How my approach to fashion has changed – and the Danish watch brand I love

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Nordgreen.

It’s strange to think that I once thought nothing of spending whole lunchtimes on the high street, returning to my desk with armfuls of fast fashion, some of which I would wear once and then resign to the back of the wardrobe. 

And it’s also a very strange confession to begin with for a post that will reference sustainability, but a growing awareness of the sustainability and ethical issues surrounding my past shopping habits have been the driving force behind my changing approach to fashion – supported no doubt by the inescapable fact that I’m getting older (super inconvenient, but what can you do) and value different things to those I did in my early twenties.  

It’s not that I’m never going to buy anything new ever again (a lifetime of opting for quantity and trends over whether I’ll actually wear something has left gaps in my wardrobe I’m still yet to plug), and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. However, it has meant that buying from the high street and online fast fashion giants is something that I no longer do, no matter how tempting it is – and it is, I can admit that – at times. 

It’s also meant taking part in things like Slow Fashion Season, which I’ve spoken about on here before, and Secondhand September. At this point, doing so isn’t really a break from my usual habits in particular, but I think these things are valuable not just as a collective effort to buy less new clothing, but also on a personal level as a way of breaking the mental relationship with the constant cycle of ‘new new new’ we are bombarded with at all times. 

Because the main way that my approach to fashion has changed in the past 2 years is pretty simple…I just consume less. I still love clothes, but shopping is no longer something I do a lot of. When I do, a large portion of it is secondhand or vintage, something I’m really enjoying and looking to talk more about. I have and will still buy new at times, either because there are things that I haven’t been able to get secondhand, or simply because there are smaller, less damaging and more ethical brands that I want to support.  

Whether its new or used, there are a few things I ask myself before buying: 

Will it last?  

Will it work in my wardrobe?  

Do I love it?  

The answers to the first two questions are irrelevant if I don’t really love the item. Everything I’m wearing in this post is for some reason or another something that I really love, and the one I acquired most recently is the work of art on my wrist. 

So who are Nordgreen?

This is a sponsored post, so you knew I was going to tell you about a brand, and this is one I’m really proud to wear – although not just because the watch is clearly beautiful. Nordgreen are a young brand, having been established in 2017, but they’re clear on who they are: creators of aesthetically pleasing, functional and high quality timepieces, with a focus on sustainable practices and doing good. 

As both a watch lover and an appreciator of all things Danish, they were always going to appeal to me. 

“Nord” – Characteristic of the Nordic identity

“Green” – Committed to the environment

Being better.

Nordgreen’s commitments to social and environmental causes are plain to see, with multiple initiatives in place to ensure that the impact they are having on the world is a good one.  

Their energy is sourced from windmills, and glass, aluminum, and paper waste used in their office is – of course – recycled. Their watches are manufactured in a Danish-owned watch factory in China, with high standards of working conditions continuously upheld and rigorously checked. Once your watch has been made, it makes its way to you in FSC certified packaging, from the cardboard case, which comes from responsibly managed forests, to the inside of the box, which is created using recycled plastic bottles. 

Of course, buying from Nordgreen is still personal consumption, but their focus on quality and durability ensures that their watches are long-lasting and timeless – exactly the kind of thing I am willing to add to my wardrobe at a time where I no longer acquire things that get disposed of or quickly replaced. 

If you are interested in picking up something for yourself (or buying someone a REALLY nice gift), then SOPHAR will get you 15% off on the Nordgreen site. It’s not my place to tell you how to shop, but I would obviously hope that you consider whether you love and will get a lot of wear out of anything you buy. 

The watch: the Philosopher by Nordgreen 

This, dare I say it, might actually be my perfect watch. Classic, versatile and undeniably beautiful, the detail on the Philosopher makes for an elevated basic at it’s very best. As a gold jewellery magpie it was obvious which strap I was going to go for, and I love the clean combination with the white dial. I got mine in the 36mm size for a watch that works for all occasions and goes with quite literally everything I own. 

The outfit

The watch is the star of this show, of course, but a moment please for some more elevated basics I’m loving; an oversized white shirt with blue jeans (both vintage), a classic bag and of course more gold jewellery. I don’t think I’ll ever be a minimalistic dresser and my more considered approach to clothes isn’t necessarily going to mean that I’m only wearing basics or classic pieces, but I do have a whole lot more appreciation for this type of outfit now. 

There’s always more we can do

One thing I’m painfully aware of around this topic is that there’s no way of being ‘done’, no way of being perfectly sustainable. For someone who can be very all or nothing, in that I like to either throw myself into something entirely or not at all, this has been both a point of frustration and something quite freeing.  

In a world of ‘sustainable collections’ or ‘recycled ranges’ from fast fashion brands that are causing enormous harm, this awareness that a nod to sustainability does not mean we’re done on the subject is one thing that made an impact on me about Nordgreen; their belief that what they’ve done already can and should be built upon and improved really aligns with the way I am trying to view what I am doing too.  

Just as their commitment to the planet doesn’t end with their current initiatives, I’m not under the illusion that having bought a few things in charity shops I’ve now done ‘my part’ – there’s still a lot to learn, and a period of time consuming less now doesn’t excuse any excessive future shopping habits.  

When you know better, do better, and all that. 

What I’m wearing

Watch: C/O Nordgreen | Shirt: Vintage | Jeans: Vintage | Shoes: C/O Kurt Geiger | Earrings: C/O Ana Luisa NY | Necklaces: C/O Daisy Jewellery | Bag: C/O Hvisk

*This post is sponsored by Nordgreen, and the Philosopher watch was gifted to me for this purpose. All styling, imagery, words and reformed shopping habits are my own. You can get 15% off your Nordgreen purchase using the code SOPHAR