What Do I Look for When Adding to my Curated Wardrobe?
With the hot temperatures in mind, I’ve carefully selected a few key pieces that should be on high-rotation well through until the fall. I sought out designs that were more on the timeless side, over trendy. Also, I like to wear my clothing year-round whenever possible. So button-down shirts and pieces that can be layered are always a great choice.
I feel I made a good range of purchases not just in style, but in the country of origin too. From France, there are Veja and Balzac Paris who both create timeless, thoughtful, and highly wearable designs. Here in Canada, I’ve had my eye on Frank & Oak who are gradually broadening their sustainability efforts. And I couldn’t resist a few critical warm-weather pieces from California brands Reformation and Bleusalt.
BALZAC Paris
Good for: Chic, work-appropriate wardrobe staples with je ne sais quoi ethereal appeal.
Introduced to me by the lovely Marta Canga, BALZAC Paris produces their effortlessly chic pieces fairly in Portugal and other E.U. countries. This Parisian brand makes high-quality pieces for a decent price. Many of their items are priced only slightly above ZARA or TopShop garments, believe it or not.
While not all of BALZAC Paris pieces are sustainable, the brand is making large steps towards being more-so. Keep an eye out for their sustainable collections. Each season, they re-purpose their leftover fabrics by remaking fan favourite designs.
What I bought from Balzac Paris:
- Button-down cotton blouse (blue & white pinstripes) – Browse Balzac Paris blouses
- Midi-length, deadstock fabric dress (navy with whimsical celestial print) – Browse Balzac Paris dresses
PS: Because their website is in French, I had to use Google Chrome’s translate feature to shop 🙂 If you have any questions about navigating their website, please comment below or DM me on Instagram. Their designs are worth it, trust me.
Linen skirt by Reformation
Gold vegan bag by Stella McCartney
Blue vegan mules by Stella McCartney
Reformation
Good for: Feminine, vintage-inspired, LA-cool-girl vibes for casual days at the office or fun nights out on the town.
You are probably already familiar with Reformation. I talk about this brand a lot. Naturally, I had to purchase a few warm weather pieces (AKA: skirts and dresses) that are missing from my capsule wardrobe.
Reformation uses both sustainably-sourced fabrics and repurposed deadstock fabric. The vast majority of their pieces are made in responsibly LA.
What I bought from Reformation:
- Short, structured, linen skirt (white & black checkered) – The Bodega skirt
- Midi-length, flowy, deadstock fabric skirt (red with white dots) – The Hermosa skirt
- Floor-length Wedding Dress (Shh!)
Frank & Oak
Good for: Androgenous, urban looks that are professional, minimalist, and highly reusable.
Toronto-based Frank & Oak have been making great strides to revise their manufacturing to be more conscious. Last winter, they made several styles of coats cleverly made from recycled water bottles. This spring/summer, they are offering a broader range of responsible fabrics like organic cotton, Tencel, and linen.
- Button-down Tencel blouse (ivory) – The Everyday Blouse
- Cotton and Recycled polyester fitted top (grey) – The Mockneck Ribbed Top
Veja
Good for: casual, comfortable, it-girl footwear.
Based in France but designed ethically in Portugal, Veja marries ecological practices with statement street style footwear. Tapping into Amazon rubber is a way to sustainably bring profits back to our tropical forests. Using natural rubber trees and fair wages incentivizes locals to preserve their forests, instead of selling them to crop developers who destroy the land.
Not all Veja designs are vegan! So keep an eye on the vegan section of their websites. Or, if you live in the US or Canada, browse Petit Vour for some of Veja’s vegan designs. I bought my Wata sneakers from Petit Vour, which turned out to be a more economical shipping option too.
What I bought from Veja:
- Vegan sneakers made with Amazon rubber and organic cotton. – The Wata sneaker (I bought mine via Petit Vour.)
Bleusalt
Good for: Chic beach-vibes with a luxurious fabric feel.
Beechwood pulp is the source of all Bleusalt clothing designs. The California based capsule-fashion line holds sustainability and ethics at its core. The designs are perfect for minimalists who favour comfort. All Bleusalt pieces are made in the US.
What really stands out is how incredibly soft the fabric feels. It’s like a cross between cashmere and terrycloth. But of course, made from renewable plant fibres.
What I bought from Bleusalt:
- Beechwood bralette (Oatmeal) – Browse Bleusalt bralettes
- Beechwood bralette (Navy) – Browse Bleusalt bralettes
