STAFF STYLE

WHAT WE’RE WEARING VOL. 19: EARTH DAY EDITION

Style
April 2021

Photos of Lauren Bigelow overlaid on an image of an ocean cliff.Photos of Lauren Bigelow overlaid on an image of an ocean cliff.

With both eyes on the future of our planet, Levi’s® Sustainability Marketing Manager Lauren Bigelow puts her values before trends when it comes to fashion. Timeless classics, multi-purpose pieces and vintage that appreciates with wear keep her style maxxed and waste minimal. This, in her own words, is what she’s wearing.

I don’t really pay attention to trends, but I’d say Zoe Kravitz is a definite girl crush of mine. And Zendaya—her style in Euphoria is cool-girl casual which I really dig. My hair and makeup are usually very natural, so I lean on my clothes to look intentional and “put together.” I try to buy most garments secondhand or vintage and ones I feel confident can be resold and have another life when I'm done with them.

I’m outside as much as I can be, moving my body, walking, reading, going to the beach, so I like my outfits to be durable and non-fussy. I look for quality, durability, versatility, repairability, timeless and classic pieces that can all be mixed and worn together. All of which helps me toward my goal of creating minimal waste. Portland has really fun vintage shops, so I don’t feel I have to sacrifice style for sustainability, which I love! Finding a good pair of vintage Levi's® is one of my favorite things—they feel like a real treasure and you feel like you're part of something bigger than the here and now. A piece that’s already lived many lives has all the good energy and when it fits just right, it feels like a missing puzzle piece just clicked.

Photo of Lauren Bigelow sitting on her front porch. She is barefoot and wearing a white tee with cuffed Levi's blue jeans.

Shopping for clothes, like anything, should be a choice made from the heart and mind together.

When I do buy something new, I spend a lot of time (too much time?) doing research to find the most sustainable option—meaning fibers used (what it’s made from), recyclability (minimal impact at the end of the product’s lifecycle), longevity and durability (can I keep and wear it for a long time?), labor standards (was it ethically made?) and I look to support small, local, BIPOC-owned, female-owned businesses when I can. Shopping for clothes, like anything, should be a choice made from the heart and mind together. It's important to take time to understand the entire ecosystem of impacts linked to purchases. I feel so much more joy and connection to my clothes when I spend time upfront being smart with my decisions. Plus, it's fun! It takes time, patience and creativity which builds connection to our stuff and creates an intentionality around how we live.
In my day-to-day life, I’m usually in either Birkenstocks, Converse or my Blundstones. Vintage 501® Originals or Skinnies, or maybe some 505s. A vintage band tee or a classic white tee. A crewneck or flannel for color or pattern and a fun jacket like a Trucker Jacket, something in old-military style or a cool vintage outdoor find. I’m also known for wearing a lot of black-and-white stripes, warm earth tones and steel grays and blues. And I shop in all departments—I’m short and pretty petite, so I shop the boys’, men’s and women’s departments. Some of my favorite pieces are boys XLs—kids clothes are great for saving a lot of money while incorporating fun colors and graphics.
Photo of Lauren Bigelow sitting on a blanket on her porch. She is wearing a tan baseball cap, white tee, and paint-splatter black Levi's jeans with white socks and Birkenstocks. She is laughing.

People are thinking about the impact of our purchases and that’s a big step in saving our planet.

Over the last few years, I've been engaging in conversations with friends and family about all of this goodness and it feels so good to me to see my immediate connections think differently about how they live as a result. I've already gotten Christmas cards saying, “I'm sorry I had to wrap your cookies in plastic, please forgive me” and “I realize you don't want any stuff, so here's a gift card to buy what you need,” and that makes me SO happy. Not only does it make me feel heard, but it means people are thinking about the impact of our purchases and that’s a big step in saving our planet. 


I strongly believe in the power of voting with our wallets, and putting my money back into the system where it's needed most. At the end of the day, I want to have a positive impact on our planet and society, and how I spend my money and time are two big ways to make a difference.