This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Nordgreen
I’ve always been a fan of the old ‘one item worn several ways’ thing, and in a world where using what we have over endlessly chasing ‘new in’ is becoming increasingly important, showing that off has become a way – albeit a small one – to encourage loving what you already own.
In fact, if you scroll back far enough on this very blog you’ll find quite a number of ‘restyling’ type posts, each accompanied by a selection of dodgy photos of me standing against the aggressively redbrick wall of a block of flats I used to live in in a succession of questionable outfits.
This isn’t going to be one of them (although maybe that is something I should pick up next year?), it’s just a long-winded way of explaining that I have a very real love for a versatile or multi-use item – and that’s not just pieces that are appropriate for multiple occasions, but pieces that can actually flex and adapt. A heavy shirt that can be worn as a top or a jacket. A shirt dress that can be worn buttoned with bare legs but also open as a duster coat.
And now my accessories are doing the same, it seems. Back in October (she says, as though that was a while ago rather than just part of the same weird vortex we all live in now) I spoke about Nordgreen, the Danish watch brand with sustainability and a drive to be better at its core, in this post. I wore one of their beautiful watches, which has barely left my wrist since, and I’m wearing the same one in today’s post, except this time it’s the watch herself who has changed her outfit.
If you are interested in picking up something for yourself, whether that’s an individual watch or one with a secondary strap (or getting someone a GREAT Christmas 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.
Nordgreen has partnered with KidsOut this festive season, so between 2 December and 30 December, using the 15% off code will also automatically contribute a toy to a child who has escaped domestic violence.
Same watch, different strap
This is the Philosopher style by Nordgreen – the same one featured in my previous post – but thanks to the interchangeable straps, it’s had a very cute makeover.
I absolutely loved the gold mesh strap, but being able to change it up makes it even easier to get the most wear possible out of this little beauty. No item is all that ‘sustainable’ unless you are actually going to wear or use it, so if you can maximise that to its full potential, that’s all the better in my book.
The strap I added to my original 36mm Philosopher in Gold is the Brown Vegan Leather Strap. I don’t think I’ve ever had a watch with a brown strap before, and as I find myself being more and more drawn to beige, camel and neutral tones, this seemed like something that would slot in effortlessly and give me a great, more casual alternative to the all-gold look.
They are super easy to change too – even for me, who is invariably rubbish at stuff like that. Simply slide the catch over to release the strap, then ease it out of the case and replace with another.
Minimising waste
Frankly, me and the Philosopher are going to be a team for years now, but as someone who has in the past been no stranger to being ‘done’ with items after a period of time, I always appreciate real efforts by businesses to minimise wasteful buying habits.
This is what I especially like about Nordgreen; it’s clear that the impact of every facet of the business has been considered through the lens of sustainability. Even without this partnership, at some point, I would have looked to purchase a gold watch with a tan strap anyway. It isn’t a style I already owned, and hey, I’m a real jewellery enthusiast – I love the idea of having a solid (not large) watch wardrobe that covers the classics. Ultimately, the face would have been near enough identical on both of them, so I love how such a simple feature allows the brand to prevent excessive buying.
Another great example of this is their refurbished collection. Nordgreen take used watches – from customers who have finished with them and then taken the chance to send them back to the brand to reuse rather than disposing of them themselves – then scrub them up and make any fixes or finetuning until they are the same standard as a brand new one. They then package them up for their next home, passing on a saving of up to 30% to the new owner in the process. The refurbished collection comes with a 2 year warranty, the same as their new watches.
And, just as it’s reassuring to know that you are buying from a brand that cares for the planet, it’s also brilliant to know that you are supporting a business that wants to support people too. As I mentioned earlier, Nordgreen have partnered with KidsOut to donate toys to children in need this Christmas – those who have escaped domestic violence, forced to flee their homes and leave all possessions behind. They also operate a Giving Back Programme, allowing you to make a donation from your purchase (at no cost to you – its done via the serial number on the back of your watch) by choosing from one of three vital causes for them to contribute to.
Styling The Philosopher with brown vegan leather strap
A watch in laid-back leather (faux for me, of course) calls for casual and timeless basics, so a jumper, plaid vintage shirt and some more pleather in the form of black cigarette trousers were what I ended up in.
While I’m so glad to have stopped buying from fast fashion brands, I can admit that at times I do still feel the internal ‘I need new clothes, I have nothing to wear’ struggle, and recently winter dressing has me returning to that feeling with a regularity which has been frustrating.
Often, though, all you need is the time and willingness to have a proper snoop through your wardrobe – trying things on that you’ve never teamed up before – in order to remind yourself that yes, clothes are meant to be loved and worn over and over again, and there are all manner of combinations to be put together in what you already own.
What I’m wearing
Watch: C/O Nordgreen | Shirt: Vintage | Trousers: Old | Jumper: Old | Trainers: Converse | Bag: Old
*This post is sponsored by Nordgreen, and the Philosopher watch along with the additional strap was gifted to me for this purpose. All styling, imagery, words and love of multi-purpose items are my own. You can get 15% off your Nordgreen purchase using the code SOPHAR
Sophar So Good 