Most of my clothes, I watched from afar. They were languishing, hanging limp in my closet or pushed to the back of my dresser. Some nights, when boredom overcame me, I'd try on the cute tops, the glam dresses for parties that would never be. I'd step into them, just to feel something. But the novelty faded fast, leaving me with pandemic outfits that I was so bored with.
After wearing the same three or four outfits on repeat foreverrrr, I decided to go through my entire wardrobe and clear out the excess. After a grueling process, through which I exercised a ruthlessness I never knew I possessed, only a third of my clothes remained.
Items that no longer fit me, cringe-worthy things I bought but never wore, and the tacky, sad vestiges of trends of yore — how many of us have them? But I pushed past my embarrassment, emptied most of my closet, and felt so much lighter.
The biggest disappointments weren't the out-of-trend pieces or the too-small pants. The most frustrating things I found were the threadbare polyester garments which had mostly fallen apart after one wash. If anything is the stake in the heart of fast fashion, it's looking at a pile of disintegrated past purchases.
How much money had I spent replacing items just like these, instead of just buying good quality versions upfront? Never again.
With the new season dawning, I decided to take the opportunity for fall shopping as an excuse to hunt for my next, new favorite brand.
I began my hunt for well-made clothes from brands that I could justify purchases from by cost-per-use alone. While Everlane, Reformation, and online thrift futures like ThredUp or Vestiaire had been on my roster for a while, I wanted to expand my palate.
My search led me to Love, Bonito, a brand celebrating women as they are.
While many fashion brands focus on trying to make you invest in a fantasy self, the version of you who has their clothes and therefore lives a better life, Love, Bonito wants you the love the version of yourself you are now.
Love, Bonito uses their mission to inspire their collections of well-fitted, well-made clothes that aren't prohibitively expensive and are size-inclusive.
But this doesn't mean they're boring! In the age of flex culture and the return of the garish trends of Y2K, it can be easy to assume that classic, timeless fashion is stale.
With Love, Bonito, that's not the case. Their stylish collections are versatile enough for you to not get bored of, and built to last — so as not to trigger your existential dread.
Their Fall-Winter collection will take you through the transitional weather season, well into fall, and beyond. Stock your fall wardrobe with classic pieces from a brand that cares.
Here are some of my favorite picks to get the season started off right:
Morie High Waisted Straight Leg Pants ($43.90)
Love Bonito
The Morie High Waisted Straight Leg Pants are an elegant mix of great things. The deceptively simple pant puts all of Love, Bonito's emphasis on tailoring on display.
The graceful shape of the pants makes them an effortless looking wide leg that you can either dress up — now that going out is an option and you, like me, don't have to get all dressed up with nowhere to go — or dress down for an easy, but chic look. Combined with the wide waistband, they're flattering on everyone.
If you never want to take them off, we don't blame you.
Norah Square Neck Bodysuit ($27.90)
Love Bonito
God bless the bodysuit! The humble closet staple takes you from summer to fall and back again. The fitted tailoring of the Norah Square Neck Bodysuit can give any look that extra touch of class.
The clean, square neckline harkens back to the 90s, which are back in style — making this a sleek bodysuit that will help you achieve both a classic and trendy look. And who says you can't please everyone!
Clemento High Neck Knit Top ($33.90)
Recently, a friend asked me if it was too early to break out the turtlenecks, and who amongst us hasn't been waiting with bated breath for turtleneck weather to be upon us? Well, here is what I texted to my turtleneck-happy friend: it's not too early, it's in fact the perfect time.
Especially not if the Clemento High Neck Knit Top is the turtleneck in question. This ribbed knit is not your mother's turtleneck — nor the one she made you wear on school picture day. It's lightweight enough not to scratch you or sweat you out, and stylish enough to keep you from looking stuffy. The ribbed styling and scalloped sleeves are also current trends, elegantly combined in this perfect fall piece.Eularia Cardigan ($34.90)
When Taylor Swift said: "cardigan," I felt that. Taylor is famously a fan of singing about the emotional weight of seasonal knitwear (one day I'll be emotionally ready to unpack the scarf motif in "All Too Well"), but "cardigan" is more than just the perfect single from the perfect album folklore, it's a perfect piece of fall-wear.
The Eularia Cardigan is no exception to the rule. The cropped cardigan is a whimsical way to layer up this season. Keep warm without sacrificing your look with this perfectly cut sweater. Tie it around your shoulders or torso when you get a little warm for a cheeky, prep-inspired look, or size up for a comfy oversized aesthetic. There's no wrong way to wear it!Love, Bonito's Fall-Winter collection makes me excited to get dressed again. I'll be browsing through their website for every season to come, and dressing with their self-confident motto in mind for the rest of my days