True Sustainability in Fashion
Stop buying the expensive pieces made with "sustainable materials"from that online boutique!
Hello! Welcome back to Living with Livi and today I was thinking a lot about sustainable fashion. It's all the rage right now and I hope this trend sticks around. I am all for using our resources to the best of our abilities. However, I feel like we might be getting confused in what's sustainable and what's a temporary cash cow that will eventually fade away. So, I am going to talk a little bit about why the sustainable fashion industry isn't completely working and how I keep my closet fresh without falling into fast fashion.
I want to start off by saying that I love keeping clothes in a cycle for as long as they will last. I might love a dress for a while but once I stop wearing it, I do not need to keep it any longer. I do not like wasting things (literally... like I'm a plate cleaner, I am the person who leaves the last 3 drops of milk in the fridge until I can use it even if the carton is pretty well empty), I want these clothes to bring joy until they are beyond repair. This doesn't only have to do with clothes, I bought a hammock a few years ago and I expect that thing to go to the grave with me. When we get rid of clothes and have to throw them away, it would be nice for them to be made with biodegradable materials so that they can go back into the earth and add to the ecosystem.
Sustainable clothing brands, especially ones that use biodegradable materials are extremely expensive. I can buy a swimsuit at Walmart for $20 (which is still insane to be for two tiny pieces of clothing that barely cover anything, call me cheap, idk) but if I want to order a bikini from an eco-friendly store, according to Vogue, I can't get it for under $100. Which is wildly overpriced to me. I cannot afford that and I'm probably going to be buying a swimsuit every spring, I can't do that. I'm a college student, I cannot afford that.
I guess something I truly don't understand is why it's so expensive. I understand that it's unique. It might be handmade, it might be personally designed. And I am all for supporting small business but like if a product is made of like cotton, it's a plant, can you not just grow more? I'm not even trying to be rhetorical, like genuinely, shouldn't it be cheaper than plastic or nylon?
Now, there is something to be said about the value a person finds in the clothes they wear. I personally would not spend more than $30 on a nice dress for work. I can find it cheaper elsewhere and make it last a long time. But, if someone sees a dress and it's $50 and they buy it and wear it all the time, I'm sure they got their $50 worth out of it (girl math).
However, according to the Harvard Business Review, sustainable fashion contributes for about 4-10% of the carbon emissions around the world. So, most people think they are saving the world by buying sustainable clothing, but in reality, it's just contributing to another issue. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Plus, I feel like a lot of companies that sell sustainable clothes sell one of two styles: totally neutral with earthy toned colors and really plain styles or bright color blocking, outdoorsy style. I love a nice soft dress but I want to wear all the colors. I want to wear lots of styles. Which brings me to my next point, there are better ways to partake in sustainable fashion without forking out an arm and a leg.
Go thrifting! If you haven't heard yet, thrifting is very popular right now. It's fun too, you truly never know what you're going to find. You can find some truly unique pieces and sometimes some really incredible brands. I know that a lot of people are able to find Lululemon, Calvin Klein, and a bunch of other brands. It's all because people are contributing clothes into a cycle of wear it, and share it. It's good for everyone. It helps people who may not be able to easily afford clothes buy them at a cheaper price and sometimes higher quality. Lots of thrift stores also donate their proceeds to charities. It's always good to research the store you're choosing to thrift from because you can better understand their goal for the company. Sometimes it's easier to donate to Goodwill, however, their prices have gone up so I prefer to shop at Salvation Army or locally owned thrift stores. Another thing to keep in mind when donating is to reach out to a local college or university and see if they have a "free bin" or some sort of clothing exchange. At my college, we have a free bin in each dorm. This is where I have been donating my clothes because it really is helpful when you need something for a last minute event and can't afford or don't have time to buy a new outfit. This is the best way to do sustainable fashion. Many college students are already trying to pay for school, a car, room and board, books, a meal plan, etc. Donating clothes to a college is a great way to show your support for students. It sends a message of, "hey I'm so proud of you. I think you're doing amazing. I want you to feel confident and comfortable and I have these clothes that I once loved and maybe you will love. Give these clothes a deeper story and a well lived life". Now, that message might look like "here's some clothes don't party too hard in them", but support nonetheless.
The next thing you can do is make sure that the clothes you are buying are timeless and will bring you joy for years to come. I do not do a lot of thrifting. I typically shop a lot of clearance racks and sales. I don't mind buying out of season clothes because I trust my style. I am hoping to write a post on timeless styles but until then, here are some examples: wide-leg pants, denim jackets, leather jackets, graphic t-shirts, white sneakers, black ballet flats. Choose a lot of pieces that will layer well. Any top or dress that is cheap and I can throw a mock turtleneck under will be added to my cart. Ensure that you are keeping up with the trends. Analyze the elements that you have seen over the years and see what trends will stick around for a while versus what is just a trend for the next month. Define your sense of style so clearly that you can envision how a piece will look with other pieces as soon as you try it on.
Try on the clothes before you buy them. Make sure you like the fit and try to envision the many different ways you can style them. If you cannot style something in at least 3 different ways, I do not recommend buying it unless your heart is just absolutely set on buying it. If you are buying a fancier outfit, think about how many times you can wear that piece. I recently bought a dress for a formal event at my college. I didn't really know what I wanted but I knew I would want a dress to wear to fancy weddings and black tie business events. I ended up choosing a simple but classy baby pink dress that would work for many events. Since I can't wear it casually, it doesn't need to be styled with other clothes so that I can wear it different ways to work throughout the seasons. Rather, it should be styled with jewelry, shoes, and coats for in the winter.
So, these are the habits I have taken on while shopping to keep my closet stylish and sustainable. Leave a comment below and let me know what you do to make sustainable fashion apart of your life! Thank you for reading. Best wishes,
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