How to Fashion 101 (Sustainable Edition)
A perfect exemplar of the human condition, those two (3? Sorry, Cyber Monday) November days.
Now, despite my issues with Black Friday, I did do some shopping. I'm not here today to tell you not to buy stuff. I will not preach minimalism (a truly privileged phenomena in the first place). See, sometimes material items are fun. I think we all have something we spend more money on than we'd care to admit. For some, it's shoes. Others are more into LEGOs, and others still have a bunch of subscriptions to drumming magazines. My material weakness? Clothes.
I really, really like fashion. By no means am I an expert (if you ask Keaton in my choir class, he'll tell you I'm a train wreck), but I quite enjoy styling outfits and drafting garment designs that will never come to fruition. At the same time, however, I really like the planet. Trees are pretty cool. Oceans are neat. Hashtag save the turtles all. The. Way. On that note, I generally like people, and animals are amazing. Enter my dilemma: fashion and being environmentally conscious do not go hand in hand.According to CBS News, "The apparel and footwear industries together account for more than 8 percent of global climate impact, greater than all international airline flights and maritime shipping trips combined." This is obviously a huge issue. But I do have a theory to offer; while I'm sure the fashion industry emits a lot of green house gases and waste anyway, I feel the real culprit here is fast fashion. Wikipedia (my English teacher's favorite source) tells us that "Fast fashion is a contemporary term used by fashion retailers for designs that move from catwalk quickly to capture current fashion trends. A second, critical definition adds that fast fashion is not only about quickly moving from runway to store to consumer, but also to the garbage." Here are some of the biggest names guilty of fast fashion: Forever 21 (now bankrupt), Topshop (also bankrupt), Brandy Melville, Romwe, Nasty Gal, Shein, ASOS, Zara, Victoria's Secret... I could go on. And on. Even my generation's beloved Urban Outfitters is far from sustainable.
But... I love fashion. But... I love the Earth. So the battle rages on and on, but it really doesn't need to. See, when I said I was shopping on Black Friday, I wasn't lying. What I didn't tell you, though, is that I was shopping at Goodwill, or on ThredUp, an online thrift store. You can dress as you please, while supporting the Earth and its creatures. It's very possible.
Before we jump in, a few disclaimers: most of these tips are gender-neutral, though a few may apply to females more so than other genders. But please oh pretty please do not think your gender or sexuality defines what fashion is available to you! I pretty much live in men's button-ups, m-kay? Secondly, these tips may not be applicable to you if you live in a drastically different climate than me. Duh. Thirdly... I am super duper excited about this post, but it's totally fine if you disagree with my points on styling, etc. The best thing about fashion is that it's individual, and everyone enjoys a creative license. Without further ado, let's begin: here's "How to Fashion 101 (Sustainable Edition)."
There are a ton of styles out there. I'm talking E-girl, vintage, VSCO girl, edgy, glam, boho, chic, casual, trendy, preppy, neutral, colorful, athletic, grunge, rode-horses-as-a-young-lass, only-wears-Transformers-graphic-tees... the whole nine yards. Here's what I hate about all of these styles - people feel confined to them. I don't think people understand that they can have cowboy boots and swing dresses and leather jackets and fishnets. You can wear anything you want, with inspiration from as many styles as you'd like. If I were to describe my style, I'd probably say vintage-casual. That doesn't mean I don't wear band tees and flannels and Doc Martens sometimes. I wear whatever the heck I want (weather dependent). So please remember that.
- Take a look at the world around you. This can be the literal world (I sketch outfit ideas inspired by the guy who sits behind me in chemistry all the time), or the digital one. Personally, I quite like Pinterest. Instagram is good too, but I deleted that from my life long ago. On Pinterest, I'd suggest searching for specific styles or just look up the general term 'fashion.' Create a board of photos that inspire the little fashion queen in you, and I'll repeat: DON'T feel confined to one style. I don't even think pigeons should be pigeon-holed. Magazines can also be fun too, if you've got a bunch of those lying around from abandoned papier mache projects.
- Here, I'd like to insert a brief note: when browsing the media for fashion inspiration, it can be very easy to stop looking at clothes and instead start comparing your body to the ones you see online. You're not on Pinterest to fall into a depressive episode. You're here for the clothes and the color-coordination, not physical condemnation.
- Take note of what you like in your closet already. Entirely revamping a wardrobe gets expensive, and often, it's unnecessary. Usually, people have an item or two in their closet that they wear more than others. Look for an underlying color scheme. Do you gravitate towards loose pants or skinny jeans? Hoodies or dresses? What you wear the most now, and what you like, are valuable nuggets of information on how to go about rebuilding your look in the future.
- Consider the practicality of your style. If you live in Denmark, it might not be wise to don mini skirts and crop tops all the time. My friend, a Danish foreign exchange student, has told me it's very, very cold in good ol' Denmark (you can watch her YouTube channel here). That doesn't mean someone in Denmark can't wear those items, though. Layering is a powerful tool. Throw in some thick tights, a turtle neck under the crop top, and a cute coat... you're good to go. Remember that styles can always be adapted to where you live or what your job looks like. My mother, for example, is a project manager. But that doesn't stop her from wearing Barbie shoe bracelets to the office.
- And now, of course, I must bring up school dress codes, the bastards. I think they're primarily ridiculous. Sure, I understand that people shouldn't be wearing shorts so short they may as well be bathing suit bottoms to school. On the other hand, the way people (and often girls, in particular) dress does not mean yes. Additionally, I don't think it's classified information that most dress codes are targeted toward traditionally female bodies and clothes. Girls should be able to go to school, wearing what makes them feel confident, without being objectified. Boys can do math worksheets without being distracted by shoulders. I believe in them. Come on boys, you can do it! (*eye roll*)
This brings me back to my way-too-long Black Friday rant: you can shop without leaving a serious footprint on the big wide world. Here's my advice on finding things you adore responsibly.
- Consider Thrift/ Consignment/ Second-Hand/ Charity Shops. You can find fabulous items at these places, trust me. Case in point: my purple corduroy pants. I mean, hellloooo?!?! Buying second hand means you are not contributing to that no-good thing-a-ma-jig known as fast fashion. Even if trendier clothes are your style, you can often find modern attire at thrift stores. Sometimes, people donate clothes brand new with the tags still attached. What a find! What a score! Something fun about thrift/ consignment/ second-hand/ charity shops is that the the items you buy there will almost definitely be unique. You're not going to see a lot of people out and about with your exact pair of thrifted jeans on. You're not going to be wearing the same dress as anyone for the school dance. What a wonderful save from awkward, unintentional twin days. Finally, thrift stores are often quite inexpensive. You can buy a good amount of clothes for a low price; Goodwill even has extra discounts throughout the month! Win, win in my book.
- There are also quite a few sustainable clothing brands you can explore. A few I've looked into are Reformation (dress goals) and Everlane. The thing is... I can't afford Reformation. It's pricey, and just not an option for me. But if you've got a little extra cash hanging around, fire away!
- Invest in Basics. My mom always tells me that you get what you pay for, and she is so right. A few months ago when my fashion journey (gosh, that sounds preposterous to say) began, I bought all of my new clothes from Romwe and Shein. Very much trendy. Very much fast fashion. But I didn't know that. All I knew was that, holy cow! I could buy a whole cart full of colorful clothes for only one-hundred dollars. That's the thing with fast fashion. It's cheap. It's trendy. Ad it's also... not very high quality. Sure, I got some items from Romwe that have held up remarkably well (a pair of jeans), but lots of the garments are insanely poorly made. May as well spend a little extra money to buy basics that go with everything - a solid t-shirt, a good pair of jeans, a plain black belt... those'll get you a long way. What I'm saying is, you get what you pay for. Thanks, Mom.
- I touched on this above, but when you start expressing yourself through fashion, it's important you understand that you don't need to change your body for your clothes. Nowadays, it's much easier to change clothes to flatter your body. Lots of brands and companies carry a wide variety of sizes, and chances are you'll find plenty of things you love. Embrace your size; it's just a part of who you are, not who you are. Also, remember that (especially when it comes to thrift stores), sizes vary. I'm typically a US size 2-4, but I have a lot of size zero and size eight items from Goodwill.
- I think it's important to quickly acknowledge a phenomenon called thin privilege. When people do not fit into social size constraints, it can be incredibly difficult for them to find clothes that they love locally. They're often restricted to specific brands and styles because, quite frankly, these are their only affordable options. Lots of styles and colors are not available in a variety of sizes. Sizeism is a real thing, and one we don't talk about enough. One day, I sincerely hope fashion and self-expression are accessible to everyone.
- Leave yourself some time to shop. If you rush into a store with only twenty minutes, chances are you'll leave with something you don't actually love, because you will feel pressure to buy something. Gotta love consumerism. Instead, give yourself a chunk of time to browse the aisles and try things on. It doesn't have to take up the entire day, but shopping shouldn't be like Usain Bolt. It's like eating a nice piece of chocolate. You have to savor it. If you don't, the experience will probably be far less entertaining. And don't forget my fourteenth favorite rule! If you didn't like it before it was trendy, don't buy it. I don't like bulky scrunchies, so... I just don't buy them.
- Understand you won't be perfect. You will make bad shopping decisions. I do it all the time. You will shop fast fashion. Your closet will not be composed of carefully curated sustainable pieces from head to toe, and that is okay. The fact that you're trying, that you're wading against the steady current of trends and fast fashion and carbon emissions, is pretty amazing in itself. Go you! Hip hip hooray!
Fashion how you wanna fashion. If you've read this entire post (bravo, it's freaking long), I'm sorry, because I've said that too many times. But I mean it. Fashion is individual and fun. It's creative. One misconception I've heard time and time again about dressing fashionably is that it's vain. I beg to differ. It's not vain to have fun with prints and patterns. It's expressive. It's art, darling (can you hear my inner Edna Mode?).
- Color coordination. You can use a color wheel if you want (elementary school me loved those), but honestly, just trust your eyeballs. If things look cute together, then wear them together. Sometimes the color wheel is a liar, anyway. For the school musical, 1776, I was in mustard yellow and a deep purple. The color wheel nods in approval at this combination, but it did not look good my friends, oh no it did not. I looked like Frodo Baggins, and I didn't even get to have a second breakfast!
- Tight-Loose Rule. While I'm a little lenient when it comes to color coordination, I stick to the tight-loose rule pretty closely. The idea is if you're wearing a tight top, you should wear looser bottoms, and vice versa. This tends to even out your proportions, and is more appealing to the eye. If there is one thing high school girls do well, it's the Tight-Loose rule. Tight leggings and a baggy sweatshirt? Perfect! Let's be real, though. Some days I like wearing baggy button-ups and loose trousers. They're comfy, and they feel like autumn in new York. I aspire to be Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail, so autumn in the fall is always a bonus.
- Play with make-up, hair, and accessories (if that's your thing). Make-up, hair styles, and accessories can add a lot to an outfit. Want to make your look immediately more vintage? Apply a red lip and cat-eye eyeliner, and you're good to go. Want to look like the Instagram girl? Highlighter is your bestie. I am of the personal opinion that anyone can wear make-up. I mean, have you seen Ezra Miller? He's my hero. Likewise, no one should have to wear make-up. Perfect skin isn't realistic, so embrace your lined eyes and spots. Hair is another fun element of fashion, and probably the one I'm worst at. Curls are cute and dainty, beach waves scream of summer, bangs can be adorable or edgy, braids are so cool and so elaborate and elusive and why can't I do them... you get the idea.
- Lastly. Have fun. But that was always a given, wasn't it?
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| Bonus tip: fire leotards will always, always be a look. |
Taffeta and charmeuse,
Maya
Photo by Hannah Morgan on Unsplash, Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash,
Photo by Melody Jacob on Unsplash, Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash,
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash, Photo by David Solce on Unsplash,
Photo by Sharon Pittaway on Unsplash, Photo by Maya's family
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