Stylish Canadians share their longest cherished pieces

We’ve all purchased items that we wore for a hot second, or season, but were destined for the back of the closet, to never see the light of day again. Maybe it was a fast-fashion buy that was trendy for a minute, or maybe it was a pair of designer shoes that pinched your toes, but the price was just too good to pass up. But consider: Filling your wardrobe with things that don’t make you feel amazing not only takes up valuable storage real estate, it also means those items, if not lucky enough to be adopted into someone else’s closet, ultimately meet their end in a landfill.

But the items we keep forever bring us one step closer toward a more intentional, sustainable wardrobe that *actually* represents who are—and they are often a marker of true style. Whether it’s a tattered sweater we’ve worn to bits or a once-stylish bag we’ve kept stashed away in pristine condition, these are the items that hold meaning and memories, and keeping them isn’t a failure to purge, it’s a triumph of longevity.

Ahead, we’ve asked five exceptionally fashionable The Kit community members to share their most cherished clothing items to inspire us all to dig into our own wardrobes and show those long-loved pieces some appreciation.

Mouna Traoré, Actor: “My grandmother has always been my style inspiration, and this beautiful Bottega Veneta bag is one of the items I inherited from her after she passed. She always took such great care of her bags, and I suspect she had this one for a couple decades, but it looks almost brand new. Inside I always keep some of the personal items she never left home without—tissues, a mirror, a comb and Stimudent toothpicks. Every time I wear it, I’m reminded of her.”

Ralph, Pop Singer and Songwriter: “I have this vintage Escada blazer from the 1980s that hangs on my wall like art. It’s a cream satin with fuchsia and yellow sequin details that spell out “hello angel” on the back. I got it about five years ago when I was playing the Iheartradio festival in Vancouver from an amazing little vintage store on Main Street that doesn’t exist anymore. I saw the blazer and literally gasped, I thought it was so breathtaking. When you have an emotional reaction like that toward a piece of clothing, you just have to own it. I wore it onstage at Rifflandia Festival in Victoria and haven’t worn it since—except for this little photoshoot from a couple years ago— it’s too special!! I want to own it forever and have it be an archival Ralph piece.”

Lynne Weare, Designer and Stylist: “Growing up my mom and I would spend hours thrifting every week. Throughout the years we have found some great pieces together. This nylon Oscar de la Renta dress coat is a favourite. We bought it about 20 years ago at a rundown second-hand store in the east end of Toronto. It will be something I keep forever and will always bring me back to cherished afternoons with her.”

Kealan Sullivan, Founder of 69 Vintage and Hippie Market: “I am wearing two pieces from my forever collection, which is made up of many items I have collected going back to my high-school years. My 1970s graphic cotton pants have been in my wardrobe since my early 20s. They were out of my budget, but I make purchase decisions based on the cost-per-wear value of something that I completely love and want to own. Now, in my late 40s, I still feel really chic and cheeky in these pants. I bought this epic late-1960s velvet jacket a decade ago from Wild Thing Vintage, who now has an Etsy shop and is a local reseller at Hippie Market. Pieces like this will always be in style, and I will always be adding to my personal collection. There is a lot of joy and satisfaction in building a strong personal wardrobe, which is both an investment in ourselves and monetarily. A quality wardrobe starts with taking really good care of things, which is how I define sustainable style.”

Natalya Amres, Designer and Founder of Remixed by Tal: “I made this jacket out of leftover backpacks for an upcycling project I was working on with Adidas. At the time, I had an image in my head of how I wanted it to look, but because I was still learning how to work with odd materials, it wasn’t turning out the way I had planned. I put so much work into creating it and when I was finally done, I hid it in my closet because I was so ashamed of the terrible job I did. A year later I wore it to an event and received such amazing feedback on the design. For me, this jacket is symbolic of how hard we are on ourselves sometimes. Just because something doesn’t turn out exactly as we planned doesn’t mean that others won’t see the beauty in it.”

Melissa Perdigao is an associate editor at The Kit, writing about beauty and lifestyle. Follow her on Instagram: @itsmelissaliliana

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