The Case for Fewer, Better | Curating a Sustainable Luxury Wardrobe

LUXURY, REWRITTEN

There was a time when “luxury” meant a cavernous closet brimming with clothes, rows of logoed handbags lined up like trophies, and an almost religious devotion to the seasonal cycle of newness. But as Dana Thomas chronicles in Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, the very abundance that once symbolized success eventually drained luxury of its meaning.

Today, the most stylish women — the ones who shape culture, not chase it — are choosing differently. Their closets are smaller, but infinitely more powerful. They are embracing a philosophy captured in three words: fewer, better pieces.

WHY LESS REALLY IS MORE

Kate Fletcher and Lynda Grose, in Fashion and Sustainability: Design for Change, argue that the fashion industry’s greatest lever for sustainability isn’t swapping polyester for organic cotton. It’s extending the life of what we already own. Longevity, they insist, is the radical act.

The mathematics is simple: if a garment is worn 50 times instead of five, its environmental impact drops dramatically. But longevity is not just about durability; it’s about desire. Will a piece still feel right five years from now? Will you reach for it instinctively when packing for a trip, heading to a meeting, or dressing for a dinner?

That’s the true measure of sustainable luxury.

THE WRAP SKIRT AS A KEYSTONE

Few silhouettes have proven their staying power like the wrap skirt. First popularized in the 1970s by Diane von Furstenberg, it quickly became a symbol of liberation — a garment that celebrated women’s bodies without constraining them. Decades later, its appeal hasn’t dimmed.

At That’s a Wrap, we design our wrap skirts as wardrobe keystones — the rare pieces that anchor everything else. Made from cotton sateen, chosen for its graceful drape and enduring quality, each skirt is built for longevity and versatility.

Consider it the sartorial equivalent of a passport: it takes you everywhere. To the boardroom, to the airport, to a dinner that stretches past midnight. And unlike fast-fashion skirts that skew too trendy or too flimsy, a wrap skirt made with intention doesn’t just survive the years — it thrives with them.

ELEGANCE IN RESTRAINT

Sandy Black, in The Sustainable Fashion Handbook, insists that sustainability cannot be divorced from ethics. To choose fewer, better garments is to support not only the environment but also the artisans who make them.

That’s why every skirt from That’s a Wrap is crafted locally in Boston by skilled seamstresses who are paid fairly for their expertise. This isn’t an abstract supply chain hidden behind marketing slogans. It’s a deliberate act of bringing luxury back to where it belongs: in the hands of people who care.

This is a reminder that true luxury has always been defined not by abundance, but by restraint.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF INVESTMENT DRESSING

Olga Mitterfellner’s Luxury Fashion Brand Management and Sustainability makes a critical point: luxury is built on storytelling and emotional connection. When you invest in a piece that endures, you’re not just buying fabric; you’re buying meaning.

The wrap skirt becomes part of your personal narrative. It carries memories of the places you’ve been, the moments you’ve lived, the stages of your life. It evolves with you. It becomes, in a sense, autobiographical.

That’s why fewer, better doesn’t feel restrictive. It feels freeing. When your wardrobe is filled only with pieces you love and trust, dressing becomes effortless.

FEWER, BETTER, MORE EMPOWERING

The motto at That’s a Wrap is simple: Anything a man can do, a woman can do in a skirt. It’s cheeky, yes, but it’s also profound. Clothing shapes how we move in the world. A skirt that flatters, adapts, and empowers isn’t just a garment — it’s a tool of confidence.

And when that garment is made responsibly, it empowers beyond the wearer. It uplifts the makers. It supports local economies. It refuses to add to the landfill.

This is what Fletcher and Grose would call systemic change: garments designed not just to clothe, but to transform.

HOW TO START A FEWER, BETTER CLOSET

The idea of paring back can feel daunting, especially in a culture obsessed with novelty. But think of it less as reduction, and more as curation. A few starting points:

• Choose Keystones: Invest in timeless silhouettes (like the wrap skirt) that anchor endless outfits.

• Prioritize Fabric: Opt for materials that age gracefully, like cotton sateen, silk, or wool.

• Respect Craft: Support brands that produce locally, pay fairly, and design intentionally.

• Style, Restyle, Repeat: Don’t be afraid to rewear.

As Cradle to Cradle reminds us, design is destiny. Build a wardrobe designed for longevity, and you’ll never feel underdressed.

THE FUTURE OF LUXURY IS LESS

The women shaping the future of fashion — editors, executives, entrepreneurs, and tastemakers — are united in their pursuit of meaning. They don’t want a thousand things. They want the right things.

That’s a Wrap exists for them. For the women who understand that fewer, better is not only more sustainable, but more stylish.

Because in the end, true luxury isn’t about owning everything. It’s about choosing wisely.