelia and Ophelia blouses fit just PERFECTLY into it.

1. Seams.

If a garment looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside it's likely to wash and wear much better than most highstreet seam types. I use French seams on all of my made with Liberty pieces so that they look just as good after being washed, worn and loved. I have been wearing my first Aurelia for 3 months and have worn her 14 times and washed her 6 times so far - she is still looking as perfect as when she was freshly sewn!

2. Transitional.

I always make sure any item (except outerwear) is fully transitional season to season, as I'm not a Summer/Winter wardrobe kinda gal. The Liberty Tana Lawn that the Aurelia and Ophelia blouses are made from is designed to be breathable and cool you down in the heat, and warm you up in the cold. Magic!

3. Layering.

As I said, I love to wear my wardrobe all year round, so having pieces I can layer and style in different ways is really important to me. Sleeveless maxis over the Aurelia/Ophelia look amazing, showing off their statement collars. Pop a waistcoat over her with some jeans. Wear her over a slip dress. Cinch her at the waist with a belt. The possibilities are endless!

4. Prints.

I love a print, as you may have guessed, but it's really important with any printed garment to make sure I will never get bored of her. If it's a print I would have still worn five years ago, it's a tick from me. The Aurelia is perfect in both patterns, as they have black backgrounds and colour pops in the print to keep her exciting and make her an easy match with maximalist accessories.

5. Natural Fabrics.

Unless I'm buying vintage (I'm a sucker for a 70s maxi but HELLO synthetics) I will never buy new unless it's made from a natural fabric. For many reasons, both sweat and environmentally related! Any of my Liberty designs are made from 100% 240 thread count Tana Lawn cotton.

6. Supporting Small Business.

Not adding to the overproduction that highstreet brands are guilty of, and supporting people on the paths to their dreams. What's not to love?!

Let me know in the comments if there's anything else you look out for when you're shopping for new, sustainably. I'd love to hear them!

Love,

Nicole

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