Suit Up
Trying (and probably failing) to not buy something new for a life event
Before I dive in, a callout for circularity: if there’s ever been a time to reduce your consumption of firsthand fashion, it’s now. Between the tariffs, the climate crisis, and the cost of living, secondhand is about to have its well-deserved moment. If you want to learn more about tariffs from retail leaders on Substack, I highly recommend following
, , and who all touched on this topic in their last posts.I wrote about the impact of tariffs last November and wanted to share this again to highlight the likely upside for the resale sector. (If you’re understandably tariff’d out atm, join me below the block quote to talk about suits.)
If you’re seeing headlines about tariffs on imports and want to learn about what this could mean for consumer purchasing power, The Sustainable Fashion Forum and Amy Odell break it down here and here. A key takeaway within the fashion industry is that 97% of clothing sold in the US is made in another country. If tariffs on imports are enacted, brands will run scenarios on how much their margins can stretch to cover them, but will almost certainly pass the cost onto consumers as price increases.
A tiny silver lining is that tariffs could grow the secondhand sector more rapidly if items are sourced domestically, creating an element of affordability that firsthand wouldn’t be able to compete with. ThredUp’s 2024 Resale Report shows that the US secondhand market is projected to reach $73B by 2028 and this number could jump significantly if consumers turn to resale when the cost of buying new becomes inaccessible.
The Big Event
I’m graduating from my MBA program next month and it’s been the most life-changing experience. I’ve grown personally and professionally in ways that I hadn’t imagined and made the most amazing friends along the way1. I’m excited to graduate and feeling slightly nervous about trying to find a job in this economy2 so what better time to soothe myself with some retail therapy?
I’ve stepped away from buying new event outfits (fun fact: I’ve rotated between the same outfit repeat and Rent The Runway for my last six holiday parties/weddings), but my graduation ceremony is the one occasion that I’d love to commemorate with something special that I can wear over and over again. Like a perfect slouchy suit whose origin story you can read about here, or a dress as a backup option.
The Suit Options
The New Suit Conundrum
This is where my semi-sustainability comes into play. Trying to find the perfect secondhand suit online is tough since I can’t always envision the fit or reverse image search my way into the original listing. I also have the challenge of not buying wool firsthand while attempting to reduce my synthetics consumption. I’m looking at natural fibers, but fully admit that polyester has found its way onto my wishlist. If you own any of the below suits, I’m so curious to know what you think about the fit, quality, and pant length.
The Linen Suit
I love the clean lines of this Esse Studios suit. Its neutral colorway and classic silhouette mean it could be worn for years to come. The hidden buttons make the vest look more elevated and the pants look long enough for me. This suit is final sale and I haven’t been able to track down the measurements (yet), but it’s a strong contender for future wearability.
The Tencel Suit
I’m clearly all over a vest suit since I’m also eyeing Reformation’s Taryn Two Piece. It feels very of the moment with a hint of seventies throwback nostalgia thanks to the fitted vest and flared legs. I’m already envisioning all the ways I could style the vest and pants individually. Also, whoever is naming the colorways has me sucked in: how to pick between Fig Jam and Sugar?
The Preloved Short Suit
I’m so into a chic short suit3, especially in this gorgeous medium blue colorway. I found this style on eBay, which also happens to be by Reformation. It’s my top pick if I could just track down the full look, preferably sold together to control the color matching in each piece.
The If I Win the Lottery Suit
Adding in the Khaite Nando Jacket and Cullen Pant because if school has taught me one thing, it’s to aim high. A little heavy for May, but I can make it work in one of San Francisco’s many microclimates year-round.
The Dresses Wildcard
I’m more casual-dressy than dressy-dressy, and my personal style leans towards the below ultra-chic looks versus a gown or cocktail dress:
Which is why my thoughts immediately went to suiting for a big event. But as a reserve choice, there are a few dress candidates that I can work into my future wedding guest/party/date night rotation.
The Secondhand Dress
I’ve wanted this Proenza Schouler dress ever since I saw Lisa Aiken wear it for Fashion Week, and it’s finally starting to move into my price range at resale. A tad risqué for graduation, but nothing a little fashion tape and long hair won’t fix.
The Rental Dress
While I wasn’t able to find much in the way of suiting on Rent The Runway, dresses were another story. The Anine Bing Melanie dress looks simple at first, but the pleating and soft digital lavender colorway make it a minimalist dream. Pair it back to the Rixo Tiana belt and these preloved white strappy Khaite sandals, and graduation outfit complete4. I also found it on The RealReal in good condition for a total steal at only $40.50 if someone has been looking for this dress.
The Matching Skirt Set
Another green look, but this one is a skirt set from Significant Other that’s giving modern-day Gwyneth Paltrow in Great Expectations vibes. I love that this can be dressed up or down and the endless styling possibilities of a two piece set - the chic going out top to my secondhand Luna jeans and the drapey maxi skirt to my favorite preloved Reformation white t-shirt.
The If I Win the Lottery Dress
This Zimmerman Tallow Dress is the most stunning day to night dress, with its dramatic sleeves, adjustable back, and subtle pleating. I would toughen it up a bit with a cropped vintage brown leather jacket…or a graduation gown if you’re into that look.
That’s it for this week, thanks for reading! I’m all ears if you have any suiting or dress recommendations. Please drop a note in the comments if you’ve come across anything especially good, a huge thank you in advance!
Want even more secondhand fashion? You can also find me here writing about all things resale for Future Reference. See you next week!
Holley, Maddie, and Robyn: you are truly the best.
If your fashion brand is looking for a senior level buyer/merchandising manager/digital commerce manager/trend forecaster in San Francisco or New York (or Copenhagen or London if I’m totally dreaming) I’m already interested.
Have I seen Pretty Woman too many times? Yes.
And I think I just talked myself into this being my top dress pick.
I just spit my drink out at TRR lookbook. Have they always done this?! It's the first time I'm seeing it and WOW color me impressed!
Now, back to the point, I love the direction you are going for your graduation. I have long been obsessed with the PS dress that I saw on Lisa Aiken years ago but my favorite choice is the green set. Mostly because it gets you the going-out-top AND a skirt to play with a la Zoe Kravitz.
Shocked you didn't point out the shoes for the Khaite Nando Jacket fit!! Those flats (?) with an interesting peep toe (??) are to die for!!
Picking occasion outfits is definitely a challenge, all of your photos for a huge day in your life left up to a single fit - at least you could be proud to say it was secondhand :)