Build a more sustainable wardrobe with these incredible stylists

Hiring a stylist with a focus on more sustainable fashion can help you build a wardrobe that is both stylish and more environmentally conscious. Rather than following fast fashion trends, a stylist encourages investing in quality, long-lasting pieces. Navigating the world of more sustainable fashion can be overwhelming, but a knowledgeable stylist understands more ethical brands, more eco-friendly materials, and more responsible production processes. They can guide you in making more informed choices that align with your values. Stylists also help you discover clothing that fits your personal style, body shape, and colour preferences, ensuring your wardrobe is not only more sustainable but also truly yours. By working with a stylist, you become more aware of your consumption habits and their environmental impact, which can lead to more mindful purchasing. They can also help you create a capsule wardrobe of timeless, versatile pieces, allowing you to own less while wearing more. For this blog, we spoke with several stylists from the COSH! community to hear their insights and advice.

Meet Renske Snaar from Rea_sn!

As an experienced fashion stylist and founder, Renske helps you find clothing that truly suits you and reflects your personality and values. She helps you let go of impulsive purchases and teaches you how to choose timeless pieces that can be endlessly mixed and matched, bringing you joy for years to come.

How do you work with your clients?

At rea_​sn, a personal approach is key. I listen carefully to my client’s wishes and needs and offer a complete programme called the Femme Fatale Style Programme. Not just a one-off colour analysis or wardrobe session, but a more sustainable programme in which you truly learn to discover your own style. Over the course of four months, we go through the following steps together: style session, colour analysis, wardrobe session, and personal shopping. In between, you receive challenging assignments to really help you translate what you’ve learned into practice. The goal is to discover which clothing makes you shine and to help you feel happy with your appearance again when you look in the mirror.

What is important when it comes to discovering your personal style?

Discovering your personal style starts with self-reflection and identifying clothing pieces that align with your core values in combination with your body shape. This makes it much easier to make clothing choices and helps you understand why certain items don’t work for you.

What item is a must-have in every wardrobe?

A versatile and well-fitting piece that can be worn both casually and formally is essential in every wardrobe. This is often a good pair of trousers in your best base colour or a neutral tone.

This is Christina from Contour Lab!

How do you reconcile body positivity with more sustainability? That question occupies Christina Hadinoto of Contour Lab on a daily basis. Contour Lab is a digital shopping consultant for fashion web shops, which incorporates body type and other physical characteristics into your online shopping experience. Based on a questionnaire, Contour Lab automatically filters and sorts the items that best fit your features.
Contour Lab is a little atypical in that it is a virtual shopping consultant working with body type styling techniques. 

So how exactly does body type styling work with Contour Lab?

We start from the individual: what does he or she look like in terms of body type and other external features? In terms of body type, we mainly look at the proportions of shoulders, waist, and hips. That combination determines your body shape, which is often expressed in letters: A, H or O. These correspond to pear, apple, hourglass and so on. With each of those body types, certain​“styling rules” apply to balance your body. For example, your body is not​“balanced” when your shoulders are the widest point of the body, and you wear a round neckline on top. For people with broad shoulders, something with a V‑neck is therefore usually recommended, as it shows more skin and you optically break up the body that way. If you have broad shoulders and would wear a round neck, you create a large optical area of fabric, giving the impression that your shoulders are wider than they really are. Of course, you should take these styling rules with a grain of salt, because you should obviously wear what you feel comfortable in as an individual. If you have wide hips and want to accentuate them, then go for it! 

Besides body type styling, you also have seasonal type styling, which involves colour advice based on skin tone, hair colour and eye colour. By combining these factors, we then arrive at a certain seasonal type. Within each season, there are warm or cool undertones, which means that a certain colour palette suits one seasonal type better than another. For example, I am an autumn type and I am slightly darker, but I do have warm undertones. That means I look better with bright colours than with pastel colours. When it comes to styling and shopping advice, this is also the way Contour Lab works. Based on individual characteristics, we make a personal selection, just like a shopping assistant would do on the physical shop floor. 

Are there any items that balance all body types well?

Undoubtedly the wrap dress. That one has a fit where you have to wrap the dress around you, combined with a V‑neck, and it is actually flattering for everyone. A wrap dress also usually has some kind of ribbon or cord, which accentuates your waist, especially if the dress has an A‑line shape and goes out a bit more. The only additional thing you could do, for example if you have a pear shape, is to choose a wrap dress with puffed sleeves, drawing attention to the top of your body. By doing so, you create a kind of hourglass figure and thus balance the body even more. 

Does Contour Lab take trends into account?

Of course, we are dealing with an industry in which trends do matter by definition, which is why they are intrinsically built into Contour Lab. Based on your physical characteristics, we recommend certain trends that are contained in the shop’s collections. So it’s also not the case that every trend is necessarily flattering for every body type. If you have a straight figure and are petite, i.e. smaller than 1m64, the oversized trend is not always flattering when you combine many oversized items in one outfit. We won’t recommend those items at the same time, but we will recommend other trends, for example, a great pair of wide-leg trousers combined with a puffed-sleeved blouse and a jacket over it.

How can you combine the search for personal style with sustainability?

I think it is important for consumers to be approached inclusively, and that is what drives Contour Lab. Such an approach increases satisfaction and that leads to more self-confidence when wearing a certain outfit. That creates more body positivity, which also makes consumers less likely to return items. So you can reduce carbon emissions from returns, which really benefits the planet. The data we collect with Contour Lab can be fed back to fashion companies so that they can take fit or size into account before selling. That way, they can reduce their surpluses and thus their carbon footprint.

What concrete impact does Contour Lab have on returns?

When customers return an item to one of our B2B customers, we always ask for their reasons. Currently, we only take over data that can be linked to our tool, so fit in particular, but this month we are launching our colour and size advice features. Our collaboration with Marie Méro shows that with Contour Lab we generate around 19% fewer returns than when an order is not placed through Contour Lab. So in the future, we hope to also reduce returns related to size or colour.

How the reduced number of returns translates into carbon emissions is difficult to measure. This is because there is often a lot of uncertainty about last-mile delivery. With which supplier does it happen? How many stops do the trucks make? Do they drive electrically? That is extremely complex, making it very difficult to calculate that specifically for returns, according to several conversations with universities and colleges. However, I strongly believe that such research is needed, so we will continue to look for collaborations with partners to map this in the future.

Say hi to Uta from Slowsetter!

Uta is a creative soul with a more than 20 years of experience in a wide range of fields, from carpentry to interior design. Her styling service Slowsetter is committed to effortlessly blend trends with more sustainable practices, because Uta strongly believes sustainability can be stylish. Her aesthetic sensibility and deep understanding of quality, craftsmanship, and the importance of a personal touch are ingrained in everything she does.

How do you engage with your clients?

Normally I’m doing stylings for specific campaigns or for more sustainable producers’ personal branding, but I also offer styling sessions for the individual consumer. Those styling sessions usually start with one hour to get to know each other, after which we start building some outfits out of the client’s wardrobe. Often times many more outfits come out of it than they expected. 

What’s important for me in that first session is to figure out what the client wants. For example, are they looking for a new style, or do they want to know more about more sustainable options? Sometimes they just want styling advice for one specific occasion, like a business trip, a wedding, or a promotional photoshoot. Other clients already have their own style and would like to know about more sustainable alternatives. This could be combined with a personal shopping trip. I also work with individual brands who would like to update their website with better images. They either have their own photographer or I reach out to one.

What’s important to consider when looking for your own personal style?

I think it’s all about feeling good in your clothes and if you know what items to pick to feel good this can be translated into your personal style. That’s why I always try to find out about your personality and your values, and give advice based on that, for example by suggesting certain colours or silhouettes. A good place to start for me is people’s daily routines. Are they on the road a lot? Do they have a lot of meetings? Do they have children they need to take care of? After I’ve assembled all this information we can start building a very personal selection. Once you find a selection that feels good it automatically makes you more attractive to others. That’s the magic of an outspoken personal style.

Do you often give advice based on trends?

What I like about trends is that most of the time people adopt them subconsciously. My upbringing for example was not particularly based on sustainability, so I was also going along with the latest trends. At one point I wanted to change that but felt like I couldn’t because there was this stereotype that more sustainable clothes are beige and boring instead of exciting and fashionable, but that’s absolutely not the case. There’s still a lot of people who believe that conscious clothing are not trendy, but you can definitely incorporate some trends into it. It’s just a question of picking the right ones. Colours are easy because they come back every once in a while, and even more specific trends or silhouettes can be turned into something very personal, or you can give them a modern twist. Some trends even last for to five years, so if you then find them in a more sustainable quality fabric, they will last even longer. It’s not about avoiding trends completely; it’s about reusing them again after some time.

Do you have any tips on how to find your personal style, but in a more sustainable way?

Don’t make it too complicated. Ask a friend or a family member which clothes they don’t wear any more. Maybe you’ll find something you like. If you keep your clothes in this cycle for long and take care of them, they will last. The COSH! platform is also a great guide for finding more sustainable options and to really learn more about certain fabrics and alternatives.

How can people organise their wardrobe more efficiently?

I think it’s a good idea to dive into your closet before every new season. When you take your clothes out of your closet, you often bump into things you forgot you owned. Instead of putting those aside, think about how you can combine them in new ways and organise your closet accordingly. 

Hi Thaís Britta!

The Brazilian stylist discovered her passion for fashion and styling thanks to her Italian grandmother, who used to make clothes for the entire family. Thaís always looks at the big picture and provides you with the best tools to express your personality through fashion. The goal? To create a timeless and more sustainable wardrobe that you can dive into with joy every day.

Fashion stylist Thais Britta offers various services. Rediscover your current wardrobe with a​‘Personal Closet Detox’. During this session, you will learn how to create new styles and unlock the full potential of your wardrobe. 

What is important to discover your own style?

It’s the same as reflecting on who you are or even who you want to be. My advice is to embrace that question mark and create the opportunity to communicate through your outfits what you want to say, what message you want to convey,​“where you stand.”

Do you often give advice based on fashion trends? 

Actually, that’s something I do the least, but not the last. Meaning… There are different clients, some of them love fashion trends, and others don’t. My approach is completely personalized and tailored to the individual I’m guiding.

How do you combine sustainability with your own style?

I have thought about it often, and it’s a very important question. For those who are just discovering how harmful certain products can be to nature (e.g., neon colors), it’s important to become informed and stay realistic. Opting for second-hand or vintage items, or if you’re open to clothing rental… that’s also an option! Another possibility is the​“borrow me/​lend you” system, where you can exchange clothing items with friends or family. Personally, I can say that I love colorful outfits, but I also have a special relationship with earth tones. Earth tones can be easily found in natural dyes (made from plants, flowers, vegetables). As a result, one of the current studies is focused on discovering how similar colors can be developed using synthetic dyes.

How can people organize their wardrobe more efficiently and sustainably?
I believe that giving suitable space to each garment/​family/​category/​color helps maintain an organized wardrobe. To keep it tidy, it’s also nice to invest in some specific tools to separate your clothing, especially accessories. And most importantly, parting ways with items you never use. They only take up space in your closet, creating an unconscious red light​“problem to solve” in your brain. We may not actively notice it, but it brings confusion to your thoughts. So let’s make it easy for ourselves and enjoyable when we open that fantastic door of possibilities that your wardrobe can offer!

That being said, as more people grasp the great importance of being more conscious and more sustainable and its overall impact, the next step will naturally be a flow of demanding change in the right direction. 

Meet Anke from My Melonade!

Have you lost yourself a bit in your wardrobe over the years? And is it high time to take matters back into your own hands? Then the Stijlen course at My Melonade is just what you need. This course will help you avoid future fashion mistakes, choose outfits that truly suit you, and dress as the woman you really are. You’ll shop with confidence and know exactly what to choose.

What is important to discover your own style?

For me, discovering your own style starts with self-acceptance and self-love. Choosing what you find beautiful and, most importantly, what makes you feel good. Creating a mood board can help with this, as well as undergoing a color and style analysis. A color analysis teaches you which colors suit you best and which clothing styles complement them. A style analysis focuses more on your body shape and how to dress it elegantly.

Do you often give advice based on fashion trends? 

I prefer to give advice based on what suits the client best. I also provide tips on how to wear an item across seasons. So, no, I don’t focus on fashion trends, but rather on lifelong favorite pieces (and longer) that you can wear as often as possible. It’s a bit of magic, finding clothes that are made for you and instantly make you feel good.

You are an eco-friendly stylist with beautiful and colorful outfits. How do you combine sustainability with your own colorful style?

I started a store because I found the more sustainable options a bit dull and boring at the time. I believed it could be better, and as you can see, it can be! Over the years, I have built an extensive wardrobe with a mix of designer, vintage, and new more sustainable pieces. The advantage of eco-friendlier clothing is that the quality is top-notch, so the items last a very long time.

How can people organize their wardrobe more efficiently and sustainably?

This ties in with tip number two for me: choose pieces that you genuinely love and find ways to wear them as often as possible. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, quality is essential for organizing your wardrobe more sustainably because the longer an item lasts, the less frequently you need to buy something new. By building a wardrobe with clothing that makes you feel good and that you enjoy wearing, you automatically need fewer items.

Meet Ashna, the Ethical Fashion Stylist

Join Ashna in the quest for a more responsible, more sustainable, and timeless wardrobe. With a tremendous passion for fashion and a belief that the fashion industry needs to be reorganized, Ashna has shaped her career accordingly.

As an Ethical Fashion Stylist (personal shopper), she delves into what resonates with you, helping you discover and express what truly aligns with your unique personality. Her mission is to assist people in creating a more responsible, timeless, and more sustainable wardrobe. Together with Ashna, you’ll explore the stores and brands that prioritize social and environmental responsibility, reliability, fairness, and transparency. It’s all about loving yourself and embracing more sustainable fashion.

To discover your own style, it can be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

1. How would you describe your personal style? For example, feminine, edgy, elegant, or casual?
2. Which colors appeal to you, and do you find these colors in your wardrobe?
3. What are you proud of in terms of your figure, hair, or face?
4. Are there any aspects of your body that you are less satisfied with?
5. What challenges do you face when styling and combining clothes?
6. Are there certain types of clothing in your closet that you tend to choose more often? If so, what kind of clothing items are they?
7. Why do you prefer these particular pieces?
8. Do your style choices need to align with certain values for work or other occasions, such as functionality, comfort, self-expression, or enhancing your appearance?

Do you frequently offer advice based on fashion trends? 

No, I usually start with a closet session (shopping in your own wardrobe) with clients. Through a personal intake, I understand what resonates with the client and what they are looking for. I focus on creating a timeless wardrobe with personal favorites that can be worn across seasons. It’s a bit of magic to find clothes that are perfectly suited to your body and make you feel instantly good.

How do you combine sustainability with your own style? 

For me, sustainable fashion is not just about buying sustainable items but also considering the vintage and second-hand options. I usually try to combine good-quality sustainable pieces with colorful vintage or second-hand items.

How can people organize their closets more efficiently and sustainably? 

Assignment 1: Personal Collage

1. Gather a stack of magazines or go digital using platforms like Pinterest or PowerPoint.
2. Set a timer for 20 minutes and collect as many images as possible that resonate with you. It can be colors, materials, nature, food, patterns, and fashion. Let your mind roam freely!
3. Create a collage using the collected images. Display it in a place where you frequently pass by at home.

Assignment 2: Divide your clothes into 3 piles: Take out all the clothing from your closet (and give everything a good clean). We’ll divide all your clothes into 3 piles:

Pile 1: Clothes you wear frequently. These are items that you effortlessly grab and easily combine with the rest of your wardrobe.

Pile 2: Clothes you like but wear less often. These may be items you find challenging to style or only wear on special occasions.

Pile 3: Mistakes or clothes that need repairs. You don’t wear these clothes because they don’t fit your style or they are damaged. It’s time to take action! Repair the items you still want to keep, and for the rest, consider donating them to a second-hand store, giving them to someone who can use them, selling them, or organizing a clothing swap.

TIP – Work per season: Organize the piles by season. Keep your favorite summer dress separate from your thick winter sweater, for example.

Assignment 3 – Mix and match clothing items: Take a clothing item from Pile 1 (your favorites) and try to combine it with items from Pile 2 (or even Pile 3). Refer to your collage for inspiration. Consider whether you would wear these new combinations frequently. Experiment with as many combinations as possible.

MIX & MATCH: The idea behind a capsule wardrobe is to have various clothing items that can be mixed and matched. It’s not about having fixed sets; it’s more flexible than that. You can choose to create multiple capsules, such as a winter and summer capsule or separate capsules for different occasions, like work and leisure. There is no strict rule about the maximum number of items.

The Sustainable Fashion Academy

Led by passionate personal stylist Victorien van Duuren, the AFA | Sustainable Styling Academy offers a unique and inspiring learning experience. With up-to-date knowledge on sustainability, style, and fashion regulations, Victorien guides students toward a meaningful and stylish profession: that of a more sustainable personal stylist.

At AFA, they help consumers make more conscious fashion choices. The Academy’s approach is practical, creative, and fun. Through joyful sustainability, students learn how to translate sustainable values into approachable and personalised style advice. From discovering perfect fits and colours to mastering wardrobe care, every aspect contributes to reducing fashion’s environmental impact.

The programme features small-group classes, hands-on experience, and a focus on craftsmanship and solutions for the fast-fashion industry. Beyond the training, students join a dynamic network of sustainable fashion experts, empowering them to inspire change, share insights, and shape the future of sustainable styling.

Meet Ann Bevers! 

Ann Bevers, an artist from Wuustwezel, brings colour to life in everything she does. Her work is about creating connection and spreading joy, using the power of colour and textiles to evoke emotions and bridge worlds. Her art is a celebration of life and shows how creativity is the key to growth and collaboration.

With a background in fashion as a stylist, Ann developed a sharp eye for detail and a love for textiles. She blends her experience with her unique artistic vision to create not only expressive artworks, but also to enrich brands and events. From vibrant festival installations to personalised styling and branding advice, Ann crafts a unique atmosphere every time.

Her mission is clear: use colour and creativity to inspire others and create magic together. Looking for art, advice or a transformative experience? Ann is ready to bring your project to life with passion and flair. Are you an artist or musician? She also offers upcycled custom designs or existing pieces for hire. Dive into her colourful world and get inspired!

How do you work with your clients?

When people ask for my advice, their personality is my starting point: ​“Who are they? What do they do? What brings them joy?” From there, I read their personal colours and can give tailored style advice.

What’s important when discovering your personal style?

Really tune in to what brings you joy! Which colours, cuts, fabrics, and prints make you feel good? Dare to live in those choices, and wear them proudly. That’s how you become your most authentic self.

What’s one item that should be in everyone’s wardrobe?

A classic white blouse! It pairs beautifully with other pieces and adds a fresh twist or balance to other colours.

What role do fashion trends play in your styling advice?

Very little — if any! I hardly pay attention to them. I focus on timeless pieces that suit someone’s body and personality.

How can you combine sustainability with personal style?

It’s about having just enough items in your wardrobe that you can mix and match. When pieces combine well, it opens up a world of exciting outfit variations.

How can people make their wardrobes more efficient and sustainable? (2 – 3 tips)

Stick to strong basics for your daily outfits. Add some colourful accents or accessories to create multiple looks with fewer pieces. And most of all, get creative!

Discover your personal smart stylist with the COSH! Digital Wardrobe

Looking to make your wardrobe more sustainable without compromising on style? The COSH! Digital Wardrobe offers a smart, user-friendly solution that acts as your personal stylist.

This free tool allows you to digitally organise your wardrobe, track what you own, and receive AI-powered outfit suggestions tailored to your clothing and preferences. By analysing your existing items, the app helps you make the most of what you already have, reducing the urge to buy unnecessarily and promoting conscious consumption.

Whether you’re planning your weekly outfits or trying to identify key wardrobe gaps, the COSH! Digital Wardrobe supports you in creating a more thoughtful, versatile and sustainable approach to fashion.