Utility Fashion Guide & Inspo: How to Embrace It Sustainably

Functional but intentional. Neutral but never boring. For the catwalk or a spontaneous day out.

Utility fashion is particularly perfect if you’re an adventurous soul who won’t compromise between practicality and style.

I used to LIVE in this aesthetic when I was ten (not gonna lie: the cargo pants were a pain to iron because of all the pockets, but then my generation collectively decided to give up on ironing altogether, so…).

But while it’s beautifully timeless, I noticed it’s risen in popularity over the past few years, from the runway to our feeds and Pinterest boards, perhaps because more of us are prioritising travel and weekend escapes.

So, here’s my simple guide to help you embrace utility fashion sustainably and in a way that works for you.

What is utility style in fashion?

Inspired by military kits and industrial workwear, utility style in fashion involves practical and functional clothing but with a more polished and ‘effortlessly put together’ vibe, especially with durable fabrics and neutral colours. 

Think cargo pants paired up with versatile basics!

Given its palette, you might also find it on socials under khaki-coded.

Now, how can you embrace utility fashion in practice?

Ethical utility fashion guide: what to look for and prioritise for the perfect #khakicoded look

Utility clothing staples

• Cargo pants or shorts 
• Field jacket or military jacket 
• Basic white tee or tight monochrome neutral top
• Jumpsuit or utility playsuit
• Utility dress
• Combat boots

Other utility clothing items and accessories that can work well with this aesthetic

• Heavy-duty overshirt
• Neutral shirt dress 
• Lug-sole loafers or mary janes (for a more feminine vibe)
• Denim shirt
• Large bags (canvas and/or with pockets) or satchels 

Utility fashion colour palette

Earthy tones and neutrals like:

• Khaki (#khakicoded)
• Olive green
• Beige
• Black
• White
• Navy

Key utility clothing fabrics 

• Canvas
• Denim
• Cotton
• Linen
• Reinforced fabrics, like waxed cotton 

Other things to look for in utility fashion

• Multiple pockets (utility style is the embodiment of “It has pockets!”)
• Adjustable straps
• Multiple zippers 
• Cinched waists
• Sharp tailoring

How you can embrace utility fashion sustainably: 3 steps

Decide what utility fashion means to you 

Some people are only jumping on board because their feeds are filled with utility fashion trends. So, they’ll probably buy lots of throwaway fast fashion clothes, wear them a couple of times, and then switch to the next popular aesthetic. This mindless and wasteful approach is never sustainable!

Instead, I recommend:

• Only embracing utility fashion if you genuinely love it and will happily rewear those clothes +30 times, even when they’re no longer trending in your feed
• Identifying what you like about utility fashion, specifically, so you can embrace it in a way that actually embodies your style (for example, if you prefer a more feminine twist, you shouldn’t force yourself to start liking overshirts. Prioritise utility dresses and playsuits, add lug-sole mary janes, or incorporate some muted pink alongside your key neutrals)

Start from the utility fashion pieces already in your wardrobe

The most sustainable garment isn’t that ‘bio cotton’ item made by a fast fashion brand relying on sweatshops and overproduction: it’s the one already in your wardrobe.

You might think “But I haven’t got a single utility fashion piece in there”. And while that might be true, I’m encouraging you to have a proper look, now that you have my list of utility fashion staples. 

For example, I’d be surprised if you can’t find a single plain white t-shirt or tight monochrome neutral top.

Add to your utility fashion wardrobe mindfully 

If you’re serious about embracing this aesthetic and overall clothing lifestyle sustainably, then the solution isn’t “doing a massive haul, buying 3 or 4 of each utility fashion staple”.

• Once you’ve looked into your wardrobe properly, what do you actually still need?
• When shopping new utility clothing pieces, prioritise those that go well together and with your existing ones, so you can pair them up in different ways to create all kinds of different outfits, both for this aesthetic and beyond (for example, the same plain white t-shirt you’re pairing up with your cargo pants can be used for a business casual look in the office, simply by adding a blazer and tailored trousers)
• Consider supporting ethical fashion brands that make their timeless collections with both the planet and their garment workers in mind. While fairtrade clothes tend to cost more (psst: because they don’t hide the same expensive hidden costs as fast fashion), you can actually save money in the long run by buying less but better. So, how about  investing in fewer high-quality, durable, and versatile pieces that you can remix and rewear for years?

Finding the right ethical utility clothing for you

Best ethical utility fashion brands

While they don’t define themselves as utility style brands, their range tends to include lots of pieces that are perfect for this aesthetic:

• Kings of Indigo for functional minimalist neutral clothing (including jumpsuits), especially made of recycled and organic cotton 
• Reistor for neutral hemp clothing
• Mon Col Anvers, which is actually a very colourful and more feminine brand but also offers plenty of dresses and neutral pieces that work well for the utility fashion aesthetic 
• AmourLinen for breathable, versatile, and durable linen pieces
• Kuyichi for timeless clothes that often include functional details 

Find more sustainable utility fashion on Project Cece

Utility fashion might be for the adventurous but fret not: you won’t have to keep exploring the web and jumping from one open tab to the next, trying to decipher product descriptions to figure out if that online store is as eco-friendly as they claim.

At Project Cece, we brought hundreds of fair trade brands in one place, with filters to simplify your choice, like Price, Colour, Material, and much more.

So, finding the right ethical clothes is now as effortless as the final utility fashion looks themselves.