It may not be an existential threat, exactly, but the climate crisis poses quite the challenge when you’re trying to sustain a stylish office-wear image. Heading out in the lashing rain, with serial storms forecast and localised flooding looming makes clothing choices difficult. Many a weary worker has resorted to digging out Electric Picnic shower jackets and goofy galoshes, if not full-on foul-weather gear, to arrive at the desk with a modicum of fashionability.
However, some labels have winter collections that will help keep you high and dry. They are also committed to using sustainable production processes to help protect the planet. Companies that care include Stable of Ireland, Grown and Marks & Spencer, as well as reliables such as Galvin and Magee. They have a policy of creating lasting looks with recycled wools, cottons, silks and linens.
Galvin men’s wear is “committed to being the voice for the green revolution within the fashion industry” and supports this by stocking a selection of certified sustainable brands showcased via its Eco Edit collections. Eamon Ryan would make an ideal poster boy for the suits and separates if he should ever pack in the politics.
Mullingar-based Galvin boasts an in-house brand called Stór, one of the only fully certified and audited sustainable Irish clothing brands. The company also has a focus on colder-weather dressing as the thermostat dials descend for energy saving purposes. Its dedicated team select brands for quality and craftsmanship – including Barbour, Boss, Oliver Spencer and Tommy Hilfiger. The Co Westmeath store has been a one-stop-shop destination for contemporary men's wear since 1978.
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Fresh Cuts clothing is fresh off the block but equally ethical. It uses certified organic cotton in its clothing and wind-powered turbines as its energy source.
Marks & Spencer has striven over the past decade to lead the field in environmentally-friendly fashion. Recently it launched a range of timeless looks that includes weatherproof coats, enormous scarves, chunky polo-neck jumpers and puddle-smart boots – impermeable outer-layer essentials in seasonal shades and classic prints.
What lies beneath is pretty smart too. Marks & Spencer’s classic trouser suits sashay into the spotlight, harking back to the days of screen sirens such as Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman. The androgynous tailoring and over-sized coats look ultra-glam with cream silk blouses, fine cashmere sweaters and fabulous accessories. Longer boots in soft leather and chocolate suede are slim fitting, making them the perfect choice for slinkier skirts and flared hemlines.
In general, party wear has shifted from skimpy, threadbare disposable dresses to more fluid, defined shapes, taking centre the stage from November. There are also fab and funky silver jeans, shimmering sequinned dresses and layered mesh skirts to sparkle on the dance floor – if you manage to get to the Christmas party without a raft.
Knitwear is another key autumn/winter category and shoppers can expect a colour palette of warm caramels and rich browns. Joseph Ribkoff excels in fine jersey knits, with long cardigans and co-ordinating skirts. Update the trends with complementary handbags, scarves and statement accessories.
Men can check out Louis Copeland’s emporium, perhaps for an investment leather jacket or a suede version that matures with age.
The emergence of high-low (here we go) dressing means that bombers are worn with wide baggy pants and longer, oversized sweaters teamed with cigar-style trousers. Luxury velvet jackets in royal navy and fine wool singlets are easily adopted for the party season too.
The goal for Marks & Spencer and other such labels is to ensure that 100 per cent of the cotton is now Fair Trade, organic and recycled. They send zero clothes to landfill and any unsold stock is passed on to charity partners including Oxfam, Newlife or SmartWork. As a result, they say, they have prevented more than a billion hangers from going to landfill since 2007.
Ordinary shoppers can play a part in extending the lifespan of clothing by following proper washing instructions, air-drying at night if possible and pulling out a needle and thread to mend any minor rips. Darning could be the new baking.
Make use of the local clothing recycling bin and bring unwanted garments to thrift shops. For big occasions consider renting a gown so you can look like a million dollars in Chanel or Prada without having to remortgage the house.