Week Of Outfits Series: A Week Of Playful & Sustainable Outfits With Diana Youn From The Chic Diary
A Week Of Ethical & Fun Outfits With
Diana Youn From The Chic Diary
The Good Trade’s Week of Outfits Series highlights women that have personally inspired us to shop and live with intention. Each woman takes her own unique approach to slow fashion and demonstrates how beautifully sustainable fashion can come to life. Today we’re excited to share a week of outfits from Diana Youn, the sustainable lifestyle blogger behind The Chic Diary!
// ABOUT DIANA //
Age | 29
Location | San Francisco, CA
Occupation | Sr. Lifecycle Marketing Specialist at Imperfect Produce
Where To Find Her | Her website and Instagram
Favorite Brands | We Are Kindred, Spell & The Gypsy, Reformation, DL1961
“I started asking myself questions that made me rethink fast fashion and how these companies are able to make and sell clothing at such low prices—questions like, ‘Who made my clothes?’ and ‘What are their lives like?’”
Fashion, to me, used to be about wearing the latest trends, building my personal style, and finding pieces that made me feel confident. I once loved fast-fashion powerhouses, like Zara & H&M, that were able to quickly bring new clothing designs onto their site and retail shelves in a matter of weeks. But I started asking myself questions that made me rethink fast fashion and how these companies are able to make and sell clothing at such low prices—questions like, Who made my clothes? and What are their lives like?
Slowly, I started learning about the differences between fast fashion and slow, sustainable fashion. At first, I didn’t think that learning about the harsh truths—such as how fashion is a highly polluting industry, or how 80 percent of garment makers are women between the ages of 18–35 and don’t receive a living wage—would impact my long-ingrained shopping habits all that much. Switching to slow fashion felt like too big of a lifestyle change and just didn’t seem easily accessible. But as the weeks and months went by, I found that I couldn’t turn a blind eye to what I learned. My thoughts jumped back to the women who make our clothes, what their lives must be like, what their goals and dreams are.
So I started researching more about the slow fashion movement to be well-informed and to start making better choices. I also started putting together a sustainable brand directory on my blog that both my readers and I can refer to when we’re shopping for clothes. Through this process, I fell in love with so many of the conscious brands I discovered—not only with their stylish pieces but also with their mission to do good. And surely, I started to embrace the “fewer is better” philosophy of buying less but better-quality clothing, from brands that care about the people and planet.
Now, fashion means so much more to me. By shopping responsibly, I’m supporting sustainable production and ethical practices, and empowering the workers who make our clothes. All the while, I am building my personal style and finding pieces that make me feel most confident and comfortable.
“I embrace the “fewer is better” philosophy of buying less but better-quality clothing, from brands that care about the people and planet.”
// Find Diana Online //
WEBSITE // INSTAGRAM // Facebook
Monday & Friday outfit photos by Kevin from @modern.namja
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday outfit photos by Sarah M. Park
Saturday outfit photos by Silvervale Studios
Monday
Mondays are when I get back to the grind after a nice weekend, so I like to be comfortable but still look and feel my best. This Reformation floral cut-out jumpsuit makes it practically effortless to get dressed in the morning. I layered it with a Good Apparel knit jacket, Reformation wedge espadrilles, and a vegan leather Melie Bianco bucket bag.
Today’s Pieces:
Reformation floral cut-out jumpsuit
Good Apparel simple knit jacket
Reformation Wedge Espadrilles
Melie Bianco vegan leather bucket bag
Tuesday
This is a great day-to-night outfit that gets me straight from the office to a weeknight event or an early dinner with friends. I got this gorgeous Amur skirt during a sample sale from Rent the Runway, an online fashion rental service based in NYC. I styled it with a simple mock top from Good Apparel, a pair of comfy Nisolo block heel sandals, and a convertible belt bag. This Angela Roi vegan leather belt bag is handcrafted by artisans and keeps all of my essentials within easy reach!
Today’s Pieces:
Amur Skirt from Rent the Runway
Angela Roi belt bag
Good Apparel sleeveless mock top
Nisolo block heel sandals
Wednesday
I work from home on Wednesdays, and there’s something about getting dressed in the morning that puts me in the proper mindset to get work done (along with whisking up a yummy cup of matcha tea). Comfort is still a number one priority for me, though, which is why I love Les Lunes’ super soft and eco-conscious clothing pieces! Here, I’m wearing their two-toned fringe scarf (made of 100% viscose from recycled materials), v-neck wrap bodysuit, and high-waisted pants. I completed this outfit with an old teal clutch and a pair of white lace-up boots.
Today’s Pieces:
Les Lunes Fringe Scarf, bodysuit, and high-waisted pants
Thursday
Floral print is a pattern I’ll wear and style all year long. This We Are Kindred floral anorak is so dreamy and perfect for springtime when the weather is a bit warmer. I seriously love this Australian brand and how they plant a tree for every product sold. To put it into perspective, just one tree stores 1,250 kgs of carbon, which is equivalent to offsetting a flight from LA to London! I wore this romantic spring look out to dinner with a friend.
Today’s Pieces:
We Are Kindred anorak
POSSE shorts
Thrifted top from Wasteland
Frank & Oak Chelsea Boot
Friday
For date night, I went for romantic Parisian vibes in this bright cherry red Reformation dress and a vegan leather-trimmed beret from Les Lunes. I’ve learned the hard way in the past that it’s not worth sacrificing comfort for style, so I made sure to wear a pair of shoes that are easy on the feet. These Reformation lace-up wedge espadrilles are so comfortable and chic, and make me feel like a springtime ballerina.
Today’s Pieces:
Reformation Wedge Espadrilles
Les Lunes beret
Saturday
I wore this look on a warm day at the museum! With a Good Apparel mock-neck top and We Are Kindred lace shorts as my base, I layered on a flowy olive jacket from La Fille Colette (all sustainable brands). I love styling outfits with this classic color palette of white, light taupe, nude, and olive green.
Today’s Pieces:
We Are Kindred lace shorts
Good Apparel mock-neck top
La Fille Colette Portmanteau Jacket
Rag & Bone Margot Booties
Janessa Leone Calla Bolero Hat
Sunday
I like to reserve part of my Sundays for errands, which means a casual uniform that allows for easy movement is a must. This rocker-inspired Spell & The Gypsy Collective boyfriend-fit tee is buttery soft and consciously made out of organic pima cotton fabric. I like to wear it cropped and knotted, paired with my DL1961 high-rise skinny jeans. It’s mind-blowing to know that a traditional pair of jeans is produced using around 1.5K gallons of water. I love that DL1961 not only uses less than 10 gallons of water to make a pair of jeans, but they also treat and recycle 98 percent of it! Since I’m 5’2” and petite, these ankle jeans actually fit like regular jeans and are the perfect length for me.
