Kleding is ook gewoon leuk (toch?!)

Clothing is also just fun. Still? Yes. And yet I sometimes struggle with this as a fashion professional and end consumer.

I like fashion. Less of the industry (specifically the dark and non-durable sides), but still of beautiful products.

For myself, I have been buying less clothes for years – partly consciously, partly unconsciously. I try to build a timeless wardrobe and go less with trends.

I don’t need that much anymore. Just as one of my best friends always chuckles, it is all or nothing. I go to the office in a minimalist chic fashion outfit and my hair is in the curl, but at least half the week you can draw me in sportswear in which I just as well shopping, the household and work at home.

And the items that I do buy: prefer a more expensive quality fashion item or luxury clothing second-hand through, for example, cloakroom collective. I also prefer to spend my money on holidays and trips, good food, interior and books.

In the meantime I have started spending more money on clothing for someone else, our son of now 4.5 years old. It started with beautiful baby clothes: from Dilling (favorite), Konges Sløjd, +1 in the family, play up, Lil ‘Atelier, HVID slippers and a woolen jacket from Engel Natur and the bamboo rompers from Hema.

While he grew, it sometimes became a bit more difficult because at 1.5 years he suddenly had a considerable opinion about what he wanted – something with the apple is not far from the tree. Fortunately, we are more on one line nowadays and I can loosen again with fashionable looks.

Consuming sustainably and dressing fashionably: can it be done together?

In my work I regularly speak with sustainability experts: if you Want to build a greener wardrobemust mainly wear and take care of what you have. Consider renting or buying second -hand, do not purchase too much new (because making new clothing is most on the environment).

At the same time, as a fashion professional, the independent shopkeepers who earn bread on the shelf with the sale of (children’s) clothing, I support a warm heart. And a number of producers just as good. They don’t always have it easy between the violence of the Fast Fashion Players And chain stores.

A look at his wardrobe

What exactly does our son’s wardrobe consist of?

I buy shoes from skilled shoe stores in the neighborhood: such as Bremmer in Waddinxveen and Van Keeken in Alphen aan den Rijn. Underwear and socks at the Zeeman and Hema.

Nice physical children’s clothing stores are less in the immediate vicinity (village of Boskoop). In Gouda, a city 15 minutes away, our new store has a nice selection of new clothing from the famous children’s labels and Studio Kiewie is a second -hand children’s fashion store that resal DOES – A nice address, although I have not purchased anything yet.

Most I shop online: I consciously choose and choose quality. For example, with the beautiful fashion brand American Vintage or well -known children’s webshops such as Labels for Little Ones, Smallable, Spruit Kids Conceptstore and Wonder For Kids. Furthermore, I sometimes buy something from Omoda, meadow shop of Tilburg and Zalando – mainly because of their wide range.

I like fitting at home. Not at the latest because the dimensions of children’s clothing unfortunately – just like regular fashion – differs per brand and sometimes even per model within a collection. Pants are the most difficult here.

Due to damage and shame, I have become wiser. That way I now know that the French Petit Bateau is almost two sizes smaller than the Dutch size. Adidas, Scotch & Soda, Zara, Bobo Choses and Ralph Lauren usually fall (almost) a size smaller, children’s fashion from H&M and HEMA is tailored or slightly larger. One label uses the conventional sizes such as 122 and 128, the other counts with age in years, such as 5 years and 7 years Or again 6 years and 8 years.

Vinted: fun, affordable and a little addictive

Buying second -hand children’s clothing is also a favorite.

Via Vinted you can find a huge amount of children’s clothing from designer brands such as a Ralph Lauren and Lacoste. Especially in France and Italy they love that, which makes the offer bigger than in Dutch stores. And the beautiful? They often sell those items for a small price.
The range of resounding names is also large at the “fashion market site”: think of a down, bobo choses, maed for mini, Sproet & Sprout, Mini Rodini, Nixnut, Gray Label and Emile et Ida.

Recently I also sell on Vinted. But I hardly transferred the money I earned with it to my bank account. More often I buy nice, new items from it – also in the following sizes. By paying ‘Vinted credit’ within the platform with a click of the button, it seems to cost barely or nothing – classic Girl Mathas my friend recently noted: “You can also just put it on your bank account.”

On the homepage page I am constantly made new recommendations, tailored to my taste and earlier purchases. And who wants to find the real pearls/nice bargains? He must log in regularly to view the latest advertisements that match your stored searches – which you can set for your favorite brands, in the required size – I do have about fifteen.