Sustain This! Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Our Style Goals & Intentions for 2025 - How Much We Plan to Shop, Project Pan & How We're Getting the Most Out of Our Closets in 2025
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Hosts: Alyssa Beltempo, Christina Mychas, & Signe Hansen

Introduction & Context

In this energizing episode of Sustain This!, hosts Alyssa Beltempo, Christina Mychas, and Signe Hansen embark on a reflective journey, assessing their style intentions from the past year and setting mindful goals for 2025. The conversation centers around mindful consumption, decluttering strategies, and optimizing closet usage to foster a more intentional and sustainable wardrobe.

Reflection on 2024: Reviewing Past Style Intentions

The hosts begin by revisiting their style intentions set at the beginning of 2024, evaluating successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.

• Alyssa’s Reflections:

  • Secondhand First Approach: Alyssa emphasizes maintaining her commitment to secondhand clothing, especially during her travels. However, she acknowledges that her closet has grown larger than desired, prompting her to be more selective in future acquisitions.
    "If I reflect back on the year that passed, it was quite the whirlwind. I think secondhand first was definitely one of my intentions, and I think I kept it, especially when I was traveling." [02:00]

  • Shoe Collection Overhaul: Alyssa identifies her extensive collection of heels and the lack of beloved flats as an area needing attention.
    "I need to sort out my shoe collection because I think I have a lot of... a lot of my shoes are heels and I don't have a lot of good flat options that I really love." [03:30]

• Christina’s Reflections:

  • Shift to Secondhand Shopping: Christina praises her transition from firsthand to more secondhand shopping platforms like Vestiaire and Poshmark, highlighting the reduced impulse purchases and increased satisfaction from finding desired pieces.
    "I did a lot of secondhand shopping this year, which is really, really great because I am definitely more of a first hand shopper." [04:45]

  • Wardrobe Satisfaction: Christina feels settled with her wardrobe, appreciating her existing basics and diverse collection. She aims to focus on cost-per-wear and ensuring new additions serve unique roles in her closet.
    "I feel very settled in my closet right now. I really like everything. I feel like I've got my basics." [28:07]

• Signe’s Reflections:

  • Styling During Life Transitions: Signe shares her experience of making impulsive style changes during pregnancy, like getting a fringe, and the importance of grounding oneself during chaotic life phases.
    "I didn't take into account that actually having a fringe comes with a lot of invisible labor... It ended up just looking really weird." [06:46]

  • Wardrobe as a Creative Outlet: Signe underscores the significance of regular wardrobe edits to maintain a sense of order and creativity, especially during life’s chaotic periods.
    "My wardrobe is my creative outlet. If that's not... nothing feels right when your wardrobe is all over the place." [08:00]

Lessons Learned: Navigating Life Changes and Style

The discussion delves into the interplay between major life transitions and personal style, highlighting the need for stability and intentionality.

• Importance of Stability During Transitions:

  • Signe emphasizes avoiding major style changes during unstable periods to prevent added confusion and stress.
    "Avoid making any major hair changes... It just needs time and grace." [15:08]

• Maintaining Wardrobe Harmony:

  • Alyssa reflects on her personal transitions, including moving countries and navigating divorce, noting how these experiences have deepened her self-awareness and influenced her style choices.
    "I've been spending a lot more time learning about myself and experimenting... what my clothing represents." [10:58]

Setting Intentions for 2025: Goals and Strategies

The hosts outline their style intentions for the upcoming year, focusing on sustainable practices and maximizing wardrobe utility.

• Alyssa’s Intentions:

  • Discerning Clothing Choices: Alyssa plans to be more selective with her wardrobe additions, ensuring each piece serves a purposeful role.
    "Perhaps it's just more being more discerning." [03:00]

  • Establishing Routines: She aims to develop regular style routines, including consistent clothing maintenance habits like scheduled laundry.
    "Making things like even clothing maintenance... establishing a laundry routine." [14:13]

  • Wardrobe Experimentation: Alyssa highlights her wish list items, though she remains cautious about unnecessary additions.
    "A V neck. A long sleeved V neck bodysuit... that's on my list." [26:04]

• Christina’s Intentions:

  • Project Pan: Decluttering Makeup: Christina introduces her plan to stop buying new makeup until she fully uses up existing products, promoting mindful consumption in personal care.
    "I want to do a project pan... I'm just thinking, reflecting... use it up." [16:46]

  • Cost Per Wear Focus: She intends to evaluate new purchases based on cost per wear and ensuring new items fulfill unique functions within her wardrobe.
    "Project cost per wear, project cost per use... make sure it's something different." [28:07]

  • Trusting Her Taste: Christina seeks to build confidence in her fashion choices, reducing impulse buys influenced by online media.
    "Trusting in my own taste a little bit more... clothes are meant to be worn." [20:07]

• Signe’s Intentions:

  • Routine Wardrobe Edits: Signe plans to incorporate regular wardrobe edits to maintain order and creativity, especially as she navigates motherhood.
    "Just doing the regular wardrobe edits... it might grow back into place." [08:00]

  • Unapologetic Style Utilization: She aims to wear her clothes more confidently, removing the fear of ruining garments and embracing their intended use.
    "I'm more unapologetic in using my clothes. Clothes are meant to be worn." [25:52]

Project Pan: Decluttering Makeup and Personal Care

Christina introduces "Project Pan," a strategic plan to cease purchasing new makeup until existing products are fully utilized. This approach aims to:

• Reduce Clutter: By using up current products, Christina minimizes accumulation and promotes a targeted approach to personal care.
  "I want to use it up. I want to go through it." [17:35]

• Enhance Mindful Consumption: This project encourages intentionality in beauty routines, ensuring that purchases are meaningful and necessary.
  "Using up what you have... decluttering through using up." [18:14]

• Streamline Beauty Choices: Christina's strategy involves creating a makeup capsule, focusing on favorites, and resisting the temptation of unnecessary additions.
  "I have a pair of Adidas shoes... something like that." [19:41]

Maximizing Closet Use in 2025: Strategies and Tips

The hosts share practical strategies to optimize closet space and enhance wardrobe functionality:

• Routine Maintenance: Establishing regular habits such as scheduled laundry and closet organization to ensure clothes are ready for use.
  "Establishing a laundry routine so that the clothes don't just stay clean on the bed." [14:13]

• Selective Shopping: Prioritizing unique, versatile pieces that fill specific gaps in the wardrobe, avoiding redundancy and promoting longevity.
  "Ensuring new additions serve unique roles in the closet." [28:07]

• Cost Per Wear Evaluation: Assessing new purchases based on their potential usage and value, ensuring each piece justifies its place in the wardrobe.
  "Project cost per wear, project cost per use." [28:07]

• Embracing Existing Wardrobe: Encouraging the use of current clothing items before acquiring new ones, fostering appreciation and reducing waste.
  "As soon as you feel tempted for something or there's something that you want, you have to go to your closet." [20:30]

Personal Stories and Anecdotes

Throughout the episode, the hosts share personal anecdotes that illustrate their journeys towards mindful fashion:

• Alyssa’s Transition Periods: Alyssa recounts her experiences with major life changes, such as moving countries and navigating divorce, and how these transitions influenced her style and self-expression.
  "Moving from traveling and getting a divorce and getting my own place for the first time... figuring out who I am as a single person." [10:58]

• Signe’s Hairstyle Experimentation: Signe discusses her attempt to adopt a fringe during pregnancy, highlighting the importance of aligning style choices with practical needs and personal comfort.
  "Having a fringe comes with a lot of invisible labor... I just rolled out a bad French hairstyle." [16:00]

• Christina’s Makeup Habits: Christina shares her challenges with managing makeup products and her commitment to using them up through Project Pan, emphasizing the balance between experimentation and necessity.
  "I have way more than anybody needs... I've never used up a full makeup product." [16:10]

Conclusion & Community Engagement

The episode wraps up with the hosts encouraging listeners to reflect on their own style intentions and share their experiences:

• Call to Action:

  • Reflect and Share: The hosts invite listeners to reflect on their past year’s style choices and set mindful intentions for 2025, encouraging them to share their journeys in the comments or on social media.
    "If you do the same, maybe let us know in the comments below, like what your intentions are and what you've been reflecting on for the past year." [31:39]

  • Join the Community: Listeners are encouraged to subscribe, leave ratings and reviews, and engage with the podcast’s community through various platforms for additional support and exclusive content.
    "We're also a community led podcast, so if you have any questions for us, topic requests, or even guests you want to hear from, please send us a DM on Instagram @SustainThisPodcast." [32:29]

• Final Remarks: The hosts express gratitude to their audience, celebrating the continuation of their journey into Season Three, and teasing future conversations about mindful consumption and intentional living.
  "We learned a lot. This was really fun to reflect and set intentions... See you in the next one." [31:39]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Alyssa: "Secondhand first was definitely one of my intentions, and I think I kept it, especially when I was traveling." [02:00]
• Christina: "I want to do a project pan... I'm just thinking, reflecting... use it up." [16:46]
• Signe: "My wardrobe is my creative outlet. If that's not... nothing feels right when your wardrobe is all over the place." [08:00]
• Christina: "Clothes are meant to be worn." [25:57]
• Alyssa: "Making things like even clothing maintenance... establishing a laundry routine." [14:13]

This episode of Sustain This! offers a comprehensive exploration of mindful fashion practices, personal reflections, and actionable goals for enhancing wardrobe sustainability in 2025. Through honest dialogue and shared experiences, the hosts inspire listeners to cultivate a more intentional and joyful relationship with their personal style.