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Hello, Open Thread. One fashion week down, three to go! Pace yourselves. |
I'm about to head off to Europe for 16 days of show travel. As it happens, the start of the Milan and Paris shows coincides with the start of New York Climate Week, which has prompted Eva Karlsson, the chief executive of the outdoor brand Houdini, to issue a "sportswear challenge" to fashion week attendees. |
Specifically: "7 Days. 7 Garments. Can You Do It?" Which can pretty much be summed up as "wear and pack less." |
The funny thing is, I know a lot of fashion editors who already subscribe to this method of travel. Partly because airports have become so unmanageable and the risk of lost luggage so high, there's a growing trend among fashion week attendees to take only a carry-on for the marathon. |
It's the opposite of the influencer trend, which sees street-style peacocks changing their look for every show and parading around in a constant flow of new clothes. In fact, it's partly facilitated by this bizarre phenomenon, because the street-style crew sucks up so much attention, it takes the pressure off the rest of us. |
Anyway, for my own inspiration, I asked Ms. Karlsson what she was packing for Climate Week. Here is her list: Enfold insulation jacket, vintage cardigan, caftan dress, short-sleeve merino tee, pants, skirt, parka. Plus, OK, tights and shoes, which apparently don't count toward the total. |
The point of the challenge, she said, was to remind ourselves that we can be happy with far fewer garments than we are used to having — especially if we love what we wear — and to function as a kind of mental reset. |
I am not sure I can do the whole fashion week shebang with only seven items — I might need more like 14. In part that's because the temperature drops and the seasons change while we are overseas, but I do like the idea. And I think it might be worth adopting as a general policy. Not just for fashion month, but always. |
What do you think? Can you travel with less? Write in and let me know. |
Meantime, the discussion of fashion and sustainability reached peak absurdity this fashion week when Boohoo, the British fast-fashion brand, debuted its "sustainable capsule collaboration" with Kourtney Kardashian. If you think that sounds like a contradiction in terms … you would be right. |
My colleague Sadiba Hasan attended and said: "In symbolic fashion, the lights and music cut out seconds after the first model hit the runway. The collection of cutout dresses, hot pink sweatpants and 'vintage' T-shirts that are really just washed black is a blatant reminder that sustainability efforts from a fast fashion empire and a top-of-the-line influencer can be only so fruitful." |
And have a good, safe weekend. |
| NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: THE SHOWS | | | | | |
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| NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: THE SCENE | | | | |
 | | Karsten Moran for The New York Times |
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Your Style Questions, Answered |
Every week on Open Thread, Vanessa will answer a reader's fashion-related question, which you can send to her anytime via email or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed. |
I've always enjoyed a sturdy pair of slacks and a polo from Old Navy, and I've never felt the need to spend more than a few hundred dollars on a suit. But I just got a big promotion, and I've gotten the feedback that, given my seniority, I should buy some "nicer" clothes that "reflect my position." Does moving up the career ladder mean I can't buy my two-for-$30 polos anymore? — Rick, Austin, Texas |
First of all, congratulations on the new job. The question of how you dress for it, however, is a lot more complicated than just "to suit or not to suit?" It's really about communication and what values you are trying to model. |
Fashion, after all, has long functioned as a sign of both aspiration and achievement; a covert signal of wealth, access, taste, smarts and membership in a club. So as people climbed the corporate ladder, they used their clothes to reflect each rung. |
That's what gave the world the adage "dress for the job you want." Also the man in the gray flannel suit. |
Between the casualization of the workplace, however, and changing attitudes toward the balance of power between the individual and the employer, such dress codes are increasingly downplayed. Not gone entirely, but more … well, coded. |
So while you don't necessarily need to dress fancier for your new job, you need to dress with more consideration. With more responsibility comes more attention. More people will be "reading" not just your emails and memos, but also your expressions and, yup, even your shirts. |
Authenticity is an important quality these days, so doing a complete about-face in your dress to go with your new title is probably not a good idea. Instead, consider the details. |
Generally, as a boss, you want to show authority, organization, decisiveness, attention to detail and dependability. That doesn't mean you need a tie or the pussy bow equivalent, but it does mean clothes that are rumpled, ill-fitting, stained or otherwise fraying are not good. At the very least, you may want to enlist a tailor to ensure a perfect fit. (A tailor can also make an inexpensive suit look like a much pricier garment.) Well-made garments also demonstrate that you can identify and recognize quality, which is more important than quantity. Make sure your shoes are in good shape. |
Consistency and personal signatures are also values worth embracing. There is a reason President Barack Obama said he always wore dark gray or blue suits, and Steve Jobs wore the same Issey Miyake turtleneck every day. And if you invest in a few good pieces and wear them like a uniform, you can amortize the expense over time. |
Then design your choices to fit the job description. |
If you are dealing with tight budgets or different fund allocations, sticking with your two-for-$30 polos may work as a show of solidarity; a sign that whatever belt-tightening you are demanding from your staff is belt-tightening you are willing to do yourself. |
If your job is about creativity, demonstrating creativity with dress makes sense. And if you are in E.S.G., pay attention to the supply chain and manufacturing of your clothes. |
Dress not so much to impress as to suggest. |
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