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Not too long ago, I popped up a quick survey for you guys to answer and submit your burning questions and queries about ethical fashion. The survey is still open and I would love if you would continue to fill it in, as it’s always good to know what you’re interested in learning more about. In the meantime, I have some answers for those of you have already asked away, inspired by my ‘Many Questions’ t-shirt from the Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh collection…

WHAT I WORE: Many Questions T-Shirt £20.00 (Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh) // Ripped Jeans (New Look – old)* // Vagabond Dioon Platforms (Mastershoe-MyShu – old) // Red Leather Jacket £6.00 (Charity Shop)

Is there such a thing as cheap or high-street ethical fashion?

It’s understandable that this question became a reoccurring theme in my survey responses, especially as most of you reading this are of a student age where funds are limited whilst you still want to enjoy fashion and updating your wardrobe.

I really want to say yes to this question. I don’t want to let people down and leave you all feeling hopeless that shopping ethically just isn’t a viable option, but especially when it comes to the high-street, it’s a real tricky one (and I will be writing about it in more depth in the near future).

I’m quite open with how I stand on high-street and ‘cheap’ brands launching sustainable and more ethically-conscious lines and collections; I’m a bit of a sceptic, honestly. For me, the negatives of how these brands and businesses are run will always out-way the smaller, positive steps they’re taking, until major shifts start to take place. I can’t happily tell you to go and shop with H&M and their Conscious collection when I’m being told they burn unwanted items.

The thing is, there’s always going to be a better option, even when you’re buying from a brand which is Fair Trade certified or is using recycled fibres – there’s always going to be a brand or designer out there who is doing the next best thing (which is great, don’t get me wrong). The better option to buying on the high-street is buying second-hand; the better option to buying second-hand is not buying at all. You see the dilemma?

So – really, no, there’s no such thing as ethical high-street fashion, yet. That’s just because that’s how the industry works and that’s what we’re all on the path to changing. Is there such thing as cheap ethical fashion? Yes. Second-hand and thrift shops are full of it. Your mum’s wardrobe is. XYZ Insert Ethical Brand name’s seasonal sale is. The £30 t-shirt which will last five times longer than an £8 option is also doing the trick.

How do I get my friends on board?

Luckily for you, I’ve touched on this question several times in the past. Click here, here and here for some of my old blog posts to browse through. I know from my own personal experience that it isn’t easy to suddenly transform your friends and family into conscious consumers.

It won’t click for everyone immediately, especially those who are only receiving information and education through you and you only. Honestly, if you really want to do it – try and get them to sit down and watch the True Cost, which you can easily stream via Netflix. Maybe even do a screening at home! Tell them that it’s important to you and you think it could be interesting and valuable for them to watch.

Where do I find trend-specific pieces?

Once again, you’re in luck. I recently wrote about my experience with trends and ethical fashion and how my priorities have now changed. That’s the blog post to answer your question.

What books and resources should I use to learn more?

Third times the charm, isn’t it? I’ve got you covered with my 2016 list of books and resources. I’ll be sure to do one for 2017 too, as I’ve definitely learned and discovered since then, including the book A Harvest of Thorns by Corban Addison which looks at the fast-fashion industry from a fictional perspective.

Are there any sustainable technologies helping advance the industry?

This is a really interesting question which I wished I had a blog post to direct you to for my answer but alas, technology is part of the industry I have limited knowledge in (alongside the intricacies of Fair Trade, the ethical beauty world and vegan materials) but will bear in mind to research so that I can share my findings with you.

Any examples that do come to mind, are mainly fabric oriented, like Pinatex, which takes pineapple leaf fibres and creates a leather alternative which you’ll see being used by the likes of Po-Zu (the ethical and sustainable footwear brand now headed up by Safia Minney).

Have any other burning questions? Leave them in the comments or click here to submit to my survey!

Do you feel inspired? If so, perhaps you might be interested in nominating Tolly Dolly Posh for an Observer Ethical Award. If you believe my commitment to ethical fashion is award-winning, click this link and leave my name, link and a few words in the Young Green Leaders category. Nominations now close on October 22nd 2017. 

In celebration of the launch of Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh last week, I thought I would explore the meanings behind each design and turn them in to helpful articles for you to use and put into practice. First up is my Keep on Asking design. You may have heard me suggest these ideas in many blog posts before but that’s just how important I think they are. Here are 10 simple ways to keep on asking…

~ SHOP LOST SHAPES X TOLLY DOLLY POSH ~
Featured: Keep on Asking

1. Use your voice on social media…

Although I understand that “clicktivism” isn’t always the most powerful tool, especially when it’s thrown in amongst content that is quite the opposite, if you have a platform, I definitely advise using it. Even if you’re not necessarily a blogger or don’t specifically use social media to reach a specific audience, just one click might inspire one person to follow in your ethical and conscious footsteps.

2. …and your voice in real life…

As I said, empowering and inspiring on social media isn’t always the answer, so get out there and talk to people you know about these issues in real life. Even if just means casually dropping in a question or thought about ethical fashion whilst you’re shopping with a friend, it’s the same principle – it may just cause a chain reaction. Ask your friend or family member if they’ve ever thought about where their clothes come from or how something can be priced so cheaply.

3. Ask yourself questions…

It’s all well and good subtly dropping these questions and concerns into a conversation but if we’re not repeatedly asking ourselves these questions, then how can we become more conscious? Ask yourself if the action you’re taking is the best one – could I recycle this shirt differently? Do I really know where my dress came from? Is the label telling me enough?

4. Join in with #WhoMadeMyClothes…

I’ve encouraged this enough and it was one of the main inspirations behind the slogan t-shirt in my collaboration. Every year, Fashion Revolution asks consumers and customers to ask brands who made their clothes to push for transparency and challenge what we know of the fashion industry.

5. Take longer to decide before buying…

Use my helpful guide on how to know if you’ll actually wear what you’re buying if you want to work out easier ways to decide on your purchases beforehand. This can really help us all become more sustainable.

6. Write a letter to brands you love…

Using Fashion Revolution’s helpful guides, write a letter or a post card to a brand that you love. Admittedly I have yet to do this, so perhaps I’ll report back in the near future when I give it a shot myself. Writing a letter could bury a seed into the mind of someone has more power than somebody reading a brand’s social media feeds and really shows you’re willing to put in the effort for something you feel strongly about.

7. Look for warning signs…

Are you being greenwashed? Do you even know what greenwashing means? Learning how to identify signs of a product or brand not being quite as eco-friendly or ethical as it seems can help us avoid buying into the idea of sustainability and ethics being a trend. I spoke about greenwashing here and I hope it helps you keep your eyes peeled.

8. Question price…

…because your t-shirt shouldn’t cost less than your trip to Starbucks. Price doesn’t mean everything; just because an item is more expensive doesn’t mean it is immediately more ethical. In my opinion, you shouldn’t trust any brand that is selling at absurdly low prices (I’m talking about the likes of Primark and H&M) because it’s obvious they are cutting corners. At the same time, research brands that charge more so you know what you’re really paying for and investing in.

9. See if you can find an alternative…

If you know what you’re buying isn’t necessarily ethical, perhaps hold up on purchasing and see if you can find an ethical alternative or even a second-hand one. This ties in with taking longer to decide before buying but is especially important if you’re either investing in a product or re-purchasing an essential wardrobe item that you might benefit investing in, anyway. Quality lasts, folks!

10. Don’t take anything at face value…

This final step is really the whole idea of asking questions and pushing for transparency. We need to know as much as possible in order to make conscious and considered decisions that will not only help us but other people and the planet. Ask questions, even if they seem simple and easy to answer – they should be if they’re not already.

~ LOST SHAPES X TOLLY DOLLY POSH ~
Shop the ethical t-shirts collection

I’m so excited to announce that I have officially launched my own ethical and sustainable t-shirts with Lost Shapes! For a large portion of this year, I’ve been working closely with Lost Shapes to bring you something that we’re both incredibly proud to be sharing with you all. A lot of projects like this often don’t seem like much on the surface but I can tell you now that a lot of love and hard work went into making these t-shirts possible, so I hope you appreciate them as much as we do!

In case you aren’t aware, Lost Shapes are an independent clothing brand from back home in the UK. The wonderful owner, Anna, has built her brand upon ethical and sustainable values to go along side her traditionally hand-printed designs. You might recognise Lost Shapes from my ethical directory.

I couldn’t release my first sustainable pieces without making them all about what I believe in. In this post, not only can you scroll through and get a taste of the lookbook, you can also find out the inspirations behind each piece and why they ended up looking like they do.

However, if you’re ready to shop already, click the link above. I can’t wait to see you all wearing your Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh pieces!

Make sure to tweet @TollyDollyPosh and @LostShapes with the hashtag #LSxTDP so we can see how you style them.

~ MANY QUESTIONS T-SHIRT ~
100% Organic Cotton with 90% Reduced Carbon Footprint

This design is inspired quite simply by the idea of questioning the supply chains across the fashion industry. It’s a bold inspiration which might not come across to just anyone but it started to be put across from the very first pages of my sketchbook. The question marks are linked like a chain and if you look very closely, the colours cross over each other with slight transparency – that of course was very intentional.

As the name suggests, there are so many questions that need answering when it comes to our clothes, so this is like wearing all of them on a t-shirt which supports answering them. The racer style makes it all the more striking and looks rather good against the backdrop of the lookbook (it’s a Keith Haring mural, open and on display in Pisa, Italy).

I styled both t-shirts with a denim skirt (second-hand, of course), as there are definite yet subtle 80s vibes in each design. Although the bright pink and orange may seem rather summery, there’s no reason these t-shirts can’t be worn throughout the colder seasons. I’m ready and set to pair this design with a biker jacket.

~ KEEP ON ASKING T-SHIRT ~
Fair Trade 100% Organic Cotton with workers premium

The other t-shirt in my little collection took a while longer to perfect (well, both of them did – a lot of time goes into making colours perfect when they’re being hand-printed), simply because slogans of course have a lot to shout about.

We want these t-shirts to be open for everyone to wear (man or woman, they’re unisex!), hence why the ‘Many Questions’ design is a symbolic pattern and hence why the phrase ‘Keep on Asking’ hopefully, applies to a lot of other things.

Of course, the ‘Keep on Asking’ I’m referring to within my designs, is the idea of asking those who are in charge and capable of real change, to answer questions. This stems back to great initiatives like Fashion Revolution and #WhoMadeMyClothes, as well as just conscious consumerism in general. In order to become more transparent, we need questions to be answered. Once again, the transparent layering is intentional and I’m really happy with the outcome, especially with the 80s style, bubble font.

I’ve already worn this t-shirt a dozen ways with different skirts and bottoms (it may or may not be my favourite design of the two, with the Fair Trade cotton being the cherry on top) and I think the versatility definitely comes down to the shirt being grey.

~ WHO MADE MY T-SHIRTS? ~
Every Lost Shapes item is sourced sustainably before being hand-printed by Anna Brindle, the creator of Lost Shapes, with each design in the collaboration designed lovingly by Tolly Dolly Posh.

I’m really proud to have worked with Anna on this little collection. It took a lot of back and forth work but I believe the overall outcome was most definitely worth it. I really hope to see some of you wearing them in the near future, or at least to hear you have them on your wishlist! All the important links can be found below… happy Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh shopping!

FOLLOW LOST SHAPES:
Twitter // Facebook // Instagram

DOWNLOAD:
Press Release // Lookbook

Special thanks to Kayleigh Adams Photography for capturing the t-shirts in all of their glory. Follow Kayleigh on Instagram for more photography and visit her website if you’re interested in using her for your own project. 

Today’s post is just a quick one! So… you may have noticed recently, that there’s been a bit of a change in terms of my banners up there beneath my header? Well, there’s been a bit of a change elsewhere too because my very own collection of socks is now just that… my own! The (originally known as) #MooiEnLiefbyTDP collection is now underneath the Tolly Dolly Posh name! Exciting 🙂

The shop is now back open and you can have a quick purchase of your favourite pairs! But be quick as this is the last stock of them before they’re gone. Who knows, there may just be another product in the pipeline sometime in the future. I really hope you enjoy picking up your socks again! Make sure to give a tweet with “#TDPSocks” this time, so I can see who’s been buying pairs.

~ SHOP THE COLLECTION ~

Let me know if you like the new shop or if you’ve made an order, in the comments!

The winner of the “Blue Bootin” give-away was… Nyah M!

And here we have it… the final give-away for my Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection! It’s been really awesome being able to hand out some pairs to you guys and I hope you’ve had fun entering. Don’t be too saddened as the collection is not going anywhere… you can pick up some direct from the Mooi en Lief shop. Ooh and I should be giving away some of the lookbooks soon so you can stay tuned for that over on Twitter!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

“Camp Blanc” was one of my very first designs that I sketched up. It’s inspired by the wild flowers that grow in summer time and the colours that I saw across France when I was there (blue skies, yellow fields)… as well as a mix of the seventies vibes that are across the whole collection.

They’re perfect for zipping through fields and having a happy time whether that’s in summer or autumn. This was also the most 70s outfit that I put together for the lookbook and I think they work really well. You could pair them with suede or a tan mini skirt (like I have here) or even a denim skirt and a pair of leather heels. They have a really cool aesthetic to them and I hope you appreciate it too!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Sunglasses (New Look) // Shoes (Vagabond) // Wellington Boots (Mooi en Lief)*

You could of course also style your socks up with some boots from Mooi en Lief’s range… they actually match really well and would look awesome on some muddy autumn walks. So, if you want to win the socks to match, scroll on down…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Camp Blanc” design. The give-away closes on 27th September 2015.

The winner of the “Homo Superior” give-away was… Rachel B!

I’m back with another Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh give-away! Hooray! Congratulations to the winners so far 🙂 If you haven’t been as lucky as them though, there’s still chance as today I’m bringing you the penultimate prize of the “Blue Bootin” sock design! Good luck…

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN’” HERE

“Blue Bootin” is a mish-mash of both 60s and 70s styles. With discos and partying slowly creeping into the lives of late-70s youngsters, and the block-colour styles still lingering from the 60s, it seemed like a perfect combination for the collection… plus, I do love a bit of blue!

The checks are actually mix-matched and don’t all flow in unison which is inspired by the sparkling colours of a disco ball. The bold simplicity of the design makes for a statement which is also very versatile too. The hint of pastel and white also allows it to be worn in not only summer and spring, but winter with the snowy themes coming through!

These could actually look really cute with the Mooi en Lief “BUCKLE Pink” Wellington boots for a different kinda’ look!

Dress (ASOS) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Hat (ASOS) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I’m not going to lie, I personally really like this design. I feel like they’re a very ‘Marmite’ pair of socks… so do leave a comment letting me know what you think, as well as how you’d style them (as that’s a give-away entry anyway)! Speaking of the give-away, if you want to win a pair of these lovely socks, scroll on down!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Blue Bootin” design. The give-away closes on 23rd September 2015.

The winner of the “Electric Blue” give-away was… Adele P!

I’m back today with a give-away of the “Homo Superior” sock design from my very own Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection. Congratulations if you were the winner of the “Electric Blue” pair! If you didn’t win though, there’s still chance to grab a different design, or shop the whole collection here! Good luck and happy shopping 🙂

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

“Homo Superior” was inspired by the record cover of David Bowie’s ‘Hunky Dory’ album, and the song ‘Oh You Pretty Things’ which features the line of lyrics… ‘You gotta’ make way for the Homo Superior’. Homo Superior basically means somebody of supernatural powers, so a bit like a super hero. In my opinion socks are a very big part of a super hero’s costume so it fits well, right?

This pair of socks looks awesome with suede and could totally work with a biker jacket too. Throw on a worn out pair of Converse or of course, Mooi en Lief’s very own “Black Buckle” wellington boots and “Feather Festival Style Kit”! As an entry to this give-away, leave a comment letting me know how you’d style up this pair of socks!

Top (ASOS) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I think you guys are loving this pair of socks! There simple and perfect for the upcoming A/W season. I’ve already worn them out with some boots and they look super cute! I hope you enjoy wearing them as much as I do. Want to win a pair? Scroll down for the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Homo Superior” design. The give-away closes on 17th September 2015.

It’s a very exciting day because I have my very first Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh sock give-away! If you didn’t already know, 4 days ago I launched my co-branded collection of socks with Mooi en Lief. So today, I’m going to be giving away 1 pair of my “Electric Blue” design. Scroll on down for styling inspiration from the lookbook and how to win!

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

“Electric Blue” was inspired by the roller skating vibes of the 1970s. With blue being one of my favourite colours, and also a hit trend in 2015, it seemed like a perfect combination for mixing with sporty stripes. Along with the whole collection, this pair have a little hidden detail of having the option of being over-the-knee or under-the-knee, with or without the stripes.

Named after David Bowie’s “Sound and Vision” song (Blue, blue, electric blue, that’s the colour of my room) they’re a big flashback to the laid back era. You can wear them with a denim skirt, or a pair of high waisted shorts, or even with a long floaty skirt… but most importantly, pair them with some Mooi en Lief Black Buckle wellies if you’re hitting some muddy (festival) fields!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Jumble Sale) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

This pair are probably the most simple in the collection by I still love them just as much. They look perfect with Mooi en Lief’s wellies or a pair of chunky platforms like I’m wearing above! If you like them as much as I do, here’s the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Electric Blue” design.

Good Luck! Eeep 😀 

Eeeeep! How crazy?! After a good year of work, my co-branded collection of socks is finally here. I don’t want to ramble too much, so I’ll leave the thank you’s to the end, so for now, please get excited as #MooiEnLiefbyTDP is NOW AVAILABLE! Say, what?!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN'” HERE

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

Aaah! How crazy, huh?! After a long time of working hard, the collection of co-branded socks with the amazing brand that is, Mooi en Lief, is finally here! I can now introduce to you, Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh! It’s pretty darn weird to look at it now, because all of these designs were just once scribbles on a piece of paper. I honestly can’t thank Mooi en Lief enough for the amazing experience and opportunity I have been given; thank you! 

As you can probably tell from the lookbook images above, the collection is very 70s inspired. I’m actually a really big fan of the aesthetic from the decade, and it just so happened that it fit in nicely with this years popular trend. A big shoutout to Papa Posh for his patience on the shoot day! It was ridiculously hot and I’m pretty sure we both started melting half way through. You did good! 

Also, every order comes with a FREE “Dare To Be Different” iron-on patch, and a copy of the full look book!

Blue Bootin // Camp Blanc // Homo Superior // Electric Blue
Worldwide delivery is available, get in touch for more info!

I wanted to make sure the designs were simple, wearable but of course a little bit different, so there are some hidden smaller details throughout each pair. I’m not quite sure I could pick a favourite as altogether, they look pretty awesome (if I do say so myself!). Also, I hope you like the names, I had a lot of fun thinking them up, and I’m sure I’ll discuss them further in my next few blog posts.

Speaking of those posts, I will be doing 1 seperate post per sock so you can get an even better feel for the collection as well as an opportunity to WIN yourself a pair! So stick around, okay? I’m going to stop rambling now so you can go and buy yourself a pair! It would be highly appreciated and you know, if I ever did get super mega amazingly famous (hehe), you’ll always have a piece of TDP history… *wink*

Which pair will you be buying? Or will you buy all of them? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

So, how ridiculous is this… after all this time, it’s only 3 DAYS until my co-branded collection of socks goes live with Mooi en Lief. 3 DAYS! Crazy. So, to celebrate the fact that it’s so soon until the launch, I’m going to entice you with a give-away of 50% off the socks! All of the details and information is below, it’s super simple, and there is nothing to lose! (There’s 3 winners too… so go, go, go!)

~ 50% OFF GIVE-AWAY ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules and T&Cs: This give-away is open worldwide and will have 3 winners. Once the winners have been randomly chosen through Rafflecopter itself, I will email the winners and explain how to claim their 50% off discount. The prize has been awarded by Mooi en Lief and is valid for the whole Mooi en Lief online shop!

Good Luck! I shall see you on Saturday when Mooi en Lief and myself will have officially launched the collection. CRAZY! 🙂