You don't really 'need' that new sweater...
How to style the classic sweaters you already own
When I started this newsletter, it was primarily a mechanism for ‘putting myself (and my work) out there’ and sharing what I was learning about circularity & knitwear (re)manufacturing, along with some behind-the-scenes musings about my experience starting a brand. Now that I have established this habit of sharing my learnings, I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘purpose’ (in general and in the context of this newsletter).
I recently started reading “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” by Priya Parker1, and the first chapter discusses purpose. Specifically, deciding why you’re really gathering. Early on in my journey I spent some time brainstorming the mission and vision of Next Season, and the value proposition of the brand / what it can provide to customers. Some screenshots of my brainstorming over the past 11(!) months, if you’re curious!
Now reading ‘The Art of Gathering’ has reignited my thinking on this topic. Why am I asking you to gather here to read this newsletter? Some initial thoughts I jotted down while reading chapter 1:
And so, in addition to sharing updates on what I’m learning / these behind-the-scenes peeks into starting an upcycled knitwear brand, I’m excited to add in some writing about these topics going forwards, all with a mind towards purpose:
New ways to style & wear the clothes you already have
How to maintain, clean, and repair your clothes
Giving your clothes a new life
Selling, Swapping, Remaking, Donating
Shopping ‘circular’ (buying secondhand, buying for longevity)
Knit Fits → sweater styling ideas with things you (probably) already own
This week I put together a few outfits with one goal in mind - how might we wear our ‘classic’ (read: beige, gray, and blue) sweaters in a new way? I decided to experiment with tonal pairings. You’re probably pretty comfortable wearing black-on-black (at least the NYC folks out there), but how often do you wear beige-on-beige or gray-on-gray? Adding an accessory, like sunglasses, a colorful pair of shoes, or an accent piece (necklace, scarf, belt, hat, etc.) can make all the difference between ‘groufit’ and something a little more elevated.
Hope this provides some creative wardrobe inspiration ! Definitely let me know if you try any of these ideas out, or if you have a favorite tonal pairing + accessory combo you already like for yourself.
And, if in the process of revisiting your old sweaters you find one that’s gone unworn, unwanted, and maybe looking a little worse for the wear.. Next Season offers custom sweater ‘renovations’ ! I’d love to take your old, damaged sweaters and remake them into something one-of-a-kind and ‘new’. Check out the process (and see some before-and-afters) here, and you can also reach me at anne@nextseason.nyc if you have questions and/or want to learn more!
Until next week,
Anne
I started this book around the same time I wrote about my mental struggles ‘investing’ in social media:
Even though I’ve committed to 100 days of engaging (& posting) more on social media, I also already know that I want to focus on in-person gatherings (workshops, markets, talks, etc.) in 2025, and this book seemed like a perfect primer. And, the election has only strengthened & solidified my feelings of the importance of in-person gathering. The election results were not a surprise, but an incredible disappointment. And while my focus on fashion can sometimes feel frivolous, I remind myself that this project is rooted in something deeper: our relationships with each other / fellow humans, and our relationship to the earth (aka where our clothes actually come from!!). The only thing that makes sense to me right now is putting all of my efforts into connecting with other people, and advocating for a culture of collective ‘making’ and ‘helping’, vs a culture of consuming.