sustainable fashion

Perhaps the timing of this piece is a little late with Black Friday and Cyber Monday having just taken over both physical stores and almost every inch of the internet. However, a new sale and discount frenzy are never far around the corner in current times and it’s clear that shopping habits are unlikely to slow down anytime soon, so, I expect this will stay relevant for a while still.

An experimental piece I illustrated on the theme of fast-fashion and consumption

A lot of us have heard the statistics by now; we know – according to statistics from the Environmental Audit Committee’s sustainable fashion hearing – that in the UK, 23% of our clothing stay sat in our wardrobes unworn and that on average we’re buying 27 kilos of clothes a year, per person. We know that this is having a detrimental effect on our planet and that according to a report by the IPCC (that gave me a fright, to say the least), and try to put a stop on irreversible climate change.

We know all of this to a certain extent, yet the idea of not shopping for new clothes to a lot of us, seems like a radical act, whether this be for brand new clothes or second-hand pieces which have already experienced a life with a previous owner. We can’t deny that there is a certain thrill when it comes to bringing a new material item into our life.

In fact, it’s so clear to so many of us that there’s scientific evidence suggesting it can cause a dopamine rush. Of course, this isn’t just with our clothes but it has to be said that other than essential purchases such as food, often our clothes are what we update most regularly. They are a tool, after all, allowing us to change how we wish to be perceived by others, express our personal beliefs and stand out in a sea of other people trying to fit in.

It’s why I love clothes so much. I can experiment and wear different pieces to suit my mood. I can mature and start to find confidence in wearing red suits or I can mix it up and wear My Little Pony socks with jelly shoes (you can hear more about that on the Pre-Loved Podcast episode, I recently spoke on).

Styling and creating outfits is and should be fun, whether it’s based on ethics and sustainability or not, so, I’m not about to enforce the idea of a hippie future for us all. The concept of not shopping that I’m going to discuss, shouldn’t be a vision of a nudist camp where we all grow and pick our own vegetables and blend our own nut milk every morning (however dreamy that may sound to some of us, perhaps bar the nudity). The concept of not shopping that I do want to discuss is far more realistic and one of which I think an awful lot of us could adapt our lives to if we just stopped being afraid of change.

Illustrations of Anna Firkins of @wearwhatsthere

This year, I made two changes. These two changes aren’t necessarily mind-blowing and they won’t change the world but they have made a big impact for myself and how I view my life. They are two very personal and actually rather incidental changes; in a way, I sort of fell into them.

Firstly, I decided to stop shaving my legs. I documented this decision a few months in after I could confidently say that it was a change I was embracing. It’s been almost a year now and I’ve done more than I ever could have imagined with a full display of leg hair. I went to my brother’s wedding without covering my legs; I went to the beach and skipped along the sand into the water; I went swimming at a public pool and held my head high. I did simple things with visible body hair on show that a year ago, would have felt extremely daunting to do (because I’d been trained to view it as disturbing and something to be ashamed of).

Secondly, I stopped eating meat. I’m not close to being a vegan yet and due to the fact that I eat fish every once in a while, I can’t technically call myself a fully committed vegetarian, however, my diet now fully consists of Quorn nuggets over chicken and a whole lot of bean curries to top up on a good amount of protein.

It hasn’t quite been a year yet but it has once again been a change that at first, seemed scary and not something I could see myself going all the way with. When I first started to cut out meat, I ate a sandwich with ham in it because I couldn’t be bothered to find an alternative – and now, I wouldn’t even question it; I would walk that bit further to find a vegetarian option from a different shop down the road.

The reason for referencing these personal changes is because I often see many people scared off by the idea of changing what they’re used to. Change in itself is always rather terrifying (the idea of cutting my hair short sounds like a bit of a nightmare) but surely change should always be easier to take head-on when we know the consequences of not changing and not evolving?

I adapted my shopping habits to become more sustainable because I’d started to educate myself on how my wardrobe was in part, contributing to the demise of our world. I choose the word “world” carefully because I was recently reminded of the fact that the planet itself will still very much be here, even if we can’t inhabit it ourselves.

If we know the statistics and we know that changing our ways could be beneficial, why does, for example, not shopping, seem so extreme? In theory, it’s not that much of a challenge. You see something you like in a shop window or on a clickable Instagram post and you just don’t buy it. Maybe one day, a few months down the line, you go back and buy it or you find a second-hand version but in the moment, when it’s just a spontaneous splurge, you resist.

In practice? You see something you like in a shop window or on a clickable Instagram post, you consider how you’re feeling that day and whether you deserve to just “treat yo’self” and then you step inside the shop door or click on the buy it now button; you try it on (or double-check the size guide), look at the price tag and do a little happy dance at how cheap it is, before adding it your basket and walking away smiling.

You smile for three days because that’s how long the dopamine rush of a new purchase lasts.

I would expect that a lot of us have had experience with both the theory and the practice. It’s far easier to resist buying something new when you have strict limiting factors already set in place. For example, a lot of us have tight purse strings that can’t be stretched as much as we’d like them to. But there are also times when they stretch a bit further and one purchase here and there won’t matter, so long as we don’t calculate what it’s all adding up to in the end.

And that’s just one side to it; the self-care and “treat yo’ self” culture, that 78% of you on Twitter said you find difficult to balance with a conscious consumer mindset.

I recently had an in-real-life conversation with the amazing Anna Firkins from @wearwhatsthere on Instagram (I’m specifying the fact it was an in-person conversation because did it really happen if I don’t?), who has been committed to not shopping for clothes for almost a year now. Her Instagram account is such a simple platform but it proves something really wonderful that there’s not nearly enough of, whether it be online or offline – we don’t need new clothes and we definitely don’t need them to look stylish or to express ourselves. If we choose wisely at the beginning, which Anna so clearly did (I’m a big fan of her khaki dungarees, as you can see from my illustrations), then it’s not necessary to rely on an influx of newness every few seasons, months, weeks or even days.

I recall once reading a blog post written by somebody who stated that they could never slow down their shopping habits or switch to more sustainable brands because they just loved shopping too much. The idea of being so attached to an activity that they admitted to knowing had cost to the environment, saddened me but I’ve seen this been said multiple times over since then, especially as more people have started to approach these sorts of topics and issues.

So, I asked Anna whether she’d had anybody respond to her not shopping challenge by saying, “I could never do it!”. Of course, the answer was yes but Anna could understand why it isn’t always easy.

For example, she hasn’t stopped shopping for her children because they’re growing and changing, and unsurprisingly, limiting new clothes for them isn’t exactly simple, or in fact, possible. We all have such different experiences and situations that we are faced with, which means it isn’t always as black and white as saying no or emptying your shopping basket. As Anna reminded me, sometimes we need a quick solution and that means having to put yourself first before the world or the people providing for us (in this case, garment workers).

Just like I can’t call myself a fully committed vegetarian, I also can’t say that I’m fully committed to not shopping, which means I can’t say it’s for everyone. It’s not a ‘challenge’ or a mission of mine simply because my purchases are few and far between and are almost always guilt-free (for example, unless it’s something I’ve been sent as a gifted item, I mainly only ever shop second-hand).

It’s to my belief that not shopping means doing some self-reflection and deep analysing within ourselves. It’s not about depriving yourself of nice things or material possessions that make us who we are but it’s about understanding why we choose to obtain these things in the first place. It’s similar to how I approached my personal decisions around body hair. I asked myself why I was doing it and I came up short. Could I love myself exactly how I am? Can we curate who we are and how we want to be perceived out of what we already have around us?

Do we need to be sold new collections every few months, picking out what strikes a chord with us? Or can we slow down? Can we find a middle ground where we’re not shopping but we’re in fact, investing?

Due to the amount of clothes I have in my wardrobe, adding anything new will never be a direct necessity but they will be a necessity for my personal growth and style evolution, whether I be strongly invested in fashion or not – and the fashion industry (and others) thrives on this little flaw within the connection between how we dress ourselves and our individuality.

Not shopping, or at least reducing the power that we give over to those, unfortunately, abusing the planet and our hunger for more isn’t radical. Taking the time to understand your choices, recognise what is really you and building from there, can be.

What do you think about not shopping? Is it radical? Do you think you could do it? Let me know in the comments!

Whilst I have you, it would be an honour if you could head on over to the UK Blog Awards and hit the heart ❤️ button on Tolly Dolly Posh Fashion in the Green & Eco category. I’d love to have my blog recognised with an award after six years of hard work. Thank you in advance!

I recently had the chance to attend what is called an ‘evidence hearing’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London, as part of the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee‘s inquiry into sustainable fashion. This is actually an incredibly exciting time, as the inquiry may go onto help aid the Government to ensure we are starting to create a newer, more environmentally conscious fashion industry.

  LOCATION:
Victoria & Albert Museum
London

I had the opportunity to sit down with Mary Creagh, an MP (Member of Parliament) and the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, which is the group responsible for considering how the Government is doing in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development in the UK. The committee was behind securing the recent ban on microbeads in cosmetics products and hopefully, with the sustainable fashion inquiry, they will go on to do much more.

I know that a lot of people will be new to the concept of a parliamentary inquiry – trust me, I am too! – so, I want to discuss what it all means, as well as some takeaways from the evidence session itself. Some of those giving evidence at the hearing included Eco-Age founder, Livia Firth; journalist and writer, Lucy Siegle; the Sustainability & Innovation Director of Stella McCartney, Claire Bergkamp, and the Director and Professor of Fashion Design for Sustainability, Dilys Wiliams.

There were two clear take-aways for me, not only from the evidence session that I attended but also from the initial session which I watched on live stream (both of which you can watch here). Firstly, it’s that, as Dilys Williams so rightly said, the system and the model of fast-fashion are broken. There is no way in which we can continue producing and consuming at the same rate that we are, in a sustainable manner – this goes for the UK and elsewhere.

The Ellen McArthur foundation states that textile production uses around 93 million cubic metres of water and an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, per year, which is more than flights and maritime shipping combined. And in the UK specifically, the consumption of clothing itself is rapidly rising, alongside disposal rates, with 350,000 tonnes of clothes being discarded to landfill, according to WRAP.

In terms of statistics, these are all numbers that a lot of us have already considered or educated ourselves on but there’s more to it than that. In the first evidence hearing, a common theme regarding the initial design process of our clothing arose and it was brought up again at the V&A with fashion designer, Phoebe English, speaking on the panel. She reminded us of the large amounts of waste created before a garment even gets on the shop floor. After describing the pattern cutting process, Phoebe said, “There is waste from every single garment on the high street. Where is that waste going?”.

There are many different elements to the conversation and that’s the second takeaway that became very apparent; what recommendations does a committee put forward to a Government, when there are so many angles and specific issues to focus on? There is no one set solution to creating a sustainable fashion industry. Even when we say the system is broken and creating a new one seems like the only answer, a new system will always come with its challenges, too.

For example, a circular fashion industry could work in theory but only if you’re also looking at circularity in a social sense, as Dilys Williams suggested. A circular economy is a regenerative system which thrives on reuse, remanufacturing, repairing and recycling but we can’t transform the fashion industry into a closed-loop system unless the consumer mindset shifts dramatically, and that is a great feat we face.

One of the suggestions relating to the idea of circularity, once again came from Professor Dilys Williams – perhaps a recommendation to the Government could come in the form of reduced VAT on repair services, which as Graeme Raeburn (one half of the Christopher Raeburn duo) pointed out is something that has already been executed in Sweden.

Although we may not be at a point in time where the general public has learned how to darn socks and tailor trousers, if we allow services for these repairs to become more accessible, it could cause a shift in how we appreciate clothing and in turn, create an environmental shift, too.

Along with circularity, the Scottish Government has already started in this direction with the ‘Make Things Last‘ strategy which has trialled large-scale reuse and repair hubs.

Myself and Mary Creagh, MP at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Fashioned from Nature exhibition

The complexity of the issues at hand go as far as advertising and how fast-fashion actually affects us all psychologically. If fast-fashion and unsustainably produced textiles are as destructive to ourselves and the environment as products that we see on the shelves of supermarkets, with labels to warn us of toxic ingredients that could potentially cause us bodily harm, is it time that legislation is put in place in order to make consumers more aware of what they’re really buying into? Is it time that we are shown the true cost of a £5 t-shirt before we reach the checkout, bringing back what Lucy Siegle called a ‘pause for thought before buying‘ that’s been stripped away with such fast consumption habits?

As I now personally have a large understanding of many of the issues raised at the evidence hearing, it’s been clear to me that the system is broken for quite some time now, but it’s even clearer that we are in dire need of answering a pivotal question, which was once again raised by Professor Dilys Williams…

Do we want to keep the current industry or do we want to live within planetary boundaries? 

If you want to learn more about the Environmental Audit Committee and the ‘Sustainability of the fashion industry inquiry‘, take a look at the Parliament website. Follow the committee on Twitter @CommonsEAC and voice your thoughts with #EACFixingFashion.

I wrote this blog post over a couple of weeks, letting some feelings sink in. Take this as a brain-dump (and a question) as sorts, as I try to re-evaluate my relationship with sustainability and activism…

Part of the reason my blog isn’t as active as it used to be is that over time, I’ve come to appreciate more considered, thought-out writing that is as helpful and as insightful as it can be for my readers.

However, that sort of content can take time and with the recent report from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) stating that by 2040 we could see major irreparable effects of global warming, it suddenly feels as if we don’t have that time and that the time we do have, shouldn’t be spent writing a blog or hosting an Instagram profile that’s main purpose is to try and get people to shop differently.

If 100 companies have been named as the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by the Carbon Disclosure Project – most of which are companies leading the oil and coal industries -, then surely it’s time to focus our efforts on bringing them down than pointing a finger at people who aren’t turning down single-use straws or buying a new pair of pyjamas from Primark?

Before you attempt to predict where this piece is going, I’ll do the work for you by saying that I won’t be finishing it off by promoting the idea of small steps saving the world. I would hope to never enforce that idea, only the thought that of course, small steps are better than nothing and are often a great way to instil a peace of mind for our own consciences (as well as being a tool to continue these sorts of climate-related conversations, everyday).

In fact, it’s quite likely that the majority of this post will be uninspiring and demotivating. You may even come away from this blog post with dread.

For me, even making sure this piece is factually correct by researching different articles and reports, has left me feeling hopeless and honestly, rather terrified for our future. I feel as if I’m in a state of panic. Seeing a headline which talks about a possible outcome for babies born today, leaves a lump in my throat.

My youngest nephew has just turned two-years-old and he’ll only be entering his mid-twenties by the time the damage has – or could have – become unstoppable and the idea of that, has me contemplating my own future life choices and whether a family (one of blood and the same genetics) will be one of them.

The IPCC report states that the world’s carbon pollution would have to be cut dramatically to ensure that we are down to 0% carbon emissions by 2050. At the current rate and with no dramatic changes in place, whether it be politically or industry-wide, the world as we know it is heading for a 3-centigrade rise in warming and I don’t believe anyone truly knows what that would look like.

The dramatic changes which could be made to avoid this involve things such as increasing carbon tax (fellow eco-activist Alden Wicker touched on this here, discussing how it would hike up prices of services such as air travel yet could also be rewarding, as the tax contribution could be reinvested annually), as well as quite frankly, pulling the plugs on the worst offenders, even if it makes life a lot more inconvenient.

All of this has left me at a bit of a crossroads. How do I, as somebody who has a platform and has recently been given the ‘environmental activist’ label, move forwards? And in which direction should that be? As I said, it’s got me questioning whether I am using my time or my voice as wisely as I should be.

That’s not to say I’m going to let this all stop me; as Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland) so rightly said, “Feeling ‘this is too big for me’, is no use to anybody”. Quite a few of you wanted to remind me of that too, when I jumped to Instagram Stories stating I was having a crisis.

Thankfully since then, I’ve also seen a notable rise in people discussing topics such as fast-fashion and sustainability, even if they never have before. I think we have Stacey Dooley’s BBC documentary “Fashion’s Dirty Secrets” to thank for this.

With more people starting to add to the conversation at the same time as more frightening statistics, it’s important that we don’t let go of any kind of motivation or momentum that is spurring us on to make positive change because it shows that we care and that we don’t want to just sit back and accept the doom and gloom for normality.

The voice in the back of my head – or your head – telling me that I’m not doing enough, shouldn’t be one to guilt me or turn me into a fearful wreck; it should be the one I hold onto tightly and when I’m ready, use to the best of my abilities to prove that I can do enough and more.

The biggest question mark and challenge I currently face though, is what should I use it for? I then realised, often when discussing these issues, the term ‘we’ is used. We could this. We could that. Why aren’t we changing our actions? So, why aren’t I thinking of this as a chance to ask and include others? What can we do? How can we use our voices and progress forwards, even in a pit of despair and defeat?

So, yes, I’m going to ask you. Take it as a bit of research. I want to know how you think we – yes, you and me, the reader of this blog – can start to do more. I don’t mean in the sense of cutting down on plastic or going out to vote. Both of those options have their own levels of importance and there are many people already pushing these as ways to go (including myself).

What I mean is – how can we pull together and do something as a team (yes, we’re a team now) that can create some sort of positive change? How we can drag ourselves out of the comforts of clicktivism and into the scary waters of real-life action?

I’ve thrown this idea out into the world a couple of times recently, so, I’ll throw it around here publicly. Something I’d like to achieve in the future (possibly the very near future) is a campaign of sorts. I don’t know how I’ll do it but I know I’d love for you to all be involved somehow and perhaps this can be the beginning of working out what we can do to make it happen.

I’m leaving this blog post as a place to mull over ideas. What issues – within the realm of ethical and sustainable fashion – are the ones you believe we could really help to solve? The time we do have, I’d like to us to use wisely. Have a think, let me know and hopefully, we can all come out of this collective, climate change fear-induced slump together!

Whether you leave a comment on here or Instagram, send me a tweet or go one step further to express your thoughts via email (my inbox is always open!), I look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime, not too long ago I discussed how to avoid becoming overwhelmed by sustainable issues, which might come in helpful if you’re experiencing similar feelings. I also recently posted on Instagram, a tiny list of things that are keeping me going.

Believe it or not, although I tend to put a positive spin on topics I discuss on my blog, it is rather heavy stuff and often I forget to take from my own book (read: my piece on avoiding becoming overwhelmed by it all) by highlighting the lighthearted fun side of things like, for example, what makes styling ethical fashion all the more enticing than standard fashion offerings…

WHAT I WORE: Vintage Jaeger Blazer (Charity Shop) // Floral Blouse (ASOS Africa – old) // KENZO Trousers (Jumble Sale) // Vagabond White Platform Heels (Mastershoe – old)*

On Instagram, one of my favourite ethical content creators Benita Robledo recently embarked on a styling ‘challenge’ – #GlamCapsule – which took inspiration from well-known ’10 x 10′ wardrobes which are a way to guide people towards more conscious, considered dressing. Generally, these wardrobe challenges have very simple rules – take 10 items of clothing and for 10 days, only allow yourself to wear what you choose (minus essentials like underwear or gym wear etc).

The issue with that, which Benita pointed out, is often they are very much targeted towards those who wear a lot of versatile outfits based on neutral colours and simple shapes, therefore, they leave out those of us who wear the types of outfits similar to the one you can see me styling in this post. They don’t leave room for colour or much experimentation and when you combine that with considering where our clothes come from and who they’re made by, it ties into this idea and assumption that ethical fashion is limiting and can’t be fun. 

I recently asked on my own Instagram what assumptions my audience have about ethical and sustainable fashion and to my surprise, nobody actually mentioned that it can’t be fun. From my own personal experience and from having these sorts of conversations, though, it is still very apparent, especially for those who are used to what fast-fashion has to offer.

To my surprise, your assumptions were either extremely positive – “ethical/sustainable fashion is… cool“ – or based on what we’ve all heard thousands of times before – “ethical/sustainable fashion is… expensive“. I’ve spoken before about why ethically made clothing can often be on the higher end of the price scale and how I do believe a lot of it has to do with mindset. Mindset also plays a part in how we perceive the actual clothes and style part of ethics and I’m quite proud of how I’ve maintained such a colourful wardrobe when we’re often promoted the opposite alongside all the facts, figures, doom and gloom.

As much as I hate to sound like a broken record, yes, a good reason my individual style has sustained minimal shopping trips and trend-stalking is that I shop second-hand an awful lot. Not only does it allow for me to avoid what everybody else is wearing (often what you see in a charity shop, you’ll never find again) but it also provides me with the comfort of knowing I’m making the most sustainable choice.

Take this stunning (or striking, rather), green blazer. It’s one of my favourite items in my wardrobe now because it’s so unique in style and shape. It’s also in extremely good condition and I have evidence – an old repair receipt tagged to the lining – that shows the previous owner took care of it and loved it until they were ready to pass it on. Loved clothes last and so does style when we embrace our individuality, even if we don’t have as much choice as we’re used to.

This blouse was one of my initial ‘ethical’ fashion purchases from what was formerly my favourite online shopping destination. Another one of the assumptions made by my Instagram audience which I’m still unsure whether to read as a positive is the idea that ethical fashion is a trend. My fear with that statement is the implication that it won’t be sticking around for long and it’s not something to aspire to for more than a fleeting moment.

As I mentioned in my recent article for Blogosphere magazine (available to order here or find in your local WHSmith), there’s the infamous quote by Coco Chanel which states “Fashion fades, only style remains”, and I think it’s important to approach ethics and sustainability with a similar mindset. Ethical fashion shouldn’t be a trend, it should be a permanent attitude towards our clothes. This is why, for as long as greenwashing is apparent, I am hesitant to go back to embracing fast-fashion’s ‘conscious collections’, which are so few and far between, without truly understanding what’s behind them.

However, if buying better is what we’re all striving for then, by all means, support enterprises such as SOKO, especially if the price point is still a stumbling block. If we’re talking about fun, I can’t deny that this blouse is giving me some serious Samantha from Sex and The City vibes.

Overall, I think the way we view ethical fashion is changing gradually and I’m glad I’m able to be a part of proving people who assume it’s all about hemp and hippy styles wrong. There have definitely been times where I’ve doubted whether I am truly still interested in the glamour of it all; seeing constant wardrobe updates across social media and feeling as if slowing down the industry is a long way off, adds to this. But, as the #GlamCapsule and my own wardrobe shows, considering the environment and who started the process of making your new dress a dress shouldn’t ever dull your style or stop you from embracing what you know and love.

In fact, it should make it all the more fun because you know little to no harm has been made in the process. Or, if I really was directing a short film like the edits in this post, I would add this disclaimer: No animals or people were harmed in the making of this outfit.

Do you think ethical fashion is just as fun? Is it just common sense? Let me know in the comments!

Whilst I have you here, it would be a huge honour if you could take a few minutes out of your day to consider me for a UK Blog Award nomination. I would love to be in the running for the Green & Eco category for all of my work in raising awareness around sustainable issues. Thank you so much in advance. Fingers crossed!

Summer (and its storms, it seems) is officially in full swing and fortunately, it came at just the right time for me to finish one of my recent DIY and upcycling projects. Transforming your unused clothes is just one of the many ways you can create a more sustainable wardrobe, so, here’s an example of how to do just that…

HANDMADE BIKINI – Old Scuba Top (Glamorous – old) // Thread // Sewing Machine // Pins

I’m very grateful for the fact that most of my summer is filled with bright, sunny days, hot enough for a dip in the pool on a regular basis. However, this does mean I use swimwear a lot so eventually, my very slim choice of bikinis and one-pieces (I’m talking one bikini, one swimming costume) will have had their time. My favourite bikini is now ill-fitting and the swimming costume I’ve had for years is a little on the tight side.

I’d been wracking my brain for months on what I could do with certain unworn items in my wardrobe (or in the bag under my bed) and the pink scuba top I owned was proving difficult to work with. That’s until I had a lightbulb moment and decided to take the fabric literally – a scuba top will become a scuba bikini.

Technically, the fabric is just a type of neoprene with no real water-resistant features but it does look and feel just like the sort of material a lot of structured swimsuits are made of, so I decided to give it a go. After all, I wasn’t wearing it so it was a risk worth taking…

You can see in the ‘before’ image above what the top was like previously (the picture is from an outfit post quite a few years ago – leave a comment if you remember it!). A long-sleeved top is a great source of fabric for upcycling because you have a lot of space to work with.

I based the sizing and shape on underwear which fits me nicely; a pair of high-waisted bottoms and a crop top. I adapted things slightly to make it more of a unique design, so, the top became more square shaped and the bottoms became more like a pair of boyshorts that cover me up comfortably.

I created pattern pieces as I went along but I think for a beginner, following what you already own might be the best way to go! You can then personalise and alter your bikini to exactly how you’d like it.

It also allows for wiggle room for details like the straps. I knew from the beginning I wanted them to be thick and secure but the cross-over detail was a spontaneous decision.

WHAT DID I LEARN WHILE MAKING THE BIKINI?
Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes on all of my DIYs!

Stick with your initial idea…

One of my main regrets with this project is adding the embroidered stitch to the neckline. Not only did it not come out looking perfect (that’s sewing machines, for you!) but it also made the neckline fit a little looser, where I would have preferred it snug.

But then again, on the contrary, the last minute idea of crossing over the straps worked rather well.

Practice really does make perfect…

Although if you look closely, the finished product might not actually be perfect, doing projects like this really builds your confidence and will most definitely keep you up-to-scratch if you haven’t worked on anything in a while.

Between making the bikini, I worked on making an outfit for a wedding from scratch, which helped me, especially on the sewing machine. This meant that the bikini bottoms only took me a day because I could think of each step a lot more logically.

Loved clothes last…

Despite the fact that the bikini might not be perfect on paper and despite the fact I may have a couple of design-related regrets, I love it because I know how much time and effort went into making it.  I’ll always recommend giving a handmade project a go, simply for the chance for you to understand what goes into creating a piece (or two) from scratch.

Want to use the GIF stickers seen in this post? Search “@tollydollyposh” on platforms using GIPHY, such as Instagram Stories. You can see my whole collection of GIFs, here.

What could you transform in your wardrobe? What would you have made with my top? Let me know in the comments!

A while ago, I answered some of your questions about ethical fashion in a simple, almost Agony Aunt style post. It went down well, so I’m back, helping simplify and break down some of your concerns and quandaries based around the idea of ethical and sustainable fashion. Hit it!

WHAT I WORE: Floral Blouse (ASOS Africa – old) // Floral Trousers (ASOS Africa – old) // Keep On Asking Sweatshirt (Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh) // Sleeveless Denim Jacket (Jumble Sale & DIY) // Sunglasses (Unknown)

How can I find body inclusive, plus-size, ethical fashion on a budget?

Firstly in answer to your question, I want to apologise for the fact that I don’t tend to cover plus-size fashion. This is simply because I’m personally not plus-size so for my own style, it’s not something that I need to focus on. However, I understand how important it is to be inclusive and appreciate all body shapes and sizes.

Admittedly, ethical fashion brands do seem to be rather size exclusive, although they can be far more diverse in other areas compared to fast-fashion or unethically focused brands.

My knowledge of ethical plus-size brands is small so I took a brief moment to do some research and the first brands I came across were all fairly highly priced.

It led me to an article by EcoCult which in the end, also came to the same conclusion, explaining part of the problem to be that due to ethical and sustainable brands usually being on the smaller scale of business, it creates an added cost to produce plus-sizes (new patterns need designing) which in turn puts the price up for customers.

This is ultimately a little unfair – nobody should be paying more for fairly made clothes simply because of their size – so, if you’re struggling to find good examples, don’t be too hard on yourself.

As always, a really good option for finding new (to you) clothes is going second-hand shopping, whether that’s online (eBay, Depop, Oxfam* etc) or offline (charity and thrift shops, garage sales and car boot sales etc).

However, depending on your size, some of my favourite brands like People Tree do go up to sizes like UK 16. I think it’s just the case of spending your time researching and working out what’s best for you.

(I know there are issues surrounding Oxfam right now but I use them as an example as they have a great online charity shop and I appreciate the work they are doing in making second-hand shopping more appealing.)

How do I get into the habit of paying attention to the kinds of clothes I buy?

This is an interesting question because for me, once I became educated about the ethical issues around fast-fashion or the issues around sustainability when it comes to our clothes, I started to watch out for what I was buying almost instantaneously. The fact that you’re even asking the question makes me believe you’re on the right path already.

You can almost go at it by using the rules of writing (the 5 W’s and 1 H). Ask yourself 6 simple questions…

• Who made it?
• What’s it made of? (Try and stick to natural fabrics like cotton, if you can)
• Where was it made? (Can you find information about the supplier? ‘Made in’ labels don’t mean much)
• When will you wear it? (Can you see yourself wearing it 30 times or more?)
• Why are you buying it? (Is it an impulse purchase?)
• How could you find an alternative? (Is it something you know would be readily available second-hand?)

You might only ask yourself one or two of these questions at a time, and some of them might never apply but having them in the back of your mind, especially when shopping on the high-street or from a brand which has an unclear ethical stance, can help you make much more considered choices. Remember, it will always be about shopping less when you can’t shop better.

What are some independent ethical brands?

Have you taken a look at my ethical directory, yet? It’s full of them! Some of my favourite true indie brands are Lucy & Yak (they do wonderful corduroy dungarees), Lost Shapes (did you know I designed the sweatshirt in this post for them?), Vintage Style Me (all handmade in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire) and What Daisy Did (they use scrap post-production leather to make their dreamy handbags).

Is sustainable living, a matter of privilege? 

This is a topic which has been floating around the sustainable-sphere rather a lot lately, mainly due to some recent controversy around a statement made by a well known, waste-free brand.

I’m going to lay out my current thoughts plain and simple. They’re open to evolution, criticism and hopefully mutual-understanding. For me, I don’t see thinking sustainably as being a privilege but the physical action of, for example, using and buying less single-use plastic or supporting ethical fashion brands, as yes, a privilege that not everyone has the ability of participating in.

I’m being very selective in my choice of wording here as I don’t want to imply that thinking sustainably isn’t a privilege for everyone. If I were to say everyone, I would really be suggesting the target-audience of my blog and anyone who stumbles across my share of the web in the future.

So, to explain my thoughts more accurately, let’s use you and me as an example. Just you and me, the singular person reading this text. I believe you are capable of thinking sustainably.

Whether you are like me, a teen, with very little money in the bank or whether you are a mother of two young children, I know that you have the capability of changing your mindset (at this point really, my blog may as well be renamed Tolly Dolly Mindset for the number of times I come back to that word).

Here, I am not implying that you physically have the capability of adapting your life to this mindset – I can’t know whether that is true or not, there are far too many variables -, simply, I believe you have the good-heart of somebody who knows the world needs to make significant changes to become a healthier and better place.

With that good-heart comes the ability to walk down a supermarket aisle and understand where we’re – humans; the system – going wrong. With this new found (or hopefully, years old) mindset, you’ll see plastic as something to be wary of and perhaps you’ll take time to really treasure whatever new dress you next buy.

That, I cannot see as a privilege. Perhaps time and education have to come beforehand and maybe that’s where my conclusion fails at the wayside; I’m again, happy to be proven wrong.

Anyone who jumps to the idea and exclaims that there is nothing getting in the way of anyone implementing sustainable and ethical practices is simply well, ignorant. As I recently tweeted, it’s vital to never assume that everyone has the ability to take actions and to understand that really, there are much bigger issues at hand.

As much as I hate to admit it, individual change and consumerism are only a minuscule part of the problem. 

Do you have any questions for me to answer next time? Leave them in a comment below or click here to fill out the Q&A form.

It’s been a while since I’ve shown you what I’m wearing around here so let’s start off February with some rather Valentines-appropriate colours and a little talk about upcycling and what to do when nothing second-hand is your size (at least, not in the way you thought)…

 I also have something exciting to announce! I’m now a verified GIPHY artist which means… you can now use my very own ethical and sustainable GIFs on things like Instagram Stories! Take a look at some examples in this post and on my profile, here.  

WHAT I WORE: Red Blouse (Charity Shop) // Embroidered Denim Dress (Upcycled + Jumble Sale) // Leather Backpack (Upcycled + Charity Shop) // Tights (Old) // Floral Wanderlust Boots (Dr Martens)* // Recycled Denim Choker (Yours Again)*

I’ve been embracing red recently. I’m still not entirely sure if it’s what I should call ‘my colour’ as I’m not entirely used to wearing it yet but there’s always fun in experimenting. I was actually making it my mission to add more of the colour to my wardrobe so it was delightful to find this old Marks & Spencer’s number in a charity shop towards the end of last year.

If you read my post on my ethical and sustainable fashion journey (where I admit it’s taken me three years to get to where I am, currently), you’ll know that I’m also making it my mission to pay attention to what fabrics are in my wardrobe because as much as I wish it wasn’t the case, our clothes don’t just affect the world we live in whilst they’re being made – they can also have negative effects on the world we live whilst we wear and wash them.

Thankfully, whilst I was in the charity shop changing room, I did a quick Google search to understand what fabric this blouse is made of…

To my surprise, it’s made of Cupro which is a biodegradable fabric made of waste cotton fibres. I was satisfied! This blouse isn’t any old Marks & Spencer’s blouse though as it comes from their old St Michael’s range which came to end in 2000 (the year I was born, which means this blouse is at least 18 years old), which has me wondering; do they still use this sustainable fabric? Or have times changed?

It’s also wrongly sized for me, it hangs off of me baggily and the sleeves are long enough for me to pull over my hands but that’s one piece of advice I will always give to people shopping second-hand (or even just newly); sizes aren’t essential to pay attention to unless you want something form fitting or trousers that don’t fall down. 

I have a floral blouse that’s a UK Size 16 and it’s perfect for layering and now I have this red number too, which sits on me loosely and creates a deep-V, which one day I may just be brave enough to wear with an intricate bralette. Try things on and see how you can make it work, regardless of the number on the label.

I’m not here just to talk about that though, I also want to discuss my denim dress. It’s not a new item of clothing to my blog – I actually wore it when I first received these very same Dr Martens – but it looks a little different than before.

Recently, I finally decided to get my sewing machine out and make it more wearable. Before I upcycled it, I couldn’t wear it for long periods of time as the apron-style strap weighed down on my neck so quite honestly, it’s stayed in the back of my wardrobe for the past couple of years. 

It didn’t take much for it to become something I now want to treasure (think about this before you decided to pass on an item of clothing). I used some denim scraps from my embroidered blouse to create two straps that cross-over at the back of the dress and it now sits perfectly on my shoulders; no back pain, at last!

Search “@tollydollyposh” on Instagram Stories GIF selection to use stickers like these wherever you like!

Speaking of embroidery, another reason to treasure this dress is because I’ve decided to embark on a new project – The Embroidery Dress project, in which I plan to completely cover the whole surface of the dress in embroidery as I learn new techniques and improve with my hand stitching.

I can already see where I’m getting more confident and so far I’m pleased with the result even if it doesn’t make much sense to anybody else catching a glimpse of it. If you want to follow the progress, I make sure to update you all with what I add, on my Instagram Story and you are more than welcome to send suggestions.

The numbered shape is a Community-inspired cootie catcher (my favourite show, you should know that by now), the paint droplets are something I plan to do more of once the rest of the dress starts to take shape and the other two pieces are pretty self-explanatory; the boot of Italy and the Many Questions pattern from my ethical t-shirt collection.

I also did a spot of upcycling on my mini backpack which I received for Christmas (because yes, receiving and giving second-hand gifts is perfectly acceptable). The leather bag had a small stain where you will now find a cluster of flowers, which was originally a piece of a broken necklace. Clever, huh?

What have you been wearing recently? What should I add to my embroidery dress, next? Let me know in the comments!

This blog post is extremely overdue. I understand that for those who are new to the concept of ethics and sustainability, understanding the differences between the two terms can be difficult – there’s even the question as to whether there even is a difference. Although this dilemma can be subjective, here’s how I define the two…

ETHICAL FASHION
Related Terms: Fairtrade, Fair Fashion, Cruelty-Free

Ethical fashion is fashion that takes into account the morals of manufacturing. Ethical fashion is generally fashion and clothing produced with the whole production line and supply chain in mind, from cotton pickers to those who seal up, package and deliver. The belief that all workers and those affected by the production of garments should be treated equally and fairly, is the common mindset behind most ethical fashion brands.

The providing of a safe working condition, a living wage and a kind and non-abusive work environment are the usual priorities of those producing ethical alternatives to the likes of fast-fashion.

Ethical fashion avoids the use of forced, slave and child labour throughout the manufacturing process and organisations like Fairtrade International are able to help brands and companies to label and guarantee that safe and ethical practices are being put into place. Often brands don’t just ensure ethical practices but they also support and improve the livelihood of the workers they employ, especially those of which are in developing countries.

Ethical fashion can also be a term to cover cruelty-free and vegan practices, meaning that no animals are harmed or used as part of the production of clothing. An example of a vegan fabric is Peace Silk; Peace Silk is produced from moth cocoons after the moths have emerged and flown away, therefore it does not disturb or kill the moths in order to be woven into fabric.

SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Related Terms: Slow Fashion, Eco Fashion, Eco-friendly, Green Fashion, Organic, Recycled, Upcycled, Second-hand, Vintage

Sustainable fashion is fashion and clothing produced to last and with the environmental costs of production, in mind. Seeing as fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world, sustainable fashion aims to cut down on pollution and the negative consequences fashion production has on the earth.

Not only does sustainable fashion recognise things like pollution (whether that be into the water systems, the atmosphere or the ecosystem), it also recognises the dangers of the fast-fashion business model. Sustainable fashion brands often provide less choice, choosing to focus on quality rather than quantity, making the supply chain as eco-friendly as possible. This is also known as ‘slow fashion’.

Sustainable fashion brands often use organic fabrics, avoiding the use of pesticides and synthetic materials which have a damaging effect on the environment (as well as those who live nearby to farms and factories). Organic and natural fabrics (like cotton or bamboo) are biodegradable, which means they won’t cause as much as an issue when it comes to disposing of them.

Second-hand and vintage clothing is also considered to be a part of sustainable fashion as it is a form of recycling, meaning the consumer isn’t supporting the production of new clothing.

Often both terms get combined – ethical and sustainable fashion – simply because both go hand and hand. Although certain brands often focus on one or the other more prominently, most of the time you will find that those who believe in ethics also believe in sustainability and vice versa. 

There are certain things to be aware of though, like greenwashing, for example. These terms shouldn’t be thrown around lightly for the sake of it. I wrote all about greenwashing here, so for a more in-depth look at the issue, go and take a read. However, the main takeaway is that with ethical and sustainable brands, for the most part, they will fly the ethical or sustainable flag proudly.

One way I differentiate a brand from being ethically or sustainably focused as to not, is by taking note of how openly they discuss the issues at hand. If for the most part, ethics or sustainability doesn’t seem to be their main priority, you can use that to make your decision as to whether to support them or not.

Clothing featured: Mayamiko (ethical), People Tree (ethical/sustainable), vintage Skirt (sustainable) and upcycled DIY jacket (sustainable).

Has cleared things up for you? Do you have any more questions? Leave them in the comments below…

‘Pen to Paper’ is a feature on TDP which involves an informal handwritten form of interview between myself and creatives –  from fashion designers, photographers, journalists, artists and musicians, to people who generally inspire me from day-to-day. 

~ READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT ~

FUTURE GARBAGE created by David Olson was not something I was expecting to be so enthralled by. Often the essence of projects like these (it is essentially a project after all – perhaps a digital art installation more than anything else) don’t quite catch my attention or are simply too nuanced, leaving me feeling a little detached from the art I’m supposed to connect with.

It’s either my bias towards issues like this – the topic of fast-fashion and consumerism – or it’s the fact that David hit the nail on the head, creating something that is unique yet ultimately relatable for all who are interested in fashion and how it’s served to us in Western society.

As soon as I heard the words ‘future garbage by FUTURE GARBAGE’ spoken in a voice-over which felt eerily realistic and similar to those of chic, high-end campaigns; I was sold.

The concept is simple – what’s trendy today is trash tomorrow. We live in a world where what we’re sold will become future garbage, and I (quite obviously) agree with David that now is the time we need to change that.

One thing that you’ll notice when browsing the FUTURE GARBAGE site and perusing the collection is that the prices for each garment seem to be absurdly overpriced. I knew straight away that this wasn’t a literal price tag; this was a statement about what we expect from our clothes in a world where brands like H&M exist.

In my communications with David, he explained it as a commentary on fast-fashion. Prices may be low but there is still a high-profit margin due to the fact that wages along the supply chain are extremely low.

However, David (in his own words) is a “westerner” who has a different “standard of life” than people in third world countries making sweatshop wages.

The price, therefore, reflects that. David asked himself how much profit – he, a middle-class westerner – should be making if “a shirt made by someone who earns $2/day costs $10”. What does that price look like for him? Roughly $10,000 for a denim jacket. Shocked? Well, that’s the point too. How much are you really willing to pay for something in a world where we’re so accustomed to low prices?

David hasn’t just covered the usual aspects of ethics and sustainability though, he’s also covered the issues surrounding diversity and feminism which is refreshing (although it shouldn’t be; these things are vital and should be factored in no matter what).

One of my favourite pieces of FUTURE GARBAGE ‘propaganda’ involves David touching upon the hypocrisy that can be found with the likes of Beyonce – if girls run the world and if her Ivy Park collection is supposed to empower women, how come the female workers who produce her sportswear, are suffering? 

One of the other short films created for ‘future garbage by FUTURE GARBAGE’ centres around David himself, dressed up as a woman. The voice-over says, “Look, everyone, it’s a transgender model. Or maybe a drag-queen. We’re not really sure, I don’t think we ever asked.”, highlighting the fact that the fast-fashion industry is not only ignorant to just garment workers; it’s even ignorant to understanding those who they choose to dress.

If ethics are to do with morals – then when we talk about ethical fashion it has to mean more than just a vague statement or policy here and there. It needs to mean complete change overall and it needs to happen now. Or yesterday. Definitely, yesterday. 

What do you think of FUTURE GARBAGE? How much are you willing to pay for a piece from the collection? Let’s discuss in the comments. 

My illustrated posts seem to go down well around here so to mix things up a bit and fully embrace what I recently had to say about wishlists (they’re not just for Christmas), I’ve put together an illustrated version to showcase some items I’ve had my eye on for a while…

 Items marked with  are from brands included in my ethical directory.

PO-ZU SNEAKERS // TRIBE OF LAMBS RING // POTYERTITSAWAYLUV // WAIT BY WILSON ORYEMA // GEORGANICS BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH // ALBATROSS RAZOR // LUCY & YAK DUNGAREES

Po-Zu Sneakers 

If you read my post on my ethical wardrobe priorities, then you’ll be of the understanding that shoes aren’t high up on my list. This is mainly because I don’t buy new shoes very often – the last pair I purchased was a second-hand pair of Dr Martens – but that doesn’t mean I’m never in need of new ones or that I never have the urge to fill a gap in my collection.

A gap that currently needs filling is in the shape of a pair of shoes that go with everything and that are suitable for every season. The closest I have to that is a pair of white platforms but they’re not necessarily the comfiest option for long distance walking. This is where Po-Zu comes in; Po-Zu is a brand that offers ethically made shoes using sustainable practices and materials and I’ve had my eye on this pair of trainers (or sneakers), for a while now.

Wait by Wilson Oryema

Truth to be told, I don’t know a whole lot about this book but when Tamsin Blanchard shared a picture of it, I was instantly intrigued. Wilson Oryema is a fashion model who has written and published ‘Wait’, a book of poetry and short stories centred around the topic of contemporary consumption. 

Coeval describes it as a “witty moral code for our ever consuming, ever impatient society” and with that, I know I need to get my paws on it.

Tribe of Lambs Ring

This isn’t the first time I’ve included a Tribe of Lambs ring in a post related to wishlists and it most certainly won’t be the last. If anyone who knows me hasn’t taken the hint yet… I would really love to stack one of these rings upon my fingers.

Tribe of Lambs are a brand featured in my ethical directory. They produce all of their stunning jewellery ethically in India and use the profits to give back, supporting HIV positive children in local communities. So far, they’ve helped over 500 children and by purchasing a ring, you can help that number grow.

Georganics Bamboo Toothbrush

One of the least glamorous items on my wishlist is in fact, a toothbrush. There comes a point in every toothbrush’s life when it must be retired; the bristles are too spread out and it simply isn’t doing a good enough job according to your dentist’s standards. Fortunately, we have brands like Georganics to provide us with a biodegradable version which won’t leave you feeling guilty when you need to replace it with a new one.

The next time my teeth are in need of a new friend, I won’t be going straight to the supermarket to pick up a plastic one which will most probably end up on landfill, I’ll be ordering one of these instead. (And maybe an Albatross razor whilst I’m at it – because hair removal is something to be conscious of, too.)

Remember, wishlists are great for understanding what you truly need rather than what you think you’d fancy on a whim. Compile them gradually and infrequently to make more considered and conscious purchases and when you’ve finally mulled it over, enjoy making a quality investment you know you’ll end loving for more than a few days.

What’s on your ethical wishlist? Share some of your latest findings in the comments!