*A short piece I wrote on fast fashion & how I used social media to achieve a sustainable wardrobe last year. Pre-Covid.
After starting the year off on the right foot by participating in Veganuary, albeit a little late to the game, I decided to challenge myself for another month by participating in 'No Fast Fashion February'. Did I make that up on the spot? It's possible. Is it catchy nonetheless? Absolutely.
I've been aware of fast fashion for quite some time, but the fashion-forward and simultaneously incredibly frugal part of me was hesitant to fully open my eyes to it. I wanted to live in my bubble of denial for as long as possible. Well, a series of YouTube videos on the horrors of fast fashion (both humane and environmental) that I found myself watching at 3am on a random Saturday burst that bubble. Quite dramatically, to be completely honest.
Thus began a month of sustainable clothing choices! It should be noted that while I am financially able to re-load my Starbucks card monthly, I am also a student - so not much of my income goes towards shopping on a regular basis anyways. But, for the sake of the experiment, I did want to dish out a couple of bucks to really ~*experience*~ all that sustainable fashion had to offer to me.
Enter ThreadUp.
If you've found yourself anywhere within the realm of fashion Youtube content, then you've most definitely seen sponsored videos about ThreadUp. I used content creator Ashley's (bestdressed) discount code for 30% off and got a muted brass coloured turtleneck from Urban Outfitters for $10 and a vintage pair of Ralph Lauren jeans for 12$.
And, because I was just that dedicated to cause, I also headed to Value Village to buy a pair of men's Levi jeans that I subsequently altered to fit me perfectly.
The fact that I went to so much effort to look for, purchase, and tailor these pieces meant that I was more emotionally attached to them then a miscellaneous crewneck I picked up from H&M last year. Because of the effort I'd put in and the (albeit odd) attachment I'd formed, I found myself reaching for these pieces frequently throughout the month.
Let's talk about the hard part: there WAS an instance where I found myself browsing the sale rack of a clothing store while out with a friend. The skirt was on clearance for $10, and would have been a great staple for my Spring work attire. But... it was not made sustainably. I told myself that if I truly could not get it out of my head after a few days, that I would come back once the month had ended to purchase it. This is the first time I've thought about it since.
Paying attention to where my clothes are coming from has caused a huge attitude shift in the way I think about fashion. That cardigan could have the most beautiful cut and detailing in the world... but if the person that made it was treated unethically, then I don't want to support that - financially or otherwise.
In the blink of an eye, we are now into March. My experiment has ended, but just as I assumed... my relationship with sustainable fashion is just as its humble beginning.
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