As a style blogger, I have never wanted Fake Fabulous to be a place where you come for a visit and end up listening to a depressing lecture.
All of us visit blogs to escape the dramas (and worries) of real life.
The blogosphere should be a safe place where we can kick back and relax.
Blogs should be inspirational, fun and make us happy.
Having said that...
I watched a programme last night that sickened me to the core.
I felt ashamed.
Seriously ashamed and disgusted.
{See the programme HERE.}
It was a documentary about the real cost of fast fashion and it was horrifying.
I knew the gist of the problem, and understand the basics, but I had 'conveniently' put them out of my mind.
Ignoring the facts in order to bury my head in the sand.
BUT...
The reality of the situation has come to the forefront of my mind.
The enormous environmental impact of fast fashion...as well as the devastating impact on our fellow human beings.
I felt sick to the stomach and determined to do something.
The funny thing is that I don't really do much shopping.
You probably don't believe me, which is understandable as I do write a fashion blog!
It's true that I buy things regularly, but 80% of my shopping is done in second hand (charity) shops or on eBay/Etsy.
Of course, I'm completely guilty of buying fast fashion... I'd be a liar if I pretended otherwise.
Writing a blog means I need to show 'new' items and fresh looks, otherwise what is the point?
In fact, just talking about this topic could go against everything a fashion blogger strives for.
A wardrobe full of 'bloggable' outfits.
I'm not a big volume shopper either... No 'hauls' here, but I must admit that I still do too much of it.
I try to do my best...
I'm not a 'wear once and chuck it' kind of person.
I try to only buy things I"m going to wear to death.
{Unfortunately, 'death' comes quickly to cheaply made items.}
I sometimes buy things from the BIG bad stores.
{see some of the offending brands HERE... some may surprise you!}
I DO recycle all of my clothes... donating them to charity.
Passing them to friends.
Reusing and recycling.
I buy a lot of vintage pieces.
BUT we can all do MORE and we don't need to be miserable about it.
There is no need to walk around barefoot in sackcloth
We just need to be a bit smarter.
3 Easy (non-miserable) things you can do TODAY to shop smarter in the future
1. Unsubscribe
How many emails do you find in your inbox?"Last chance to buy"It's overwhelming!
"Get it NOW"
"Latest must-have"
Simply unsubscribe from the marketing emails that come from the big brands.
Temptation won't drop into your inbox and you'll honestly not miss them for a moment!
{Find out more about avoiding FOMO (fear of missing out) HERE}
2. Research
Research doesn't have to be boring.In fact, looking for new fashion brands can be fun.
Look up some information about sustainable brands.
It's not all frumpy smock dresses and ugly shoes... have a look at these websites for some ideas:
3. Think twice... or thrice!
Make a pledge to yourself to think twice about impulse shopping.Resist the "need it NOW!" urge and take a moment to think...
- Is it well made?
- Does it fit properly?
- Can I wear it in 3 different ways using items I already own?
- Does it make me feel good?
If your gut is unsure, put it back on the rail.... or delete from the basket.
Your bank balance (and the planet) will thank you!
Now all of this sustainable chat is well and good BUT...
You may be thinking:
"What real impact can I have?"
"My contribution is a drop in the (polluted) river."
In real terms, Consumers (ie: us!) have ALL of the power.
What we ask for the brands need to deliver or they fail.
If we make demands legislation can change.
We are ultimately in charge!
So I'm making a pledge to do better.
I'm no angel, goodness knows I wish I was, but I'm going to try my best to make some more changes.
To be proud of what I do.
{No wonder I'll NEVER make it BIG as a blogger!!}
What do you do, when it comes to fashion choices, that you're proud of?
Is there anything you do that needs to change?
Do you have any tips on living a more sustainable, yet still fashionable, life?
I'd LOVE to hear them!
Since four months, give and take, I am buying pre loved clothing. Since that I have not bought anything new. It doesn't feel good, besides of course that pre loved clothing is much more beautiful and fun. But it did make me more aware! And I'm very happy about that. It doesn't mean I will never buy anything new but much less.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great philosophy Nancy.
DeleteDoing your bit, whether it's a lot or a little... doing what feels good and not beat yourself up about it.
Good luck finding some pre-loved gems.
There are plenty out there!
xxx
Thank you so much for bringing up this topic, Samantha - this is near and dear to my heart. I've shopped 90% second-hand for years now (local or on my travels), and when I buy new, I buy locally made, local designers. Like you, I give clothes away, help others realize why second-hand is better for the planet, and focus on beautifully made clothing that I feel wonderful in. Brava to you for highlighting this!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this comment Sheila!
DeleteI'm so glad you agree.
It's hard to get started, especially if mass-produced is all you know.
Some people only ever shop at one or two brands and can't conceive of rummaging through a charity shop.
Hopefully we can let them know there can be another way? :o)
XXX
I am consciously trying to buy less, and in summer largely existed on "old" stuff without buying very much at all. I avoid certain stores like Primark where the cheap price is sometimes an indicator of something bad happening at the other end of the supply chain. I'm going to try to find more in charity shops. I never have a lot of luck - although the burgundy velvet jacket on my blog this week is one great example of a good find. But practice makes perfect :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're giving it a go Gail...it can be hard.
DeleteCharity shop rummaging is a skill that can take years to develop :o)
It's interesting what you say about cheap prices giving you warning bells... and you're right.
However, the scary thing is that most high street shops (even the pricier brands) use the same suppliers and dubious methods, they just add a different label and bump up the prices.
They treat us like fools!
I'm glad we're both getting a bit savvier :o)
XXX
Did you know that 85% of clothing taken to charity shops winds up in landfills? Yep. We think we are recycling when we take our used items to charity shops but so often they wind up in landfills. Doing as you suggested and giving them to friends or up-cycling them ourselves is a better idea.
ReplyDeleteSo many people justify their purchases of cheap fast fashion by saying they recycle them. The only solution is to stop shopping fast fashion. As you mentioned, we have power as consumers to choose where we shop.
Great post!
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
I don't doubt it Suzanne!
DeleteCheap rubbish is not very re-salable and I can imagine most of it ending up at the dump.
I know that my local charity shop keeps the 'good saleable items and sends the other pieces to a "rag-bag" which is a textile recycling system... I think the items are shredded and used for insulation or something. I know the charity gets money for the rags so it's win win.
I usually donate two seperate bags... the good stuff that I would happily buy myself and the rags for recycling (bobbly tee's and worn out items).
It's really worrying to think about the enormous volume of waste we produce... even when we think we are doing a half-decent job!
The answer is to buy less and make our pieces work harder for us.
Which goes against the basis of blogging about fashion doesn't it?! :oP
XXX
Thanks for sharing all the information about brands and some brilliant advice too!. I'm more and more conscious about my own lifestyle and how I can change some small habits that are bad for the environment. I believe in a 'buy less, buy better' way of life (and this includes food!). Even stopping buying new clothes (as much as posible), which sounds difficult, can be done.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
besos
It IS hard Monica.... especially as we blog about clothes... but it CAN be done.
DeleteI'm trying my best, I just wish I could do better!
XXX
GUILTY AS CHARGED! I love thrifting but definitely need to step up that percentage of my shopping. Thanks for ALL the links Sam. I intend to digest them all.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this message needs to be championed by the wise, over 40 blogging community!?
I agree Judy... we are ALL guilty!
DeleteAt least we are trying to do our bit.
Every little helps!
XXX
I posted about this not long ago. I'm glad to see more and more people paying attention and giving more thought to how their clothing purchases affect the planet.
ReplyDelete"The answer is to buy less and make our pieces work harder for us.
Which goes against the basis of blogging about fashion doesn't it?!"
It doesn't have to! Fashion shouldn't be about BUYING, it should be about being CREATIVE. You don't BUY "style," that comes from within. Obviously you have to buy SOMETHING, SOMETIME or you have nothing to create WITH, but, yeah, I see vloggers who do large hauls monthly, if not more often, and there's just no way they're incorporating all those pieces into their ongoing wardrobes for more than a very short time. And as long as people keep BUYING, brands will keep producing, and the circle continues.
So yes, buy less, be creative with whatever you already have, shop pre-owned when you can, shop "slow fashion" brands when you can (for me, this is a frustration as there are VERY few slow fashion brands who create plus sizes and they are VERY expensive!), and try to re-sell or pass clothing onto friends or family vs dropping it in the donation bin, as only a percentage of that ends up as clothing on a rack for sale or given to those in need.
For many years, when I was a smaller size, I did virtually all my clothes shopping in thrift stores or from pre-owned internet sites like ebay, etc. Now I am frustrated by the low supply of my size in thrift and secondhand/consignment shops, so the next best thing I can do is to shop very carefully.
But let's all keep spreading this important message! I wish I could watch the documentary you did but it says it's only available in the UK, boo.
Bettye
https://fashionschlub.com
Oh no... I'm sorry about that Bettye!
DeleteMaybe you could find clips or parts of it on you tube?
I'll have a look and see if I can add a link.
You are right about being creative and re-styling our outfits and blogging SHOULD be about that.
Unfortunately, a lot of big bloggers make their money promoting 'hauls' and shop shop shop... get it NOW or miss out on your best life.
Maybe us slower-paced bloggers have the right ideas after all?!
XXX