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!
