“If I know who I am and what I want to express, I’ve already taken the first step towards sustainability.”

Beatriz Monteiro

Head for your own wardrobe first

Sustainable styling: To Beatriz, this is a big phrase that – like so much else – grows from tiny roots. First of all, we have to go to our own wardrobe and ask: what's already in there? What can I create from it? “Realising what clothes I still love to wear has a lot to do with sustainability. Basically, I go shopping again in my own wardrobe.” When buying new clothes, she says, it's about looking for sustainable alternatives. “Fair fashion or second-hand shops are good options that we can combine.” The key thing is to stay focused on what you’ve got and what you want.

“Taking the first step in the right direction requires a certain amount of discomfort. At the same time, don’t forget that fashion should be fun.”

Beatriz Monteiro

If it gets uncomfortable, you’re doing well

What does it mean if a shirt costs five euros? Beatriz believes it is essential to deal with the problem of fast fashion. The fact is, it must uncomfortable to begin with. It’s not about being perfect straight away – it's a process. The most important thing is to keep the sense of enjoyment. Looking for new favourite clothes should be a fun factor. “I wouldn’t say sustainable styling is harder. It just takes more effort. There’s a wide range of sustainable brands with modern styles these days, contrary to the supposed ‘eco image’. And even though many see it differently, we must admit that fashion is an important issue that we need to invest time in.”

“If I know who I am and what I want to express, I’ve already taken the first step towards sustainability.”

Beatriz Monteiro

Style may change, appreciation must stay

Making your style more sustainable doesn’t mean bending over backwards. “If I know what I want, I'm automatically more focused and not chasing every trend – there’s more clarity,” says the “Come on Closet” stylist. Not seeing yourself in certain clothes any more is normal. The question to ask then is: what can I do with them? “My style may evolve and change, but appreciation for clothing must never be lost – fashion isn’t a throwaway item.”

Five steps towards sustainable style – by Beatriz

Analyse your wardrobe:
Why do I like wearing something? What mood was I in when I bought certain clothes? I find new combinations and work with accessories.

Get to grips with materials:
To get a true sense of high-quality fabrics, it’s helpful to look closely at them both literally in the shop and figuratively, and ask yourself: what sort of materials are they? How were they produced?

One-month challenge:
I deliberately buy nothing for a month and look at how it makes me feel. Alternatively, if I see something nice, I hold back at first and see if I still want it the next day.

Swap old clothes:
I like to get friends together and make an event of it: everyone brings ten garments with them. The results are often remarkable.

Film tip:
“The True Cost” is a warts-and-all portrayal of how the clothing industry works. It really helps you to reassess your consumer behaviour.

Sustainability through nostalgia

Focus on a few favourite things: Beatriz is excited by vintage fashion here: items that reflect a bygone era, tell stories or are timeless – and have already been made. She has made a list of her top second-hand outlets in Frankfurt for AAAREA:

[fyt] vintage
As students, Eva and Jule started gathering outstanding vintage items for their online shop: they're always on the lookout for unique, high-quality clothes. It’s also about sustainability, not always buying new things off the rack, and about the story involved: what had this garment been through before randomly ending up in our hands?

OLA Ware
“Our aim is to get the huge pile of used clothing back into circulation in order to benefit our customers and, above all, the environment,” say Aleksandra and Dominik. They’ve lost patience with the short lifespan of clothing and the production conditions. With some of their products now coming from Frankfurt residents, a local recycling loop is emerging.

Zeitgeist X Vintage
A sustainable lifestyle matters a lot to Leandra and Luka. They have combined this with their long-standing interest in fashion: “Our concept is to look for original clothing from ‘20s to the ‘90s and sew it back into shape. We're keen to give sustainable fabrics a ‘second chance’.”

The Görls Club Vintage
Jana started off with the idea of opening a vintage shop that shows people they don’t have to buy new things to create a cool, modern look. Everything in her shop is chosen and handled with love: “I really hope to inspire people to buy new clothes less often and more selectively.”