What an informative post! I get very Frits on seeing fashion that I simply cannot afford or do not want to pay the high prices for? Keep the recs coming
Thank you! Totally feel this - prices for apparel and accessories have been rising across the board and it's such a tough pill to swallow. I love that secondhand is a way to mitigate the higher prices and find something unique.
It’s funny how we’ve probably all found someone that’s caught our attention for their style and had the same thoughts!! For me, I was obsessed with @aclotheshorse (IG) who I initially found on Tumblr (??) and have seen her style and quality of ootd’s (if you can even call them that these days - she definitely posts straight up art more than anything) improve over the years, but have still always wanted to be able to pull off her dreamy aesthetic.
Thanks for asking Liz! I'm vegan and had stopped wearing animal products like wool and leather for ethical reasons. In the last year I've done deep research on microplastics for my grad school program and realized how much synthetic textiles are contributing to this issue. I'm now looking at secondhand wool and leather as a compromise to balance my ethical and sustainable values. I wrote more about it here :) https://semisustainable.substack.com/p/breaking-up-with-vegan-leather
Such a fun article, Tina, thank you! Denise's wardrobe resonates with me the most, probably because I also favour clothes that are not necessarily trendy (peplums, cocoon shapes, in her case as shown) but have character. I would love to incorporate some of these into my own wardrobe.
I shop for quality of textile/material, design, and a quirk factor. I have no desire to look like anyone else - dressing is an art for me at my best. <3
Thanks Sheila! Agree, Denise's style has great character - the shapes she wears feel so different from what's out there. I definitely see you in the more sculptural silhouettes.
So enjoyed this Tina! I am very neutral on “dupes”- generally my approach is if there’s something very specific about the OG to at I’m craving, then I’m better off going for the real deal. But if it’s more just an essence I’m trying to capture, sometimes a “dupe” or at least an inspired by scratches the itch. Tons of great food for thought! And thanks for the shout out!
Thank you and love your writing :) You have a great approach to dupes. I'd rather have the real thing, but sometimes lean into an inspired piece when the price doesn't work in my favor.
I am a MASSIVE fan of Denise Norgaard's wardrobe and you nailed it when you described it as sculptural; she really has such special pieces that make the most interesting shapes!!
Thanks so much for sharing that post Kelly! I love Back Row and needed to catch up - it was a great read. I've been fascinated by the Bottega earrings, especially after Who What Wear posted a glowing review of the Amazon dupes last year (although this might have been more due to affiliate linking). Loveee Denise Nørgaard’s style - truly a dream wardrobe.
You bring up a very interesting point that I’ve always found problematic. Amazon’s cookie-ing with affiliate links are some of the most aggressive in the industry so it’s not surprising that people WANT the dupes to be great.
I’ve never really considered the level of sustainability in her fashion but trying to find items similar to theirs was always my struggle. I think once I have a big girl job maybe I can shoot for the stars from some of the girlies and brands you’ve posted here :)
Thank you for sharing Samantha Maria's account Maddie! I'm already so into her mini vlogs. Haha, I'm totally shooting for the stars with my favorite creators' wardrobes. Big points to resale platforms for being able to apply some of their outfit inspiration to my closet.
Also, no disrespect but a lot of people who talk about curtailing shopping and phone usage continue to shop and use social media. How can I read posts if I’m not on social media? I believe social media has taken the place of magazines.
Totally - I used to get so excited for my magazine subscriptions to come in the mail every month and now I eagerly wait for my favorite fashion creators to post on Substack, YouTube, etc.
All these ladies have such amazing style and I love their approach to fashion!
Totally! They’re all inspirational in their own way.
What an informative post! I get very Frits on seeing fashion that I simply cannot afford or do not want to pay the high prices for? Keep the recs coming
Thank you! Totally feel this - prices for apparel and accessories have been rising across the board and it's such a tough pill to swallow. I love that secondhand is a way to mitigate the higher prices and find something unique.
It’s funny how we’ve probably all found someone that’s caught our attention for their style and had the same thoughts!! For me, I was obsessed with @aclotheshorse (IG) who I initially found on Tumblr (??) and have seen her style and quality of ootd’s (if you can even call them that these days - she definitely posts straight up art more than anything) improve over the years, but have still always wanted to be able to pull off her dreamy aesthetic.
Oooh, thanks for sharing Holley! Her style is so fantastical and I'm blown away by her gorgeous photography and curation.
Tell me more about your stance on wool?
Thanks for asking Liz! I'm vegan and had stopped wearing animal products like wool and leather for ethical reasons. In the last year I've done deep research on microplastics for my grad school program and realized how much synthetic textiles are contributing to this issue. I'm now looking at secondhand wool and leather as a compromise to balance my ethical and sustainable values. I wrote more about it here :) https://semisustainable.substack.com/p/breaking-up-with-vegan-leather
I admire how you're exploring your relationship with clothes and Future Fashion is gorgeous.
Such a fun article, Tina, thank you! Denise's wardrobe resonates with me the most, probably because I also favour clothes that are not necessarily trendy (peplums, cocoon shapes, in her case as shown) but have character. I would love to incorporate some of these into my own wardrobe.
I shop for quality of textile/material, design, and a quirk factor. I have no desire to look like anyone else - dressing is an art for me at my best. <3
Thanks Sheila! Agree, Denise's style has great character - the shapes she wears feel so different from what's out there. I definitely see you in the more sculptural silhouettes.
So enjoyed this Tina! I am very neutral on “dupes”- generally my approach is if there’s something very specific about the OG to at I’m craving, then I’m better off going for the real deal. But if it’s more just an essence I’m trying to capture, sometimes a “dupe” or at least an inspired by scratches the itch. Tons of great food for thought! And thanks for the shout out!
Thank you and love your writing :) You have a great approach to dupes. I'd rather have the real thing, but sometimes lean into an inspired piece when the price doesn't work in my favor.
This was wonderful! I also haven't heard of Denise and am going to be immediately following her! Also those jeans are just perfection 😍😍
Honestly, I can’t believe I just came across Denise in the year 2025 - her style is so amazing!
Whoa, never heard of Denise but WOW! Such amazing inspiration!
I cannot get over her wardrobe - I'll take one of everything please.
I find dupe culture so fascinating and recently read this post about Amazon Dupes that I really loved (you might too): https://amyodell.substack.com/p/how-good-are-amazons-luxury-dupes
I am a MASSIVE fan of Denise Norgaard's wardrobe and you nailed it when you described it as sculptural; she really has such special pieces that make the most interesting shapes!!
Thanks so much for sharing that post Kelly! I love Back Row and needed to catch up - it was a great read. I've been fascinated by the Bottega earrings, especially after Who What Wear posted a glowing review of the Amazon dupes last year (although this might have been more due to affiliate linking). Loveee Denise Nørgaard’s style - truly a dream wardrobe.
You bring up a very interesting point that I’ve always found problematic. Amazon’s cookie-ing with affiliate links are some of the most aggressive in the industry so it’s not surprising that people WANT the dupes to be great.
100% - their links are everywhere. I can see how their dupes get so much traction since it’s hard to escape their affiliate program.
I love the uniqueness of the three influencers you’ve mentioned! One person’s style that I’ve admired for a few years (especially in my undergrad) is Samantha Maria: https://www.instagram.com/sammimaria?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
I’ve never really considered the level of sustainability in her fashion but trying to find items similar to theirs was always my struggle. I think once I have a big girl job maybe I can shoot for the stars from some of the girlies and brands you’ve posted here :)
Thank you for sharing Samantha Maria's account Maddie! I'm already so into her mini vlogs. Haha, I'm totally shooting for the stars with my favorite creators' wardrobes. Big points to resale platforms for being able to apply some of their outfit inspiration to my closet.
Also, no disrespect but a lot of people who talk about curtailing shopping and phone usage continue to shop and use social media. How can I read posts if I’m not on social media? I believe social media has taken the place of magazines.
Totally - I used to get so excited for my magazine subscriptions to come in the mail every month and now I eagerly wait for my favorite fashion creators to post on Substack, YouTube, etc.
I think magazines have lost sight of why people purchased them. I bought them for beauty and fashion. Not politics.
TRR is great for items we may have missed out on the first time around. Also, for designs we didn’t even know were sold.
Yes! The RealReal is my favorite place to shop. Every time I want something designer firsthand I know it will eventually make its way to TRR.