Last year I talked a bit about making better choices with the clothes I wear. I’ve watched quite a few documentaries and read lots of blogs about the impact of the fashion industry both on the environment and on the people who make our clothes. In 2019 I want to continue to make good choices and to talk a bit more on here about vintage, sustainable and ethical fashion and cutting back on fast fashion buys. Here are a few of the things I’ll be doing this year to be more gentle to the planet.
Make sensible high street choices
Saying goodbye to fast fashion and over consumption doesn’t mean turning my back on high street clothes completely. For me it’s more about making slower choices. I wan’t to invest in pieces I really love, that are versatile and that will last me more than one year. Choosing something gorgeous that I love and that fits well with my other clothes and my lifestyle and really enjoying it. It’s also worth remembering that the less you buy, the more you can spend on individual items that are that little bit nicer and better quality.
This outfit features a skirt I bought in Primark all the way back in 2014, I’ve worn it so many times since I bought it and will continue to wear it for years to come as I truly love it. To me this was a sensible high street buy as it’s not a throw away item.
Choose shops with less impact
Many high street stores have more sustainable ranges check out H&M Concious, Zara Join Life, Mango Committed. These brands have massive steps to take to be more ethical however it’s great to see these smaller ranges pop up and it should definitely be supported and encouraged. What I’d love to see is broader ranges, with more colours and prints.
Wear more vintage and second hand
I will always be an advocate for using what we already have, over creating new products. There is just so much clothing waste, that it makes sense to use everything until it is worn out. Nothing beats finding amazing vintage and second hand gems in charity shops, at car boot sales and supporting small businesses by shopping in vintage shops.
This skirt is also from Primark, however I picked it up second hand at a charity shop and I love how well it fits in my wardrobe. Often high street items make it into charity shops pretty quickly and you can find some amazing things while supporting a good cause.
This vintage dress was a car boot sale find and is a great budget friendly addition to my wardrobe.
Check out my post on building a vintage wardrobe on a budget.
Shop with ethical brands
There are some absolutely amazing ethical and sustainable fashion brands out there.These are great places to shop guilt free, knowing your clothes have a low impact on the planet and no one was exploited. I’m going to compile a list of brands in a separate post at some point soon, but some great ones to check out include People Tree, Seasalt and Nomads.
Wear what you already own
Most of us already have a wardrobe full of clothes. It’s time to make use of them! Don’t worry about wearing the same outfit twice, in fact wear it 100 times and enjoy the nice things you have. I’ve been really enjoying shopping my wardrobe recently and enjoying wearing my clothes in different ways. I’d love to do a post soon on all the different ways to wear one single dress, it’s really fun getting creative and having fun with my outfits.
You may have seen this vintage dress a few times both on the blog and on Instagram. I bought it at a car boot sale in the summer and I love it. So I’m going to wear it a lot thought the year and not worry about how many times it appears in pictures, because life really is too short!
Check out my post about shopping my wardrobe.
This outfit mixes vintage and modern. I love picking up basics on the high street like this sweater and using them to mix and match my vintage items. Ideally I’d like to get more organic and ethical basics to wear with my vintage. I also like to invest in good quality shoes and boots that will last me year after year like my Hotter boots.
Resell or Donate Unworn Clothes
If you’re not wearing it, pass it on. This year I really want to cut down massively and pass on a lot of my clothes and simplify my collection a little. If I’m no longer making the best use of a piece of clothing, I’m going to either sell it or donate it this year.
Enjoy the process
For me, I don’t wan’t this to be about sacrifice or missing out. More that I’m trying new things and having fun in the process. I love finding gorgeous vintage pieces for hardly any money and getting creative with what I already have. I’m looking forward to sharing all of this with you over the next year, be it finding something absolutely stunning on the high street that I’ll wear over and over to finding a brand new ethical brand, I want this years fashion to be slower and gentler and I’m very excited about it.
It may feel like a few small changes won’t make a big difference, but if we all try a little, it really will. Let me know your opinions and give me your recommendations, I’d love to hear them.
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1 Comment
Tammy Miller
January 13, 2019 at 10:30 amGreat blog post. I like going to the second hand store as well. I have realize that it is good to also when shopping at thrift stores to find pieces that will match your other outfits. In addition to, when shopping to have and keep a monthly budget in mind. All the best.