3 Ways to Make Fashion & Earth Day Collide

This Saturday, April 22nd is Earth Day; this is a day to show the place we ALL call home some much needed gratitude. It is a day (only 24 hours!) to recognize the good, the bad and the ugly and to try to reduce our own environmental impact. This doesn't have to be extreme (zero waste, becoming vegan, only wearing sustainable, organic clothing), though these are all great ways that individuals can make a positive impact on the earth, it can seem tough to change our habits so drastically.

Starting small and working towards larger goals is a great way to succeed without overwhelming your already busy life. In this post I will concentrate on how to make positive, earth-friendly changes to your fashion-life but since Earth day is multi-faceted I recommend searching for other ways to make a difference as well. The life-cycle of your wardrobe is simple; shop, wear, wash. Here are some ways that you can make this cycle safer for Mother Earth:

Let's face it, shopping is an addictive habit for many of us. It can make us feel better when we've had a bad day, it can entertain us when we're bored and it can even be considered exercise. The problem is that we as a society like to shop often, we like to shop in bulk and we like to shop discount (for the most part); this is a great way to stimulate our economies but it's horrible for the environment.

Cut down: 

If you shop daily, weekly or even monthly for clothing your closet is probably a hot mess. Shopping that frequently, especially if you already have a full closet, can make it hard to buy pieces that go well together. Taking a step back and wearing what you already have, preferably in a smaller "capsule" collection can help you to identify "holes" in your wardrobe, so you aren't wandering around stores buying pieces you "like" you buy pieces that will "fill the gaps" and go perfectly with what you already have. Slowly cut down your shopping trips to give yourself some perspective on what you have vs what you need.

Waiting period:

This ties into cutting down, by instituting a waiting period, you learn to delay the gratification that comes with buying new things. When you are out shopping or online shopping and see something you like, make yourself wait a certain period of time, 1-30 days before you purchase it, doing this can help curb impulse purchases and will increase your satisfaction with the item because it's something you really like and were willing to wait for.

Less is more:

I've talked about this before; buy better quality things. You'll have them for longer, appreciate them more and probably spend less money in the long-run. Not to mention, you'll pull yourself out of the cycle of buying, wearing and donating or throwing away; this is not good for the earth and is basically throwing money in the garbage. One brand that echos this exact sentiment is Toronto brand Encircled. Their mantra is "Be More With Less" and this is echoed in their high-quality, sustainably sourced, locally made line of clothing. Their stuff is simple but beautiful and they are often sold out as they make their items in small batches but well worth checking out if you want less items that are multi-purpose check them out! http://bit.ly/2ph7LXp (This is an affiliate link, I earn a small commission from any purchases through this. I truely appreciate any support for this brand and for myself as an independant blogger!)

These tips are not expensive or time-consuming, they will test your willpower for sure but you may end up saving money in the end. I have more tips that cover other aspects of making your closet more "earth-safe" which I will do as a series of posts following Earth-Day. Hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather!

Related Posts:

Ethical Brand Spotlight Synergy
Ethical Brand Spotlight Encircled
7 Easy Ways to Curb Your Shopping Habit
5 Reasons to Shop the Second-hand Market
Sustainable Fashion For All in 2017?
The Future of Fast Fashion? Slooow Down!
Erin

4 Fashion Bloggers To Follow Now

Is there anything better than sitting down on a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee and your favourite fashion blog? Nope. For me, fashion blogs are essential for outfit inspiration and to stay in the loop on current trends. Here is a round-up of the top four  fashion blogs that I can't stop reading. Let me know some of your favorites in the comments below!

1. Happily Grey - Mary Seng

Photo Credit: Happily Grey

Mary of Happily Grey has an undeniably cool aesthetic; her style is unique and she always manages to be on-trend without being predictable in her outfits. She has a distinct, mostly-neutral color-palette, choosing to play around with different textures and experiment with a variety of silhouettes. Her site is very visual; heaps of beautiful outfit photos and short but sweet reading material. I love Mary's blog because she is a fashion-chameleon, she doesn't hesitate to mix different styles, and is brave enough to stand out in the crowd. I am always inspired by her looks and totally envious of her quality, high-end wardrobe. (Source: Happilygrey.com)

2. Un-Fancy - Caroline Joy Rector

Photo Credit: Un-Fancy

If you're like me and love a good capsule wardrobe, you need to check out Un-Fancy. Here, Caroline takes you through the ins and outs of creating and maintaining a sustainable closet. She has a beautiful, fresh, minimalist blog that is jammed packed with all the info you'll need to start putting together your very own capsule wardrobe. Through her blog she shares her own wardrobe experiments, her capsules and even invites her readers to participate in wardrobe challenges like the Spring Remix 10x10 Wardrobe Challenge. Un-Fancy and Cladwell even offer a Capsule Builder App for $5 (USD I'm guessing) a month, which can help you generate a customized capsule based on your needs and lifestyle. Don't have that extra cash to drop on the app? No worries! She also has a free, printable wardrobe planner which can give you a jumping-off point to start your own fabulous capsule. Oh, and most importantly she is a supporter of sustainability in fashion, big thumbs up. (Source: Un-Fancy.com)

3. Style Bee- Lee Vosburgh

Photo Credit: StyleBee

In 2015, Lee of Style Bee was a woman on a mission. To simplify her closet, to hone in on her personal style and to live a better life with less stuff. She then embarked on a "Lean Closet Mission" for which she created a series of workbooks that have helped her and her readers to achieve harmony in their wardrobe She delves into theory behind why we shop and how to shop smarter; she writes about how to define your style and how to come up with your color-palette; she explores print and pattern, shape and fit as well as how to clean-up your closet and shop responsibly. Basically her site is chalk-full of interesting fashion know-how that could keep you busy reading for hours on end. Her style could be described as minimalist and classic; she always looks smart, polished and most importantly - comfortable. (Source: Stylebee)

4. Blair Badge

Photo Credit: Blair Badge

Now here is a chick that knows her style. Her outfits are always neutral (black, white, grey, beige and denim blue), pretty minimal and she pulls off cool every time. Rather than use a lot of color or bold patterns she focuses on the shape, silhouette and fit of the clothing she wears. Every garment fits her body perfectly, she exudes confidence; obviously very comfortable with her own brand of style. I imagine looking into her wardrobe and seeing order, monochromatic organization and an unrivaled harmony of neutrals. One thing that stands out about her blog is the amazing photography. The choice of backgrounds are perfect; completely basic and uninteresting (concrete, brick, a chain-link fence and more concrete) which  works beautifully. There is not a ton of written content on her blog, not many articles or advice but it makes up for the lack of words with its incredible sartorial stimulation. (Source: BlairBadge)

Erin

5 Spring Wardrobe Essentials

When I think of spring, I am always hit with a wave of nostalgia. That initial burst of warmer weather, after months of cold and snow, it's what dreams are made of. Just the smell of spring on the breeze (a mix of grass, mud and flowers) is a euphoric experience for me. Spring also marks the beginning of a new wardrobe, whether it be the stuff you put away when the leaves started to fall or new items you can't wait to introduce to your closet, it is an exciting time.

In the spring, I usually like to incorporate lighter clothing (both the fabric's weight and color) pastels, bright colors and bold patterns eclipse my usually neutral-dominated closet. Since the beginning of 2017, I opted to go with a seasonal capsule wardrobe, containing 30-50 items. This allows me to focus on items that are seasonally appropriate, everything goes together and I am able to minimize my daily decisions.

This spring I plan to incorporate color and pattern for my top half but I will stick to mostly black, white, grey and light blue when it comes to my bottom-half. This will allow me to easily coordinate bottoms with tops in my capsule. In the past I would've written this post based on this season's must-have trends; that is, after all, what most of us look forward to at the start of the season. But since there are plenty of bloggers who write about this, I decided to take a different approach. Here are the items that, in my opinion, are important staples for any spring wardrobe (capsule or otherwise):

Favorite t-shirt:
There's nothing wrong with being a 'basic beech",  a simple outfit can make a big impact. Having clothing that you want to wear over and over is a good thing, whereas buying things that don't go with what you already own means you won't wear it; essentially a waste of money. T-shirts are crucial pieces, you can wear them year-round and they come in every color you can think of.  My favorite t-shirt for spring is the Synergy Tissue Knit Boyfriend Tee in washed denim.

Photo Credit: Synergy  Clothing

Patterned scarf: This s a great transitional piece that can be worn year-round. As the temperatures start to creep up, you will want to shed the bulky coat in favor of thinner layers. A scarf in a bright color or pattern is a great accessory to add to an outfit when the mornings and evening are still a bit chilly and can be removed and stowed in your bag when it warms up. I prefer patterned scarves like this Denim Passion by Passion Lilie which is 100% vegan, hand-block stamped with plant-based dyes, fair-trade made in India. It ties together an otherwise basic outfit together and can help incorporate coordinating colors.

 Photo Credit: Good Cloth

White denim: White is a color that to me screams spring and summer. It is bright, goes with everything and looks great with sun-kissed skin. You can wear white in fall/winter but the warmer months is where white really shines. Having white jeans or a white denim jacket (or both) is a definite staple for any spring capsule. The only downside of white is that it's white, and if you're a slob like me, you'll need to make sure you always have some OxiClean on-hand. Check out these beautiful white jeans by Levis from Arc Apparel (a Canadian online retailer):

Photo Credit: Arc Apparel.ca

Slip-on shoe: This may seem boring; but my shoe of choice is usually flats (even the name isn't exciting). But after 6 months of wearing the same pair of winter boots, these flats seem to me like a roller coaster ride of risk and reward. I am not a huge heels lover and since I am average height (5'7") I don't feel the need to be taller so flats are my go-to shoe for spring. Even if you do like wearing heels at the office, try wearing flats for the commute and then switching to heels at your desk, your feet will thank you! These flats by OKA B are ethically produced in the USA, they are washable (dishwasher or washing machine), one-piece durable design, recyclable, ergonomic and come in a bunch of colors, love these!

Photo Credit: Good Cloth

Lightweight cardigan: This item has similar benefits to the scarf. Did you ever notice how overly air conditioned some places can be in the summer? Yep, me too. That's why I pretty much always have a cardigan on-hand, that way when I go somewhere cold I don't have to suffer. A light-weight cardigan, like this organic cotton one by Synergy Clothing is a great layering piece for spring because it will go easily under a blazer or trench. A soft, thin cardigan like this Tissue Knit Wave by Synergy Clothing  is a piece that can stay in your wardrobe throughout the year.

Photo Credit: Synergyclothing.com

There are so many other items that can be named for spring but for me these are the foundation of a coordinated wardrobe. I hope you enjoyed this article and please share below! Happy Spring shopping everyone!

Note: This post was not sponsored and I did not receive any compensation for featuring these brands. 

Related articles:

• 5 Tips for Curating a Spring Capsule Wardrobe
• 5 Reasons to Shop the Second-Hand Market
• My Project 333 Challenge

Erin