When the weather warmed up this spring and it was time to rotate my closet, I couldn’t find my summer clothes anywhere.
We’d moved back in October, so I wasn’t immediately alarmed when the bins seemed to be misplaced. Still, our house isn’t very big, so searching every inch didn’t take long. After a couple of hours and several texts to my husband, I realized the bin that contained my carefully curated capsule must have ended up in the wrong pile when we unloaded the moving truck a few months back.
Instead of being sorted into the belongings meant to head to the garage, my clothes had ended up in the “donate” pile instead.
“Instead of being sorted into the belongings meant to head to the garage, my clothes had ended up in the ‘donate’ pile instead.”
I thought about heading to the local spot where we bring our donations to buy them all back, but even if I wanted to, they’d been deposited more than six months earlier. Which meant that my summer clothes were well and truly gone.
Thankfully, a lot of my favorite pieces are meant for all seasons since we live in Southern California, which means those items were still in my closet. Additionally, many of the summer garments I’d lost were inexpensive pieces I’d collected over the last five years as my body had fluctuated through two pregnancies. There were a few I was sad to let go of, though —most noteworthy was my mother’s vintage denim shorts from college that seemed to be the perfect blend of structure, style, and comfort.
Those are the sort of treasures that, once gone, are truly gone.
Starting from scratch
Style has always felt personal to me. I recall sketching strapless dresses and knit sweaters paired with bell bottoms as a kid. I actually didn’t like to color much, I just really loved clothes. And while I don’t always consider myself the most stylish in the room, I do have a passion for putting something together that feels like me.
“I don’t always consider myself the most stylish in the room, I do have a passion for putting something together that feels like me.”
These days my priorities lie somewhere between feeling put together and soothing my overstimulated brain. I have two children, a highly sensitive nervous system, and need my clothes to feel soothing rather than stifling. I identify with a more minimalist style and that’s mostly because I’m aiming for a reduced mental load and sensory input. Even as a child, I remember sorting through my drawers ahead of the school year and telling my mom that I wanted to be able to close my eyes, pull out two random pieces and know they would go together. I wanted all of my clothes to be in sync for the sake of simplicity.
I find myself in a similar state of mind now. I don’t want to make decisions. I just want to feel good in my clothes during this very demanding season of my life.
I made my peace with the mistake and tried to look at the positives: I now had the opportunity to add pieces to my closet based on my current values, needs, and body. Those values have always included simplicity, sustainability, and comfort. Here’s how I’m rebuilding my wardrobe with these priorities in mind.
Sustainable Denim
I began with a closet audit and taking stock of what I did have — which was, admittedly, still quite a few great pieces. One of my favorites includes this denim dress from Reformation. I’d tried it on in person with girlfriends the Spring prior to this one and learned a valuable lesson about the silhouettes that suit me best. The second is this discontinued denim jacket from Etica Denim. I paid full price for both of these pieces after trying them on, and have since learned the value of shopping in person.
Before I’d had kids I’d invested in a few bespoke pieces from sustainable brands, and up until I’d had my second child my body had remained mostly the same size. I was sad to have lost my mom’s vintage denim shorts because they were the only ones that fit me. I decided to add The Seamed Longer Short from Just Black Denim to my collection to fill in the gap. A longer short isn’t what I’m typically drawn to, but I’ve enjoyed trying out this trend and feeling more comfortable in my denim. I’m a firm believer that the solution to outgrowing one’s pants is to simply get bigger pants. Because my body is not the wrong size — my pants are.
Breezy Basics
After taking stock of what I already had I identified the gaps in my wardrobe which were mainly linens, shorts, soft pants, and activewear.
My first priority was breezy basics, and I was excited to add the 100% European Linen Shorts and Cropped Tank from Quince to my closet after eyeing it for two summers in a row. I knew I’d love it. What I did not know, however, was how much I would love the Pointelle Square Neck Tee from Organic Basics paired with the Organic Coastal Double Gauze Split Hem Pant from Pact Organic. Each of these pieces suit my minimalist approach to getting dressed and are able to be mixed and matched as needed.
The most exciting and accommodating piece, though, was something I’ve been looking for for some time – a slip dress that I could throw on during even the hottest days of Southern California summer. The Sundance Slip Dress from Jungmaven is light as air, made from 100% hemp and organic cotton, and pairs perfectly with my denim jacket for when the temps cool down. Plus I love a good neckline, and this dress delivers.
Signature Staples From Small Brands
My love for a classic white t-shirt knows no bounds, and I like to think of it as my official uniform. I have tried many, and I really didn’t believe a plain white tee could be worth more than the cheap cotton t-shirts from Target until Miakoda’s Everyday Organic Cotton Tee convinced me otherwise. I’ve learned the difference between a cheap tee and one that is high-quality and keeps its structure. This one has held up through many washes and stains, and it turns out the secret to owning white clothes is learning how to take care of them (dawn dish soap + hydrogen peroxide, scrub until the spot is gone, wash as usual, hang to dry).
One of my favorite luxuries in life is to be able to invest in high-quality garments made of soft, natural materials from small, heartfelt brands. I was able to do this much more before my body and my budget bore the evidence of motherhood, but when I am able, I love to shop and share the pieces from smaller brands that are doing business with heart and intention.
I topped off my wardrobe rebuild with a mini activewear capsule: The Organic Stretch Biker Short and Crop Racer Tank from MATE the Label, the Active Dress from Organic Basics, and Reprise’s Aspen Leggings.
Meaningful, not perfect
For as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted a perfectly curated closet — one that I don’t have to think about. But no matter how much I plan or source, my needs insist on continually evolving. My body fluctuates, my capacity dwindles, and for a long time I felt distressed about these changes because of the textile waste crisis and how it added to my mental load.
“I’ve always wanted a perfectly curated closet — one that I don’t have to think about. But no matter how much I plan or source, my needs insist on continually evolving.”
But I try to remember that I am part of the world I hope to treat with gentleness and respect, and dressing myself with kindness and care is a key part of being able to show up in the world in this way.
So while I can’t seem to find the time to learn how to embroider tiny flowers over the sharpie stain or how to dye my pants a darker color with forged foliage, I am doing my best to dress myself as kindly as possible in the midst of a very full life. And I think every choice we make with this approach matters.
Kate Arceo is a writer based in Southern California and the Community Manager at The Good Trade. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and has been reviewing sustainable home and lifestyle brands, as well as organic kids’ apparel and nontoxic cosmetics for the last ten years. In her free time you can find her hosting dinners on the back patio, reading a novel on the sofa, or sipping a latte at the local café. Say hello on Substack and Instagram!
