What I Wore in 2019
Despite being the owner of an apparel company my own wardrobe is pretty sparse. It's mostly filled with Alice Alexander pieces (no, even I don't own one of everything from our shop!) plus really great secondhand, vintage finds and denim. Of everything that we've ever designed at Alice Alexander these are the pieces that got the absolute most wear in 2019.
I own the Cass Dress in black and claret. My Cass Dress in black has been worn at least 20 times. In 2019 I wore it in the summer with slides, in the fall with a turtleneck layered underneath, in the winter with a turtleneck layered under, a Simone Vest on top paired with boots. I dressed it up and wore it to a fancy dinner in Montreal, and dressed it down to speak to a class of 50 students at Drexel University. It is by far one of the most versatile pieces of clothing I own. I've also worn our Cass Tunic quite a bit but I found myself reaching for the dress more than the tunic this year.
The Cass Dress retails for $205. And if I wear it another 20 times in 2020 (easy to do) my cost per wear will come in at about 5 bucks.
2. Mia Tees
I have a pretty casual daily uniform. Mia tee + Bessie Jacket + Warp and Weft denim + Chuck Taylors. Unless I am going to speak at an event or have some sort of meeting this is the outfit I wear in both my home office and my studio. I've worn the same Mia tees for the past 9 months. They've been washed and worn well over 40 times and still look fantastic (and I'm not just saying that). Considering most t-shirts will start to pill (especially under the arm) our tees don't. I'm thrilled with how good my Mia tees look after countless washes. At 75 bucks I can conservatively estimate my cost per wear for 2019 at about $1.50. Considering I'll continue to wear these tees well into 2020 I anticipate the cost per wear getting down to about 75 cents in no time.
Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing how often I wear my Bessie Adventure Jacket (actually it's not, #proudoutfitrepeater). I own the Bessie in both red and gray and they each get about the same amount of wear (which is about 2 times per week each). I only wash them about once every 3 weeks. I've worn the Bessie Jacket with my Cass Dress as a way to dress it down (the masculine vibe of the Bessie paired with the uber-feminine vibe of the Cass is a beautiful contrast). I've worn it with my Mae Jumpsuit literally everywhere (to speak at the Sustainable Fashion Forum, to film our About Us video) and with jeans and tees (see above). If there's a way to integrate a Bessie Jacket into my outfit, I'm doing it. Wearing this jacket at least 2 times a week for the past 10 months I estimate my cost per wear at about $4.
4. Mae Jumpsuit
One of my most favorite Alice Alexander pieces (it's since been retired, but a Mae 2.0 may be coming in the near future!). This piece is so fun to wear. Super easy to dress down with flats and a Bessie jacket or pair it with pumps and big jewelry for a night out. I wore this for several important moments in 2019 including having my picture taken for Philadelphia Magazines "Best Of". Worn about 20 times in 2019, and retailing at $265, lands our cost per wear at $13.25.
Squeezing in at number 5, my Ina Shirt Dress. I've worn the Ina shirt dress in the dead of summer when it's just too hot for clothes and also worn it as a beach coverup. Paired with jeans and bodysuit I've worn it open, styled as a duster. In fall I wore it buttoned over a pair of distressed jeans and then layered my Simone vest on top. Retailing at $285 and having worn it about 18 times in 2019, my cost per wear is at about $15.
My biggest takeaway in 2019: that truly sustainable fashion means always having something to wear as you don't need a new dress for every single event. Instead investing in great pieces that can be easily styled to suit your needs is the most sustainable wardrobe move you can make.
Do you have a piece from us that you've consistently worn since you received it? Sound off below!
And Happy New Year!