RESTYLING YOUR WARDROBE For A More Sustainable Planet

Laura Madden—fashion advocate, model, stylist and blogger— shares her top sustainable fashion styling strategies to try.

By Laura Madden | Photography by Brandon Tigrett

Can fashion even be sustainable?” I’ve been covering sustainable fashion for seven years now, and still I am asked this question. I know most people would assume no, fashion can not be sustainable since the very act of producing clothing requires resources—lots of them.

Fortunately, we have a growing number of passionate fashionistas who actually do care about the environment, including myself, and we’ve learned a thing or two about how you can make fashion more sustainable without abstaining from buying (or wearing) clothes. And don’t worry, we do not believe in sacrificing your style to any extent to participate in sustainable fashion either.

There are many ways that we can take part in fashion sustainably, such as choosing certain fabrics, shopping brands that commit to regenerative production, water recycling and upcycling, or shopping secondhand.

My greatest passion lies in helping people understand that the most sustainable wardrobe is actually the one you already own. Yes—the very garments that are already hanging in your closet—no matter where they came from. The longer you wear the wardrobe that you already possess the better you are doing for the environment.

Restyle and rewear is the name of the game here! Think of it this way—the more you can wear any given garment, you are essentially maximizing the resources that have already been used… such as the 700 gallons of water used to make a cotton t-shirt or the 1,800 gallons of water used to make one pair of denim.

Since I believe that fashion should always be fun too, you can make this a game of challenging your creativity instead of a chore to endure—how many ways can you restyle and reinvent your favorite garments? I’ll give you a hint—the options are endless. It all comes down to styling! Secret weapons—accessories, heels and a pop of color on the lips.

I’ll show you five of my standby staple wardrobe pieces and how you can restyle them from day to night, including a blazer, a pair of black pants, a statement blouse, black slip dress and pencil skirt.

I hope you’ll join me, along with ICONIC LIFE Magazine, on our journey to a more sustainable relationship with fashion and reinventing our relationship to clothes. The future of fashion undoubtedly is a more earth-friendly and responsible one. And no question, it will be just as beautiful and glamorous as it ever was.

DAY/NIGHT RESTYLE 1

DAY/NIGHT RESTYLE 2

DAY/NIGHT RESTYLE 3

My Standby Staple Wardrobe Pieces

BLAZER

DAY Blazer, bike shorts and high-top sneakers.

NIGHT Add chandelier earrings and an oversized belt; swap in faux leather pants and heels.

Black Pants

DAY Black pants, white blouse and leopard-print heels.

NIGHT Change to a bodysuit and rhinestone-embellished belt and heels with a statement necklace. Bold lips add extra elevation.

Statement Blouse

DAY Blouse, denim shorts and slides.

NIGHT Swap out shorts for a skirt, add black heels, oversized tassel earrings and a bold lip.

Slip Dress

DAY Dress, colorful scarf, gold hoops, fedora and sneakers.

NIGHT Add a sequin-embellished coat on top, swap out earrings, add embellished heels and a sequin clutch. Add a bold lip.

Pencil Skirt

DAY Playful T-shirt, kitten heels and casual earrings.

NIGHT Swap T-shirt for a metallic tank and belt, add statement earrings and high-studded boots.