Closet Stories: Jessica Althoff’s Vintage Western Belt

EcoSalon: Closet Stories: Jessica Althoff

Future:Standard Founder Jessica Althoff’s favorite piece is a vintage Western belt handed down to her by a friend’s mother.

Jessica Althoff is the founder of Future:Standard, an online eco-boutique that sells ethical clothing and accessories – “anything made with respect to the planet and those who are making it,” as Althoff puts it. Future:Standard, which we named one of our 15 best online boutiqes, distinguishes itself from the rest by carrying indie lines that aren’t frequently seen in other eco shops. Her favorite piece is a vintage Western-style belt that was handed down to her by a friend’s mother.

EcoSalon: Closet Stories: Jessica Althoff

“I have this vintage brown leather belt that I absolutely love,” says Jessica. “When I was right out of college, I was visiting my best friend in San Francisco, and I desperately needed a belt. She found this old belt that had been her mother’s. I fell in love immediately, and began planning  how I was going to keep it. Later that day, she gave it to me.”

EcoSalon: Closet Stories: Jessica Althoff

“It has been about ten years since I got the belt and it has been a favorite for all these years. I am a pretty casual person (jeans and a perfect white tee are my favorite outfit), so this belt adds a lot to every outfit and is definitely a conversation starter. Sometimes when I wear it, I imagine Anne, my best friend’s mom, and what her life was like when it belonged to her. I imagine her and my friend’s dad, Ed, cruising around the city, going to concerts, just being young and having a great time. I love to think about the great boho outfits with bell bottoms that Anne might have worn with it.”

Althoff should have no trouble carrying on Anne’s bohemian chic style legacy.

Johanna Björk

Johanna is a sustainable fashion writer currently based in Ojai, CA. Read her weekly On Trend column to learn what's new in eco fashion.