1-Week Sweater Challenge: Sustainable Sweater For Any Occasion

How outfit repeating changed my life.

My Work From Home Capsule Wardrobe

In this series, I'll be sharing how I use my Oliver Charles sweater as the foundation piece for my capsule wardrobe. Grab your favorite sweater and join me on this journey to building a versatile, comfortable, and stylish wardrobe. Let's get started!

• 1-Week Sweater Challenge
• Your WFH Fashion Essential
• Minimalist Wardrobe Work Outfits

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Thrifting is my guilty pleasure. There’s nothing better than going out to brunch on a Sunday morning and finding hidden gems at your local thrift store.

Why is thrifting my guilty pleasure, you may be wondering? Isn’t it good for the environment? Well, yes and no.

Though thrifting helps reduce carbon emissions by keeping clothes out of landfills, many of the clothes being thrifted are produced by fast fashion companies.

No matter how many times an item is thrifted, as long as we keep impulse-buying clothes from fast fashion clothing brands, we’ll still be polluting our environment.

Even finding “hidden gems” at my local thrift store isn’t helpful unless I plan to wear that item all the time.

That’s why I chose to wear my Oliver Charles sweater every day for an entire week. You’ll be surprised to learn how outfit repeating changed my life.

Wool That Doesn’t Itch

Though I expected to be impressed by the sweater, I didn’t expect to be so impressed by the packaging!

I loved that my sweater came in packaging shaped like a time capsule, driving home the idea that my sweater will be a timeless staple in my wardrobe for many years to come.

I was also surprised that the wool didn’t itch! I usually avoid wool sweaters because I can’t stand how bad they make me itch.

Since the sweaters are made of yak wool, they feel soft to the touch and don’t irritate my skin.

3D-Knitting Made It The Perfect Brunch ‘Fit

You already know brunch is one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday morning. Aside from eating breakfast food all day, what I love most about brunch is the opportunity to dress up!

Though bodycon dresses and high heels are definitely worthy options, I tend to go with sweaters during the winter time to stay warm and cozy!

However, since I’m quite short, sweaters normally look oversized on me. Some people even mistake me for a high schooler because of this!

Not with this sweater! Because Oliver Charles sweaters are made with 3D-knitting technology, it fit like a glove and kept me nice and warm while enjoying brunch outdoors on a chilly fall morning.

I liked that it didn’t cling to my body, but still gave me a form-fitted look. That’s hard to find no matter your height.

3D-knitting is also more sustainable than traditional forms of sewing that create waste from multiple stages of cutting, sizing, and sewing.

Oliver Charles works with Shima Seiki WHOLEGARMENT®, to create their sweaters in a single process—a form of zero waste clothing. 

A Sweater That Fits My Personal Uniform

My style has changed a lot over the years. I went from rebellious goth kid to artsy thespian to businesswoman in just under a decade!

Now that I’m older, I’ve developed a personal uniform based on three key factors: fit, quality, and ability to pair with gold earrings.

As I started my week with a delicious lavender latte, I noticed how soft and high quality my yak wool sweater felt against my skin. Plush like cashmere, the durable fabric stretched just enough to give me the perfect silhouette without losing its shape.

I’m a curvy gal, so it’s important that my personal uniform includes clothes that fit and flatter my body type.

My Oliver Charles sweater did just that, extenuating my waist and slimming down near my hips with its 3D-knit fabric.

As someone with a warm undertone, gold jewelry and warm-toned clothes looks best on me. I love that Oliver Charles sweaters come in a variety of colors, including warm colors like dark red, navy blue, and charcoal.

Since my closet is full of similar items, it was easy to pair my sweater with what I already had.

Yak Wool Kept Me Warm While Biking

With a local trail right behind my house, I like to go on daily bike rides to stay in shape. Normally, I have to wear a heavy jacket every time I bike to keep warm, which can get in the way while biking.

This time though, my yak wool sweater kept me so warm I was able to bike freely without any layers getting in the way! This is because yaks are the highest dwelling mammals in the world, requiring their coats to keep them insulated and warm under cold temperatures.

The aerated holes built into the armpit area helped regulate my body temperature as well, helping air out moisture and keeping my sweater nice and dry.

This Everyday Sweater Pairs With Everything

I love visiting my local plant shop during the week! As a proud cat mom, I appreciate how the shop marks which plants are non-toxic for pets.

As I got dressed to meet a friend for some plant shopping, I had lots of fun experimenting with other ways to style my sweater. My closet was more versatile than I thought!

I ended up transforming my summer overalls into the perfect fall outfit just by adding my Oliver Charles sweater, black tights, and boots.

Styling this everyday sweater was surprisingly effortless. I didn’t need to buy any additional pieces to wear with it. I just repurposed what I already had in my closet and made a lot of cute outfits I would’ve never discovered before.

Day 5 With My Odor Resistant Sweater

Before I started this challenge, I was certain my sweater would start to smell within a few days, especially by day five.

However, I’m happy to report it still smelled just as fresh as when it first arrived!

Yak wool has moisture wicking and antimicrobial properties that help evaporate sweat and prevent bad odors from developing. By isolating bacteria as you sweat, yak wool reduces odor to the point that unwashed khullu (aka yak wool) has 66% less odor intensity than plastic-based fibers (like polyester) and 28% less than cotton.

While exploring an outdoor market in my fresh-smelling sweater, I came across a food booth selling ube croissants with a creme filling! I absolutely had to try this mouth-watering pastry, which not only tasted divine but also matched my sweater. 

The Workleisure Sweater for WFH

I work from home, which means my clothes not only have to look professional, but also feel comfortable to wear throughout an eight-hour workday.

This workleisure sweater fits my work-from-home routine perfectly. Just as comfy as a pair of pajamas, I look forward to getting dressed every morning.

Whether I’m on a Zoom call, taking walks on my breaks, or playing with my cat Amoura, my sweater fits every occasion. It’s important that I look professional on video calls with my clients. This sweater makes dressing up simple and effortless, allowing me to focus on that meeting’s agenda and not on how I look.

How Outfit Repeating Changed My Life

When I first started my one week challenge, I thought I’d run out of ideas to style my yak wool sweater.

However, outfit repeating has shown me that my current closet provides a lot more outfit options than I thought.

By using my everyday sweater as a timeless basic, I’m able to create a capsule wardrobe that not only fits my personal style, but also helps protect the environment.

I think anyone who works from home should consider purchasing an Oliver Charles sweater. As someone who works remotely, I spend most of my time sitting at a computer.

To prevent back pain, I invested my money in a high quality office chair. To feel comfy and look professional all day, I invested in an Oliver Charles yak wool sweater.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.