It’s been a big year for my friends at Cuyana, a direct-to-consumer brand that asks what most retailers won’t: to buy fewer clothes and accessories– choosing better pieces that last longer. They landed a huge partnership with Real Simple (set to launch May 2015), opened a flagship location in the heart of San Francisco, and launched their F/W collection, introducing slim alpaca knits, timeless silk blouses, and delicately structured shoulder bags.
And still, Cuyana’s mission remains strong and more focused than ever.
With the high level of consumerism in the U.S., most of us can’t open our inbox without a barrage of sales offers asking to be opened. Sometimes, I’d have 4 things in my cart before I had begun the day’s work.
The implications of these spending habits created significant problems for me. When I was 25, I found myself a few thousand dollars in credit card debt, and still had “nothing to wear.” The realization of a larger problem came when packages started showing up and I couldn’t remember what I had ordered. Now older, wiser, and debt-free– I’m still not out of the woods. Joe and I most often wrestle with purchasing what we want vs. what we need. My closet today, even after many purges and donations, still has an extra few pounds of unneeded weight. Because maybe, just maybe, I’ll need that cropped cream angora sweater someday.
Further upping the ante, Cuyana has made it easier to rally behind their motto of “fewer, better things” founding what they call “The Lean Closet Movement”– designed to helps us get our hands on the pieces that will work and get rid of the ones that don’t. As an incentive to do just that, each Cuyana order comes with a bag and a prepaid shipping label to send your old clothes and accessories back to the company. Cuyana will donate the clothes to charity and credit the customer $10 toward a future order.
A few holiday seasons ago, I purchased items from Cuyana for my mother and sister. Allie received a small leather purse and my mom, a leather tote. Last month, I noticed they were still wearing their bags. The leather had weathered beautifully. They each loved the design as much today as they did two years ago. In a culture of consumption, this was proof enough for me; what Cuyana is doing is working.
To live with fewer, better things is a wonderful reminder, even if it’s one we may never fully reach ourselves. I can tell you that my idea of a “lean closet” is probably different than yours, and that’s OK, as long as we’re feeling more connected and in control of what we choose to bring into our homes. Even if Cuyana products aren’t the right fit for you, consider taking a cue from the company’s mission. It’ll make you rethink what’s in your closet.
Select Items: Shoulder Bag | Silk Blouse | Leather Wallet | Leather Overnight Bag | Leather Tote (Tall) | Turkish Robe
Disclaimer: This is a post sponsored by Cuyana. I received one Cuyana product and compensation in exchange for coverage. All opinions and thoughts about their products are my own. Thank you for supporting sponsored posts! These posts make it possible for us to continue to produce quality content on our website.
Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
BY Kate Arends - October 20, 2014
Most-read posts:
Did you know W&D now has a resource library of Printable Art, Templates, Freebies, and more?
take me there
Get Our Best W&D Resources
for designing a life well-lived
Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.
Hi, I'm Kate. Welcome to my happy place.
Love these items and the message, but I especially love how you disclosed this as a sponsored post. Yes! We need more of this transparency in the blog world.
Thank you so much, Christina! I agree with you 🙂
You pointed me towards one of their overnight bags years ago, and I still use it and love it each time. The orange inside is so fun and bright, and it helps me see what’s in there.
Now if only the outside weren’t always covered in dog hair… but that’s my problem, not theirs!
I still use mine as well, Emily!
Love Cuyana and their philosophy. Did a major closet purge a few months ago and feel more content with the clothes I do own and I have certainly made wiser purchuses since then.
I took everything out of my closet and started over this weekend (avec wine) with this same principle – ditch what you don’t need and keep the goodies (and then only buy quality items that will last). It’s a refreshing mindset among all the clutter – thanks for bringing this up.
I adore Cuyana and everything they stand for. I’ve blogged about them many times over the years but have yet to really clean out my closet in a serious way. Thanks for the inspiration (and the gorgeous peek of your home)!
[…] Basically the entire internet has been talking about capsule wardrobes and minimizing… for a while. […]
Love that leather tote!
The whole idea stems from social justice. It’s wonderful that people in the fashion industry are beginning to understand how consumerism has gotten out of hand. I’ve worked at designer clothing stores but was always known for being a practical shopper. You don’t have to be dowdy to be fashionable! Being timeless means you’ll never have to look back at photos and think “what was I thinking!?”
Jill: I have a feeling many female consumers are hardly aware of the social implications re: fast fashion, myself included. There’s a bit of a learning curve, and once you start looking, you realize you have to go out of your way to buy ethically produced products. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I love the slow movement in all its forms, including fashion. I think most of us go through the phase of buying from the quick fashion retailers and eventually come to the realization that investing in thoughtful, quality pieces that get better with time is much better on all fronts (socially, economically, for our closet space and for our sanity!). In my 30’s I’m looking more at selecting pieces that reflect who I am and my lifestyle, and purchasing from brands like Cuyana and Everlane (and countless other brands!) that focus on the quality and timeless nature of their pieces.… Read more »
Erin & Kate: So very true and no one can judge because fast fashion is just so easy. Finding ethical and stylish places is difficult (& often time consuming), so it’s wonderful when people with influence and/or in the industry help all of us find options. No one has to have it all figured out right away, one step at a time 🙂 Thanks for this!
I am completely on board with the “less is more” movement. However, as much as I would love to be able to spend top money for just a few quality products, I just don’t have that kind of money right now. I wish that meant I didn’t shop for anything, but the reality is I have to have a few things in order to look professional and put-together. (I’ve been a grad student for the past 5 years, so I need professional clothes but don’t have the money for them—quite the conundrum!) I’m really looking forward to the day when… Read more »
It was sold as probably the most advanced innerspring mattress that is known because, much like polyurethane foam, the Free – Flex can adjust to the contours of their user’s body. A word of advice; even should you think that you simply know what form of mattress you desire, it. Mattress for less Somnus and Hypnos beds and mattresses are renowned to the superior quality they offer as well as their luxurious appearance. Studies have found which a medium-firm mattress provides the top back support and alleviates the most back pain. If your baby love to lie and play in… Read more »
Kate, your comment about wanting to purge your closet a little more reminded me to connect you with Caroline Rector of un-fancy.com – a minimalist fashion blog. I’m planning on doing a series of posts to document my attempt to whittle down my winter wardrobe to Caroline’s suggested (GULP) 37 pieces. Check her site out, which is beautifully designed by the way, and let me know what you think!
Remember, just because a television is listed as digital this doesn’t happen stop here mean which it is usually a high definition television. This is due to low level digital signals that the HDTV is receiving, which are constantly dropping in and out. Insignia tv remote codes for dvd player There are numerous emblems to choose from, including branch crests, unit insignias, military flags, and even special interests. Here are a couple of tips for you personally, to understand how to receive the best out of one’s HDTV. Usually, both sides of the ring could also contain other insignia or… Read more »
It has become my experience that many Blue Ray discs haven’t been recorded inside the full
1080p resolution. You can observe a slideshow of pictures by inserting the SD memory card out of your digital
camera.. Hdmi to rca converter It has become my experience that
many Blue Ray discs haven’t been recorded inside the full 1080p resolution. You can observe a slideshow of
pictures by inserting the SD memory card out of your digital
camera..
I’ve been browsing online more than 3 hours
today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and
bloggers made good content as you did, the web will
be a lot more useful than ever before.
そして最後は白石は報復として全員からいじめ返されたのである。
前田敦子でさえ何時の間にか消えちゃったし、この人じゃ無理だろう
どう考えたってライバルなわけないだろ。AKBを超すとか幻想もいいとこ。
But being serious sometimes cannot be considered a bad business, like Rosetta Stone Hebrew. With the advancement in every one of the fields, the planet of radios has some kinds of techniques that make it more preferable. Baofeng k5 The best a part of a local radio station’s marketing with email campaign is how easy and inexpensive it can be to setup and operate. Well, it goes time for Fitzgerald saying again, there’s different viewpoints. Baofeng uv-5r blog While using wireless industrial handy remote control they can provide the very best radio products as they also keep up with the… Read more »
本人の生まれながらのルックス、運営の企画、と比べると努力のウェイトは低いな
それで「〇〇回行ったよ～」「おめ～＾＾」なんてやりとりがある
最初からアイドルに応募せずに役者の勉強すればよかったやん
It can be difficult to slim down and many people
look for options like v3 weight loss supplements to help. After if you know Phentermine
v3 weightloss pills could help shed weight quickly, you’ll be interested
in knowing its functionality and usability. Nutritional supplements side effects
That’s what Obama is gonna do, and that is what Bernanke is planning to do, that is certainly what Paulson has been doing. There are lots of other possibilities which are just waiting for his or her implementation. Baofeng encryption Cutoff frequency is really a major characteristic of communication channels and filtering devices. You’re going to the hardware store for apples; they do not carry them. Baofeng legal Conrad was an Assistant Chief Engineer inside Westinghouse Electric Corporation that created KDKA on November 2, 1920. In case of operation failure, automatically the system will shutdown with any loss of signal… Read more »
It has got to flaunt an excellent structure,
increased functionality along with the most demanded feature of awesome transportability.
So, lately your laptop battery has been giving you a less than stellar performance.
Which chromebook is best
The WAC Corporal itself would play a seminal role in ICBM and space launch vehicle development and would cause the Army’s first artillery rocket, the Corporal.
Last minute southwest flights Wait until it contracts and after that sprint across on the
other side.
You will desire to try and leave an itinerary
with someone which you know and trust. Be sure to subscribe for these alerts that can bring all with the latest travel deals for your inbox.
[…] Delight reader, you are already familiar with my borderline obsession with Cuyana (see exhibits A, B and C). I’m an admirer of their “fewer, better things” manifesto, a concept I […]
The final layer is a micron compression disk. This offers protection from bits like sediment, dirt and rust.
Your routine, take a look at latest news and informs, business information my apron is only able to be accessed from.