#or overconsumption of clothing from any shop

[mourntomidnight]

Tbh I think the fast fashion conversation should involve poor ppl but not in any way in the form of shaming but more like: “you are being taken advantage of by large corporations that have women and children enslaved to make crappy clothes in excessive amounts that have literal lead that will damage ur body in serious ways that ur pressured to buy via influencers that form a parasocial relationship with you and don’t care about you to overconsume them in large amounts that won’t last and have to be thrown away at some point and all that ends up fucking the environment. Plus, the cycle of consumerism is damaging to ur finances to keep u in poverty and mental health of always wanting more but never satisfied.”

I am saying right now you don’t need to throw out fast fashion items you currently own, if they fall apart, they can be repurposed. I am also saying I’ve been guilty of shopping fast fashion but am also making a commitment to eliminate fast fashion purchases and mindset in my life. The root cause of these fast fashion corpos to keep doing what they do is purely based on you buying from them and you, the consumer in this capitalist world, have the power to change that. Obviously there��s little you can do to avoid big oil or buying things made with prison labor without serious direct action but the fashion industry is one that is by design meant to be maintained by mindless consumerism and overconsumption.

If you are poor, please do whatever within ur means to avoid fast fashion, whether it’s buying from thrift stores other than goodwill and just buying less clothes and focusing on more important things in ur life. A better tomorrow is still possible if you allow it.

[richarlotte]

Things you learned about fashion?

If you want to look good, you have to be willing to invest in quality clothing. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend thousands and thousands, but it does mean that you’ll have to stop shopping at Shein. I have so many cute things from Target, Walmart, and Old Navy, and they were a bit more of an investment, but these stores have frequent sales and the quality is better, so you’ll have to replace things less often. Look for sales, shop the clearance rack, thrift, and stick to a budget, but don’t fill your closet with fast fashion.

 

Your clothing needs to fit and be comfortable. If you want to look good, then you have to feel good; your bra can’t be digging into your back, your pants can’t be falling down, and you shouldn’t be wearing things that are obviously too small or too large. If this means buying tall pants instead of regular-fit pants, getting your clothing tailored to fit your body, or just buying the right size, then so be it. You have to wear the clothes; you can’t be afraid of them.

 

Dressing appropriately is extremely important. Contrary to popular belief, you can be totally overdressed for an event or regular every day life, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. I used to dress exactly the way I wanted to dress to events that didn’t call for the level of formality I was exhibiting, and I didn’t look bad; I just stuck out like a sore thumb. There’s no dress code for every day life, but you should learn how to read the dress code for each of the situations and scenarios you’re setting yourself up to enter.

 

Capsule wardrobes don’t work for everyone, and that’s alright. I hate reading fashion posts that push for only having the bare minimum because some of us enjoy having more. Am I encouraging rampant overconsumption and buying things just because you can? Absolutely not. What I’m saying is that it’s okay to do your own thing and find what works best for you and your lifestyle. I don’t buy every single piece from the new collections that drop at the stores I love, but I do treat myself to one or two. You don’t have to limit yourself to the minimum if you don’t want to, but you also don’t have to buy everything. There’s a medium; you have to find your medium and stick to it.

 

Your style is part of your aesthetic. I looked my worst when I didn’t know how to dress myself, didn’t know how to style my hair or do my makeup, and didn’t know how to buy things that flattered me. I’m able to overaccessorize to my heart’s content, wear any color that flatters me, and pull outfits together without having to think twice because I buy things that I know suit me and suit each other. The things I buy reflect the image of myself I have in my mind; I make sure that they’re high quality and aesthetically pleasing, and I make sure that they fit in with the bigger picture that I’m trying to create.

[systastic]

Maybe an alter or some alters related to the 4 seasons? Any level is fine, preferably level 3 or level 4, but you can pick whatever!

what a fun idea! apologies if it seems short, trying to do all four seasons took a long time and a lotta energy, so we had to park it here for our own sake -🌲

name :: avery, chloé, april, lily, angelica, melanie, chappell, joan, flora, emilie, jolene

age :: 22 to 27

pronouns :: she/her, fleur/fleurs, flor/flora (floraself)

roles :: vernalian, companion

species :: personification of spring

gender identity :: springjenic,

orientation :: bisexual

source :: brainmade, spring season

aesthetic :: bohemian, beach bunny

appearance description :: prim and proper, angelica takes her time with her appearance to ensure it’s perfect on all accounts. her wardrobe is carefully crafted to appear both casual and chic at the same time without exerting any effort when choosing her daily wear. april curls her hair every night while she sleeps to ensure she’ll keep a natural-looking wave for the rest of the day. people often comment on fleur natural beauty and seemingly effortless style, and fleur just laughs; april knows how much time and effort she puts into her look, so it’s funny how people assume it’s easy. flor wardrobe is stuffed full of flower or leaf patterns and freely flowing clothes. the looser it is, the better it looks on flora! she wears nightgowns to sleep and curlers in her hair which has earned some gentle-hearted teasing from her fellow seasons, not that emilie minds all that much.

personality description :: melanie is like one of those aunts that people wish they had: attentive and positive in a non-sickening way, eager to hear about your day, and ensuring a few good moments of physical contact when interacting with someone to show their interest. she lives in a permanent state of bliss fostered by her “attitude of gratitude” and easygoing life. she is chatty and likes to strike up a good conversation with someone else. something good happen lately? earn a big promotion and want someone to tell? need to vent? melanie handles it all with a delicate touch, gentle and soothing like how a mother should be.

likes :: picnics, photography, gentle breezes, flower crowns and garlands, outdoor concerts, herbal flower tea (chamomile is her all-time favorite), antique shops, flea markets, farmer’s markets, things with a delicate or vintage aesthetic, outdoor activities, exploring those cute little rustic towns that are set up to look like the past with actors and all, hand embroidery, sewing patterns into fabric, making collages out of old photos and pictures she takes herself

dislikes :: excessive heat or excessive cold, dead flowers, withering plants, trapped or hurting animals, faux influencers (people who mimic her style for the sole purpose of “being aesthetic”; she finds it dishonest and distasteful), overconsumption and excess plastic waste from unnecessary spending (why buy five reusable cups when one will work just fine?)

front triggers :: springtime, gentle & calming aesthetics, the smell of older houses/clothing, being around people (such as children and older folk)

signoff :: 💐, 🌿, 🌱, or 🌷

mood board :: here

songs for you :: good luck babe! by chappell roan (was stuck in our head while writing up april), grow by conan grey, absolutely smitten by dodie, crush by tessa violet, she wants me (to be loved) by the happy fits, soulmate song by carson james argenna

kins :: elle woods from legally blonde

typing quirk? :: soft words, soft sounds, and soft tone, spring is the queen of run on sentences, she uses commas instead of periods and rarely capitalizes words that aren’t automatically corrected into being proper nouns

art source here

name :: averie, merida, cherri, cheerilee, bliss, marisol (sol), jubilee, sunny, joy, melody, harmony

age :: 17 to 21

pronouns :: she/her, pop/pops

roles :: confidence holder, mood booster

species :: personification of summer

gender identity :: summerestic, vallengender, strawberrymoona

orientation :: summer bisexual, polygamous / lovime

source :: brainmade, summer season

aesthetic :: coconut girl, urbancore

appearance description :: cherri wears bold, bright colors that make a splash no matter what kind of crowd she’s in. she opts for shorter shorts, mini tank tops, and sometimes things that’ll cover her arms and legs to protect the sun. cheerilee slathers her skin in sunscreen every day, giving her skin a sort of glow in the high hours of the afternoon. (and yes, she does use those tan stickers from the 2000s.) she keeps her hair up all the time in some way (ponytail, buns, pigtails) to help get her tan on. scrunchies, cute hair clips, bold earring choices, and sparkly necklaces are her favorite kind of jewelry, being incorporated in just about every outfit she wears so long as the mood is right. (obviously she won’t wear this sort of thing to a fancy event — even if she desperately wants to). jubilee is the kind of gal who would wear a ring pop unironically as a statement piece, and she’s so based for that.

personality description :: unapologetically herself, averie is the definition of a hot girl summer. she’s bright, beautiful, and positively glowing from the inside out, being both a force of nature and a ball of energy rolled up into one being. cherri has the uncanny ability to see the positive side of any situation, spreading her enthusiasm to everyone else through her signature infectious smile. she is known for her boundless energy and her tendency to keep things high-energy no matter the situation. her radiance touches everyone around her and inspires them to be the best version of themselves that they can be. jolene is never one to sit still for long. it's often a challenge for her to remain focused on one thing, as her mind seems to be constantly buzzing with new ideas and fun ideas.

likes :: sweet fruity drinks/cocktails especially the ones served in a cut-up pineapple or coconut, thrill rides, lively music, big crowds, going to live concerts, big bustling cities, live events, being outside in summer no matter how hot it is, going to the beach for any reason at all, tiktok dances, spontaneous trips, funny animal videos, being sent internet posts by friends that they think she’d find funny, wild and energetic people, playing sports, doing her nails, and busting a move at the nightclub

dislikes :: being stuck indoors, low sunlight, the cold, the dark, not being able to see the sun, going back to school, having to do copious amounts of work, depressing memories and sad movies, cloudy grey days (especially when it’s raining outside), shallow and judgmental people who assume things before getting to know a person, getting caught up in someone else’s relationship drama, chipping pops nail polish (so much effort wasted…), and crowds that just won’t get motivated over anything

front triggers :: summertime, heat waves, group events with a big venue, conventions, being at the beach, theme parks

signoff :: ☀️, 🍉, 🌻, or 🍒

mood board :: here

songs for you :: the last of the real ones by fall out boy, maybe by half•alive, i’d rather be me from the mean girls musical, the boy does nothing by alesha dixon, mr. blue sky by electric light orchestra, forbidden feeling by cg5

kins :: heat meiser from the year without santa claus, jenna roland from be more chill

typing quirk? :: so many!! exclamation marks!!! she gets SUPER excited very easily and capitalizes some words for EXAGGERATION!! girlie punctuates her sentences and uses a lot of “text speak” like lol, omg, etc.

art source here

name :: hawthorne, millie, bobby, cassiopeia (cass/cassie), camilla

age :: 10 to 13

pronouns :: she/her, they/them, e/er/ers

roles :: memori, front buddy, info manager

species :: personification of autumn

gender identity :: autumnic, rainyrooftopic, autumnnosic, corvautumnaesic, foliagic, fantasmookean, celafem

orientation :: sapphic, lith/akiosexual

source :: brainmade, autumn season

aesthetic :: Christian girl autumn, tweencore

appearance description :: cass can typically be seen wearing casual clothing that is vaguely nineties themed (specifically the nerdy reclusive girls of that time period or the pre-transformation of disney channel girls). e opts for long pants and a pullover or jacket that can be removed if the weather is warmer than normal. camilla prefers neutral colors along with shades of brown and green; the more natural they are, the better suited they are for eir wardrobe. the reason for their longer clothes is simple: they prefer spending time outdoors during autumn, watching the leaves fall from the trees and gather on the ground. keeping their wardrobe simple helps to reduce the amount of laundry they need to do — though it would be a lie to say that bobby doesn’t like laying on her warm laundry when it’s pulled from the dryer.

personality description :: reserved and not one to act first, instead choosing to think over her actions to be triply sure of what she wants to do. compared to the other seasons, she’s a total wallflower: speaking up in the midst of a heavy or intense situation is the opposite of what she’d ever be willing to do. hawthorn much prefers to leave her mark in others situations by providing gentle support for those who are lonely. one of the benefits of being the invisible one is being able to pull a whole bunch of small pranks without ever being suspected of it. (nice pranks, though. camilla doesn’t want to be cruel.)

likes :: halloween, spooky decorations, telling scary stories with friends, pumpkins, sweaters, curling up with a good book, warm tea, socializing with the stray cats that she seems to attract, snuggling on the couch, sitting in a comfortable chair (especially one that rocks, those are er favorite), watching movies both on her own time and with her friends and family, and consuming Halloween-themed media (it’s er favorite!)

dislikes :: too much heat, too much cold, being called a basic white girl for their love of pumpkin spice (it isn’t their fault pumpkin spice is the best flavor!), accidental cuts from pumpkin carving, being called “geeky”, relentless teasing over er interests, people who won’t listen, overly energetic people who can’t seem to settle down, being forced out of er comfort zone without any warning, disrupting er thoughts, when e says hi to someone and they don’t say hi back, hangnails, paper cuts, and people forcing er to change er plans for the day without warning

front triggers :: fall season, quiet rooms to herself, pumpkin spice drinks, and reading in a quiet library on one’s own

signoff :: 🍂, 🍁, 🥮, or 📔

mood board :: here

songs for you :: sinners by lauren aquilina, innocently annoying by elysewood, be calm by fun, ship in a bottle by fin, bad body double by imogen heap, rule #1 - magic by fish in a birdcage

kins :: rory gilmore from the gilmore girls

typing quirk? :: proper sentences with accurate punctuation. she types like your grandma who’s a stickler for punctuation would. does not use emojis, doesn’t like capital letters, and has to double check to ensure every word is spelled right.

art source here

name :: marquis, chione*, aneira, eirwen, eira, scylla, freya*, ice queen

age :: on the older side of twenty, almost hitting her thirties

pronouns :: she/her, hal/hael (haelself)

roles :: emotional guardian, absorber therapist (can take other people’s excess bad emotions and “freeze” it to be dealt with later or by another alter)

species :: personification of winter

gender identity :: winterfrost, winteress, yukinic, neigean,

orientation :: sapphic, sex repulsed

source :: brainmade, winter season

aesthetic :: winter fairy coquette

appearance description :: radiant and regal in both stature, appearance, and vibe. chione stands tall and elegant, her presence commanding attention with an air of regal authority. her skin glows with an ethereal, frosty radiance reminiscent of freshly fallen snow under moonlight. long, silvery-white hair cascades down her back shimmering like icicles in the sun, often adorned with delicate frost-like ornaments or put up in an ornately crafted hairstyle. her attire features intricate patterns of snowflakes and ice crystals. hael’s clothing of choice is both practical and elegant, combining flowing layered fabrics that flow freely in the air with more structured elements like frozen ice.

personality description :: marquis knows her own self worth and will accept nothing less than what she deserves. like a winter storm, she can be bitter cold to the people who treat her like garbage; freya know haels worth and refuses to tolerate disrespect. her demeanor can shift from serene calm to fierce intensity of a winter storm, especially towards those who wrong her. she embodies the dual nature of winter itself: beautiful but formidable. those who earn her favor will be granted access and safe passage through her headspace as well as protection from the everlasting freeze. beneath this icy exterior lies a heart that values kindness, loyalty, and protection. hael cherishes moments of warmth, finding joy in acts of giving and cozy candlelight in the cold.

likes :: snow, nipping cold, ice skating, the spirit of giving, candlelight, presents, making her opinion known, standing up for herself, having a say in matters, being seen as a kind and just person, being true to her morals no matter what happens, and ice carving (especially if she can be creative with it!)

dislikes :: being seen as evil or without a heart, excessive heat, people who wear their hearts on their sleeve (don’t they realize just how dangerous it is to do that? don’t they care about protecting themselves?), nosy people, being teased or mocked for her opinions

front triggers :: wintertime, bitter cold chills, ice skating, snowstorms, and christmas carols

signoff :: ❄️, 🌨️, 🧊, or ⛸️

mood board :: here

songs for you :: true north by vocal line, child of ashes by madds buckley, devil on my shoulder by faith marie, mirror mirror by juniper vale, aha! by imogen heap, a lady by tally hall

kins :: the winter spirit from frozen 2 (the original one, not elsa!), the ice queen from folklore and fairy tales

typing quirk? :: Similar to Fall, but capitalizes her sentences. She does use emojis — but they’re the autocorrect kind. 😅 At least she can get the point across. Can be a bit crisp and cold with people she views as potential threats.

art source here

* = name of a god, use with caution!

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: Penia & Ptocheia (Kingdom of Ichor)

Nicknames- Patronesses of Beggars, Mothers of Misfortune by the people of Olympius

The Plain Janes by Dione

Age(s)- 32 (immortal)

Location- Shadowstone neighborhood, New Olympus

Personalities- Their sister bond runs as deep as the ichor flowing in their veins. They are incredibly close as fraternal twins. Penia is the more authoritative one out of the two while Ptocheia is the silent observer. They both strongly dislike the gross display/overconsumption or gaudy materialistic wealth, feeling that its plauging their present society. They're both incredibly frugal, shrewd, resourceful, self-sufficient, & a bit pessimistic. Penia is married while Ptocheia is single.

They both have the abilities of a standard goddess except shapeshifting. Other powers/abilities they share being the goddess of poverty & goddess of beggary include making a person or group of people feel destitute temporarily, chrimatakinesis (money manipulation) as it relates to poverty inducement, being able to manipulate copper, & being able to make new objects appear withered and worn down by their touch. Penia has the ability of elasticity (is able to stretch, expand, deform/contract her body into any form imaginable) while Ptocheia has the ability of beggary inducement.

Notable physical features that they share are their thick arched eyebrows and their close set dark amber colored eyes.

Their mother is Amechania (goddess of helplessness & want). They love each other in their own way, though they don't say those words.

The sisters reside in a townhouse in the Shadowstone neighborhood of New Olympus. Their next door neighbors are a Harpy family that has six children. Ptocheia lives on the ground floor while Penia & her husband lives on the upper floor. The interior of the townhouse is very minimalist with the walls being painted in colors of cream, mauve, burgundy, dark blue, and black. The furnishings are quite simple as well with lots of wooden chairs, a mahogany table in the dining room, & cotton loveseats as well as a couch. In the china in the living room, there's several jars filled to the brim with obol coins. The townhouse has the necessary appliances (including a washer & dryer) and they all have basic cable and internet. The news channel is a go-to thing to watch with The Agnostic Network being a close second.

They get around through use of public transportation. They also use their bikes sometimes.

A notable jewelry accessory Penia wears is her plain gold wedding band. Ptocheia wears a simple citrine amber ring on her pointer finger and a gold chain necklace with a drachma charm.

The sisters both like to drink water prefering the brand Pure H2O over Cleanstream. Penia deems Cleanstream's glass bottles as unnecessary. They also don't mind Strengthify vitamin water. They also enjoy coffee- with Penia's usual go-tos from The Roasted Bean being an olympian sized dark roast coffee and a small iced tea while Ptocheia prefers a large vanilla sweet cream cold brew & an iced green tea. Penia also enjoys a glass of red wine, buying a few bottles at the grocery store for less than twenty drachmas.

The sisters' personal fashion style is the true definition of "normcore"- characterized by unpretentious, average looking clothing. There's dark & neutral colors, sweaters, button down shirts, trousers, simple belts, high waisted jeans, sneakers, flat sandals, and other practical & basic pieces. They're huge fans of the high waisted black skinny jeans from Nocturnal Vibez. Ptocheia bought 10 pairs of jeans during Gold Friday (with coupons & online sale codes). They also like the linen shirts, trousers, wide leg linen pants, oversized jackets, and oxford flats from Threads of Wisdom. They also like flats, mary janes, & ankle boots.

There's never a shortage of various shopping coupons at their place!

Penia loves eating a bowl of plain oatmeal topped with almonds & blueberries for breakfast. She'll also settle for a lightly toasted and buttered everything bagel from The Bread Box.

Ptocheia loves a small bowl of Earthly Harvest's raisin crunch cereal or a yogurt granola bar.

They're in a long list of minor deities that don't have a temple built in their honor. It's specifically said that the reasoning behind it is that the general public in Olympius don't want to invite the looming threat of overwhelming poverty into their lives. The sisters' induction ceremony also had the lowest attendance only beaten by Dyssebeia (goddess of ungodliness & impiety).

Penia usually wears her long straight mousy brown hair in a low tight ponytail or a low twisted knot. Ptocheia's dark brown hair is styled in a lob cut, with her usually wearing simple headbands or hair clips.

Their main official role/job is being in the government's department of social services overseeing the Welfare/Financial Assistance branch- (which include things like food stamps, homelessness prevention, rental assistance, cash assistance, employment services, etc...) They're also planning on co‐writing a book on financial tips together!

They don't like or trust banks (especially Hermes), so their earnings are kept in a safe hidden in the floorboards of their townhouse.

The sisters are very picky on who they choose to be eligible to recieve the services.

It's said that they were the ones who discussed with Hera to push the HHI (Harpies Housing Initiative) to the forefront.

They both only have two credit cards.

Penia is married to Porus (god of resourcefulness). Their wedding was the least glamorous- the ceremony taking place at New Olympus City Hall. She wore a basic cream pantsuit & navy blue kitten heels while Ptocheia served as their witness. Afterwards, they all celebrated at a dinner thrown at Porus' brother's house. Their honeymoon was a week long excursion in the Underworld. It was the longest the sisters were separated from each other.

Ptocheia is single & has been for a couple hundred years. She's always been shy, reserved, and socially awkward to put herself out there. She cried when Dione's "plain Jane" comment made its way back to her. Ptocheia used to have unrequited feelings for Pathos (god of emotion) and is now noticing her growing romantic feelings towards Cocytus (Titan god of wailing & lamentation). She enjoys the deep conversations they've had despite never meeting in person. They text for hours at a time. Ptocheia quietly wept when she saw some of his art displayed at NOMMA (New Olympus Museum of Modern Art), calling his paintings "gut-wrenchingly beautiful."

The sisters' shared businesses include a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen (Psomí & Zoí), a chain of discount variety stores (The Drachma Bargain) where the merchandise is low priced with many of the products costing one drachma, coin-cashing kiosks located in supermarkets, banks, & check cashing places, and a self storage business named The Border Realm. The sisters are notoriously known to pay their employees the legal minimum wage.

In the pantheon the sisters have shared friends like Lethe (Titaness of forgetfulness, oblivion, & concealment), Apheleia (goddess of simplicity), Eikono (goddess of iconography & literature), Amphictyonis (Amy) (goddess of diplomacy), Moros (god of doom), Geras (god of old age), Oizys (goddess of anxiety, misery, & depression), The Litae, and Eusebeia (goddess of piety, loyalty, duty, & filial respect).

Penia's friends with Praxidike (goddess of judicial punishment), Limos (goddess of starvation & famine), and Styx (Titaness of hatred).

Ptocheia is friends with Peitharchia (goddess of obedience & discipline), Ichnaea (goddess of tracking), Aeschyne (goddess of modesty & honor), and Soteria (goddess of safety).

They do also like Hestia (goddess of the hearth); and her chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting, Karme (demi-goddess of the harvest), Favian (god of philosophy), and Elpis (goddess of hope).

The deities that they dislike is a long list- the main offenders being Clymene (Titaness of fame & renown), Zeus (god of the sky, thunder, & lightning), Orthosia (goddess of wealth), Pheme (goddess of fame), Aplistos (god of avarice), and Evimería (goddess of prosperity) for their grossly overwhelming display of materialistic wealth.

They are known to do their taxes & pay their bills on time.

A favorite sweet treat of theirs is vanilla ice cream!

As for make-up the sisters won't go as far as a bit of mascara, concealer, & lip balm. They also like wearing nail polish keeping their nails neatly trimmed. Penia likes Olmorfia's nail polish in "Clearly There", "Yes We Tan" (a nude brown color), and "Pine-ing for You" (a rich dark green color). Ptocheia likes to wear the shades "Seize the Gray", "Berry Naughty" (a rich dark red color), & "Autumnal Fever Pitch" (a dark burnt orange color).

The sisters love using the Hairology soap free shampoo bar when they wash their hair.

Penia likes the meditteranean veggie & chicken sandwich on wheat bread from The Bread Box while Ptocheia prefers the avocado egg salad sandwich on rye bread along with a small onion-mushroom soup.

Some of the greatest gifts they ever got was a collection of black leather satchel, baguette, crossbody, tote, & bucket bags from various fashion brands from Eusebeia. Penia was pleasantly surprised to discover that she bought them off Lé Real- a website which sells previously owned and heavily discounted luxury items.

When eating out, the sisters are mindful about what they buy. They like plain cheese pizza & they love the special value meal from Olympic Chef for 10 drachmas- a box of 20 chicken nuggets, two olympian sized fries, & two olympian sized drinks. At home meal prepping is the way to go because they buy ingredients in bulk, freeze extra food for later, and more importantly, they spend less money eating out. Their favorite meal prep recipes include the smoky chicken & cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes (with green beans), cold peanut noodle salad, moussaka mac n' cheese, ground turkey & rice stir fry, chicken souvlaki with lemon butter orzo, no cook Greek pitas, and balsamic pasta salad.

The sisters (along with Porus) are thinking about moving to the Underworld, which they'll build a house of their own.

In their free time, the sisters like staying in whether it's solving crosswords, reading, writing, sewing, & knitting. When outside they enjoy jogging, yoga, bike riding, going to the museum, pottery, and horseback riding.

"Poverty is a necessary thread in society's fabric. It doesn't breed adversity, it breeds survivors."

[dreamerwriternstargazer]

So mum bought me a korean corndog and a cake 🥰 we went to the cannoli place and we both saw cakes we liked so we got it

I shall be having mine with some hot milk tonight Insha’Allah while watching… something, probably Labyrinth ^_^ it’s breezy and autumn-y enough outside for Labyrinth now

And Whisper of the Heart, but I’m saving that one for Friday I think

Also :D I USED MY FIRST EVER STUDENT DISCOUNT TO PAY FOR MY VARIOUS PYJAMAS

And also THIS SEASON OF M&S WAS BASICALLY ALL THE STARRY VIBES SO

I got 15% off on such comfy and cute pyjamas I am SO excited to wear them

And because I planned this trip and budgeted and all even though I spent like, a fair amount, I don’t feel too bad because 1. Necessities and 2. Yes things I LIKE and that fit my style are a necessity because I will wear and use it more and self care is a bit of a necessity sometimes. Also 3. I avoided spending extra money on any treats or food out, the only time I do is an emergency cheesecake so Insha’Allah my efforts in saving will add up

Plus I’ve been dying for properly comfy pyjamas that fit me not just old clothes and things from when I was 15 (literally, that’s the last time I bought pyjamas properly)

Not to be obnoxious but a littol haul pic because I JUST LOVE THESE PYJAMAS SO MUCH (and this ain’t overconsumption, read; has not bought pjs in 8 years 💀💀💀)

Yeah :D I’m very on brand here :D

Oh that blue starry one in the bag isn’t just like. Another pyjama set

It’s a big floof jumper, I still have my cosy snowflake one but it’s old and… it doesn’t have stars on it :D that one wasn’t MUCH of a necessary purchase but come on I think I deserve a new pyjama jumper 🥺

The bedsheet shopping didn’t go so well… Next isn’t open at the mall anymore so I had to go to M&S and 🥹 it’s so expensive for a duvet set they basically only stocked big designer stuff, £60 a set

So I managed to find a reasonably priced set and some mattress covers, I couldn’t use the discount again it was a one off but I’m glad I used it for the pyjamas that was probably a better usage

I do still want more bedcovers but it’s not as urgent now, I just needed a couple of new ones + mattress covers since the old ones are falling apart and the mattress doesn’t fit with my old covers

So I can defer buying it to another month Insha’Allah perhaps even when there’s a sale on so I can get a really nice print but without the painful prices

Look at me trying my best to be a responsible adult

Yes my mum will still be paying for my boots Insha’Allah

I did actually go try on some Dr Martens but they were really stiff and tight and like not bad I’m sure I’d adjust but if I’m gonna ask mum to pay £180 for boots I should love them right? And I love the flower ones I found online much more and they’re £110 so it seems only sensible to get the cheaper ones that I already love than get the £180 and paint on them (which is what I was planning on doing :D leather paint + starry aesthetic)

I like the Victorian vibes, so I’m gonna order them now and Insha’Allah they’ll come soon so I can try em out

[morethanjustmediocremusings]

The Indie Sleaze of It All: My First Ever "No-Buy"

8/16/24

While doom scrolling Pinterest in an attempt to look busy at my job that I have a real distaste for, I’ve come to a rather life-altering conclusion. Indie sleaze could be the antithesis to fast fashion’s death grip on overconsumption.

Now that is not necessarily an astonishing conclusion, nor profound in any way, but it is a conglomerative thought that I've simmered down from many other thoughts. It’s not a far stretch to acknowledge that the inevitable cyclicality of fashion is tied to time. Further, trends are highly influenced by the state of the global, and more localized economies. So, one (namely me) can make the educated assumption that as we teeter on the brink of recession in 2024, style will reflect the mass economic decline and expose a fall fad that has been seen lingering in elusive posses: Indie Sleaze. 

Back to my introductory sentence, and how I spend the majority of my screen time, I was deep in the Pinterest algorithm this morning and noticed that the clothing I was lusting after looked perfectly (or rather imperfectly) lived-in. This is in stark contrast to the bright linens of this summer and perfectly pleated skirts of fall’s past. This is real, raw, and a complete juxtaposition to the current clothing consumption rates. According to Berhane (2024),  “...the average consumer buys 60% more clothing than they did seventeen years ago, while keeping their clothing for half as long as they did before 2000.” We aren’t wearing our clothes to the point of decay, and the trends just don’t last long enough. But, succinctly put, a return to indie sleaze could flip this script. 

As the internet continued to taunt me with perfectly worn vintage boots, ripped tights and a general shipwreck-chic style, I focused closer on the garments at hand. The clothing is perfectly worn-in, and unique to the wearer, making it impossible to discern if they bought their jeans ripped to shreds or if they’ve just worn them to every house show mosh pit they've attended in the past few years. Now, as someone who was 13 in 2012, I could only aspire to this level of what was then dubbed as grunge. But as a 24 year old I have come to the conclusion that the clothing looks worn because it is. 

The fur jacket is matted with glitter because it has seen raves, picnics, and coffee shops alike. The tights are ripped because they are worn every Friday night to drink PBR with friends and chill on a tight-snagging concrete stoop. The clothes are lived in.

In a world where I buy my denim distressed, and my brand new skirt has an unfinished hem, I desire so strongly to return to a time where I could really live in my clothes. In middle school I had one pair of Converse. They were worn-ragged, faded, and doodled in sharpie. I got them at Khol’s and wore them until the sole either peeled off or had more than 2 holes. I got the absolute most out of them, and for that, I was a loyal Converse customer. Until, Vans took over my middle-school. Then, in high-school it wasn't cool to have holes in your shoes anymore. 

The days of thrifting babydoll dresses a-la Sky Ferreira, and getting my eyeliner at the Dollar Tree were over. It was suddenly all the rage to get new clothes every season. I became a VIB Rouge at the age of 16 through the Sephora in my mall’s JCPenny. I completely abandoned my previous thrifty, and unintentionally ethical shopping habits. 

To return to this way of life, I have done what many before me have done as well, I had one final shopping spree. This time I made my purchases all second-hand through Poshmark and Depop, and I have officially gone on a “no-buy.” Of course I have allowed for some exceptions; things like food, travel, and, oddly, home decor, have made the list of things I’m “allowed” to buy. Clothing is the main character on the “no-buy” list. While the initial intent of my decreased spending was to pay off looming credit card debt, I am rebranding it as a return to indie sleaze. 

So, as we see indie sleaze creep it’s way back into the market, I challenge us all to avoid fast fashion like the plague it is, and turn to getting real, authentically worn clothing second hand. Or, better yet, wear the clothes you already own! Do I believe this change is possible for small groups? Yes. Large Groups? Unlikely. Do I believe this trend will make a lasting imprint in our fashion market? Sadly, no. Do I personally think it's worth trying out? 100% yes, of course. 

Let’s wear our clothes to the point of disintegration! Or just shy of that. 

Berhane, H. (2024, April 26). Rethinking clothing consumption: Understanding the human cost of fast fashion. UNC: Ethics and Policy. https://ethicspolicy.unc.edu/news/2024/04/26/rethinking-clothing-consumption-understanding-the-human-cost-of-fast-fashion/

[maddiecopesblog]

Source: ONS

This is more regarding household labour and not emotional labour but it's still interesting to see the massive difference in terms of workload. The inequality here would seem more normal if women weren't expected to be in paid work as well as doing housework, but we are.

I wanted to resrach a bit more into the history of womens pockets as t understand how to solve this an an issue, Ill need to undertone why it id a problem in the first place and why nothing has changed.

The history of pockets began relatively equal, men and women both carried small pouches which was tied around the waist but when fashion changed with the times, only mens clothes made the move to have pockets within them. Women were still left using the same pouches which became unfashionable by the French Revolution, when the silhouettes of clothes became tighter and less bulky. It was then the handbag was born, to suit the style of the clothes which could hold much less than the typical pouch that both men and women had used in the Middle Ages. It was then expected that the husband would hold possessions for their wives.

There have been campaigns for pockets for centuries, what many don't know (and I was very shocked to find this out) was how many 'Pockets for Women' placards there were during suffragette times, they were campaigning for pockets as well as the vote.

Interesting that the vote was something we did get, but not pockets.

What this does show me, as far as my project is concerned, is that the demand is there, but not the supply. The production of handbags forces women into purchasing more things, otherwise how else would they hold their stuff? The production of handbags is a multimillion dollar industry, if we had pockets, in my opinion, it would challenge that and in my opinion that's why nothing has changed today.

'Writing for The Spectator in 2011, Paul Johnson offers a witty, thumbnail history of the sartorial convention of the pocket, and he caps his piece with a 1954 Christian Dior bon mot: "Men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration." Tease apart that quote and you get a fairly essentialist view of gender roles as they play out in clothing. Men’s dress is designed for utility; women’s dress is designed for beauty. It’s not a giant leap to see how pockets, or the lack thereof, reinforce sexist ideas of gender. Men are busy doing things; women are busy being looked at. Who needs pockets?'

Quote from Vox article ^

The idea that women's clothes being made for fashion and not function has also been a long standing issue. Just take any high street store and compare the quality of shirt material between mens and women's and you'll feel the difference. Women shop more, so the quality of the items available is worse because women will keep buying them. This links to other issues with overconsumption but Im not going to get into all of that at this moment.

Moving on from this, I can see clearly the demand is there, id like to speak to some more people from different age groups about this to get a modern take on the issue and soon brainstorm ways I could go about providing a solution that's achievable and viable with the time and resources I have

[bright-and-burning]

in spirit, agreed! however: if you're turned off purchasing merch for moral reasons, aliexpress is definitely not your beloved. i don't mean give up and go buy puma, to be extremely clear. just that if you're hesitant to get, idk, mclaren's merch (originally i used aston martin as my example, only to discover their merch is done by a company that's within the puma group. so. woo. fun.), because you're like "wow big oil... i shouldn't contribute to that monetarily!" you should also be extremely hesitant to pull out aliexpress. like. please please please please do not shop aliexpress. please. merch is not a need, it is a want; not buying anything is always an option.

i've actually linked + summarized some reasons why it's not a good alternative (and is actually a really, really bad alternative) bc it's possible people aren't aware of the . everything . about fast fashion, and being able to make informed decisions about where your money goes is important (and i'm a yapper). indeed the greatest alternative is simply reducing your consumption in general and refraining from purchasing merch at all lol. BUT! i think people should understand the potential impacts of their consumption practices regardless. and outside even of any conversation sparked by BDS

for one, they steal designs from everyone and their mother. not so much a concern when it's big ferrari whose branding they're copping, but then suddenly they're applying that hand-wavey approach to intellectual property rights to stealing from individual artists and small businesses, like alexandria masse, a textile artist whose (cool as fuck!) crocheted dragon hat concept + design was stolen so aliexpress could sell shitty knockoffs for $20.

fast fashion in general is a pretty horrific industry, labor practices wise. it's estimated that less than 2% of people employed in fast fashion factories make a living wage, to say nothing of the physical conditions they work in. (you can't sell max verstappen shirts for $4.29 without exploiting people along the way. screenshot from aliexpress)

it's environmentally uh. unfriendly. to say the least. second largest water consuming industry in the world (79 billion cubic meters per year) with that rate set to increase 40% by 2050. the industry contributes to as much as 10% of human carbon emissions, and it produces more co2 emissions per year than aviation and sea shipping combined.

also there was the whole elevated levels of toxic chemicals (including lead) in their products thing. not my favorite trait in anything that'll touch my skin all day

if giving your money to big oil vroom vroom gives you pause (which. real. and relatable!), aliexpress is also morally bankrupt and should not be your ethical alternative to buying f1 merch. i've done literally no research on common bootleg merch brands so i can't speak to their sustainability or labor conditions but. at the very least. please don't buy aliexpress merch (or... aliexpress anything).

and as always, you don't have to buy merch! clothing makes up a truly insane proportion of our landfills and that's only increasing due to the overconsumption habits of, well. us. your options aren't just 'official f1 merch,' 'dubious bootleg merch,' and 'really dubious fast fashion site merch;' upcycling old clothes and making your own, if you're really craving merch, is a pretty solid route to take that also means learning cool new skills!

anyway. as glad as I am that all the HP business is reminding people to boycott F1 sponsors on the BDS boycott list(*). god knows there's no such thing as an ethical F1 sponsor. Big Oil Vroom Vroom is about as morally bankrupt as sports get. bootleg merchandise save me. aliexpress my beloved. etc etc

(*) reminder that Puma also sponsors Merc & Williams as well as Ferrari + too many sports teams to list; luckily they are all on their website.

[conscious-fyp]

Although we try to find solutions, the problem of overconsumption is bigger than all of us.

Capitalism, the current economic system in the vast majority of countries in the world, is driven by consumption. The environmental, financial, psychological and social damages are a consequence of the lack of regulation in commercial processes and the adoption of a non-intervening model for the economy.

by Maycon Freitas �� English III, 2023.1

Times Square, New York City - NY, United States. A commercial intersection that is a symbol of American and global capitalism, where about 300,000 people pass daily. An iconic location that expresses the American way of life.

In the not-too-distant past, it was believed that the internet, as part of the Technical-Scientific-Informational Revolution (or Third Industrial Revolution), would be the future and would greatly change the way we live our daily lives. To a large extent, optimism materialized and it managed to promote improvements in the quality of life of all those connected to the network — with it, it became easier to get in touch with friends and relatives who were physically distant, to move around the city and, mainly, to access information that spread in a way never seen before in history. And all this in just a little over 30 years (with the creation of the World Wide Web by the British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee, “the father of the internet”, in 1991) — unbelievable if compared to the history of mankind and from the earth!

The aforementioned revolution was no different for shopping, with the inauguration of electronic commerce, which has never been so easy. The consumer's distance to the desired product is just a few clicks on the website. And all this without having to leave your home or worry about logistical issues. With the advent of social media from the 2010s onwards, the presence of advertisements gradually increased until the formation of a scenario of bombardment of commonly appealing or false advertisements, which try to induce the average user to buy the product anyway — consolidating, in the 2020s, the model of selling products (especially clothing) through short videos recorded vertically with several different denominations depending on the platform.

Sponsored videos incorporated into social media can promote unbridled consumption through their influencers and generate material and immaterial consequences for consumers and the environment. Advertising strategies inherent to capitalism, when used in a very appealing way, induce consumers to buy without thinking about the future consequences of this transaction — which can result in indebtedness, accumulation of little or never used goods and the possibility of developing psychological disorders involving consumption (such as Fear of Missing Out syndrome). Although there are methods of controlling consumption and more sustainable lifestyles (such as minimalism and replacing plastic with glass or other more durable materials), they are all palliative measures that do not solve the main problem: unbridled capitalism, “in natura”, without any regulation or control.

The State must promote public policies aimed at the social well-being of the population, the fight against climate change, and the promotion of sustainability. The number of advertisements seen by users should be limited and, next to each one of them, instructions should be placed so that they can analyze the product well before purchasing it. Similar to what happens with posts identified by the algorithm as “potentially false”. As well as constituting Incentives for the creation and use of platforms for the purchase of used products, especially targeting those that have been little or never used. The idea is to facilitate the connection and delivery logistics between the buyer and the seller, trying to reduce as much as possible the effort required for the buying and selling process. Finally, tax reductions should be promoted for products with a sustainable purpose (that have a long shelf life, are not disposable, and/or have material that can be recycled) or with a sustainable manufacturing process, through a visible seal on the packaging (as used for products manufactured in the Polo Industrial de Manaus).

Capitalism imposes itself on the world as the international economic system — while it is the rule, other systems like socialism are the exception. However, this does not mean that it should not be regulated and controlled, taking into account the well-being of people and the defense of the environment. It is also pertinent to point out that the US case should not be used as an example, since it is unsustainable from an environmental point of view (imagine if every country in the world had the US consumerist culture) and the lives of its population are, in general, worryingly based on dopamine doses linked to consumption.

[mad4india1]

Labdhie Turns Flower Waste Into Sustainable Clothing In The Coolest Way

We all love shopping for high-end branded shoes and clothes and accessories and everything to pamper ourselves. But, do you know? Unknowingly with every purchase, we are also promoting environmental pollution as well.

The fashion industry is creating truckloads of waste that get burnt, buried, and dumped in landfills due to overproduction, and overconsumption.

Waste is prevalent in every part of the fashion industry and it is estimated that 92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually.

Meet Labdhie Mehta, a flagbearer of change who is a fashion designer by profession but a conscious human of heart by heart and with her eco-friendly and sustainable clothing venture is bringing the change.

How did Labdhie Mehta tread the path of Sustainable clothing?

The inspiration behind ‘Sukuun’- a sustainable clothing brand

Hurdles faced in starting a sustainable clothing venture

How to take care of a naturally dyed sustainable clothing?

Labdhie Is not the only one creating a revolutionary change in the fashion industry, Namrata Ramanathan is also using discarded waste to beautiful bags with her brand – ‘Upcyclie‘. But the way Labdhie is doing it is the most impressive part.

How did Labdhie Mehta tread the path of Sustainable clothing?

Being an eco-conscious person Labdhie was not happy with the fact that so much waste is generated in the fashion industry. One day, while attending an exhibition on sustainable and environment-friendly fashion, she was so inspired that; she took it upon herself to start a sustainable clothing brand of her own to heal mother nature and promote sustainable clothing amongst people.

Nowadays, many people are introducing and offering an eco-friendly solution to replace plastic and chemical use, like Bambrew the bamboo packaging company.

The inspiration behind ‘Sukuun’- a sustainable clothing brand

‘What we wear becomes a part of our personality’

True, isn’t it? The meaning of ‘Sukuun is peace’ and that’s why Labdhie Mehta wanted to start a sustainable clothing brand that brings people satisfaction, peace, and blissfulness both for nature and the wearer.

Do you know? 15,000 tons of water is wasted every day in the fashion industry in making just one t-shirt. Shocking! And so to keep the water waste in check she is making these exclusive wears with a minimum of water use.

The whole concept was to incorporate eco-friendly and sustainable clothing in daily wear which was limited only to ethnic wear earlier. Labdhie swears by what she says and uses eco-printing techniques to colour the fabric.

Labdhie Mehta who is ready to start the new chapter of her life- ’embracing motherhood’ believes it is our duty to make this planet a better place for our kids and future generations and with her sustainable clothing brand- ‘Sukuun’ she is bringing the much-needed change.

Sukuun involves the use of natural dyes which includes flowers from the temple waste, herbs, fallen leaves from the Jamun tree, and other Ayurvedic stuff which are good for the skin. Not only that but from printing to choosing the right fabric in her company, Mehta takes extra effort to use only environment-friendly products; she uses GOTS(Global Organic Textile Standard) certified fabric only.

Labdhie Mehta is a generous person, she supports local weavers and traditional artisans who are very well aware of the art of natural dying in getting the right kind of printing in her sustainable clothing venture so that these small-scale workers can earn value out of their livelihoods.

Hurdles faced in starting a sustainable clothing venture

‘When there’s a will, there’s a way’- holds true in Labdhie’s case who single-handedly runs her business without any outside support. There were challenges that she faced over the course of time but she never gave up. The biggest problem was to make people understand what need to be done rightly.

She believes that people think that the price of the clothes is too high, but they don’t understand that it’s a long process to get one cloth dyed. Labdhie takes extra effort in finding the right kind of fabric and also chooses all the natural dyes for printing as well without damaging any natural resources.

“We are okay with purchasing a coffee for Rs500 but not an artwork for the same price, and that is what my real struggle is—to convince people that certain things are worth purchasing for both the environment and their own good.”

A thing with art is – not all understand it and those who do, do it in their own way. Products of Sukuun are unique and mesmerizing & like it’s said: “Diamonds are recognized only by jewellers”. Only true aesthetic fashion followers understand what Sukuun is offering. People often doubt the quality and durability of †he prints but let the soil and winds decide which direction they’ll flow.

How to take care of a naturally dyed sustainable clothing?

Many people wonder if naturally dyed clothes will eventually fade over the course of time. Well, that’s the beauty of Labhdie Mehta’s sustainable clothing products. She assures that there may be some changes that may happen when the naturally dyed clothes come in contact with direct sun for a long period of time or come in contact with any metal.

You take care of a fur cat the way you care for your own hair, similarly these meticulously made flower-dye cloths need extra love and care just like the way we do. Ph-neutral soaps or reetha-based soaps are the suggested cleaning agents by Labdhie.

And in my case, I’d simply love a carrot orange T-shirt gradually turning into starfish orange giving me a new look each day with the much-needed aesthetic Sukuun is offering.

The USP of her sustainable clothing brand- Sukuuun is that she is giving a new introduction to your old clothes.

I would love to Eco print people’s pre-owned and pre-loved clothes to give them a makeover and a new look without them having to actually purchase a new clothing item.

Labdhie’s innovative idea to reuse flower waste and create something so unique and pretty is simply extraordinary. She is healing Mother Earth one step at a time.

[lilyzanin]

Week 6, Digital Citizenship Case Study: Social Media Influencers and the Slow Fashion Movement

This week was all about a Digital Citizenship Case Study: Social Media Influencers and the Slow Fashion Movement. I think that this was my favorite week so far as I am quite interested and passionate about fashion and slow fashion, hence why I chose it for my presentation in class.  

So, what is slow fashion?  

It is the complete stark opposite of fast fashion, whereby it is entirely about creating mindful, curated collections based upon quality finishes. Encompassing a sustainable and awareness approach to fashion that takes into account the processes and resources necessary to create clothing. Slow fashion endorses and promotes for supporting and buying high quality items that’ll last longer and appreciates the ethical treatment of people and the planet.  

Essentially, slow fashion is comparable to sustainable and ethical fashion, all movements with similar goals and morals. Encouraging consumers to purchase higher quality garments which pose less environmental and ethical risk which will last longer in comparison to fast fashion brands products. Therefore not promoting overconsumption and encouraging conscious shopping.  

Digital Citizenship & Slow Fashion (I.e Influencers & Slow Fashion)   

This weeks required reading by Mariana Domingos, Vera Teixeira Vale and Silvia Faria  allows readers to "understand the dimensions associated with the behavior of the Slow Fashion consumer, their values, attitudes, and motivations, as well as to know in depth the literature related to Slow Fashion."  (Domingos, Vale, Faria, 2022, p. 1). Using the data collected from 25 documents as a basis to support and define the concept of slow fashion.  I found this concept really interesting, especially seeing what was the regularly occurring keywords and concepts.  

The content analysis of the final 25 documents used in this study provides an overview  

of the literature supporting the concept of “Slow Fashion”. The theories presented throughout  

the papers were divided into seven groups, as they are associated with the same theoretical  

environment. This presents the groups of theories.   

The theory groups included were:  

sustainability,   

marketing,  

culture,   

fashion,   

human behavior,   

methods,   

and business.   

Now onto the influencer side of things for this week's lecture. We all know and either love or hate influencers and despite of our own personal views on them, influencers have immense power over their audiences.   

So, if you didn’t already know (you must not have ANY social media or read and watch the news) an influencer can be defined as "Social Media Influencers (SMIs) are individuals who cultivate celebrity capital on social media platforms by ‘crafting an authentic “personal brand”’ (Hearn and Schoenhoff 2016, 194).  

And in this week's context, we are talking about influencers whose platforms are about slow fashion and the negative impacts of fast fashion as well. It also leaned into the concept we have already spoken about prior; digital citizenship. Which both go hand in hand as social media is developing into a key character of digital citizens lives.  

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this week (despite having to present) because I genuinely really enjoy this topic and it is something I am passionate about.  

References for this week:

Antoniadou, K. (2023) 20 best sustainable fashion influencers in 2023, Sustainably Kind Living. Available at: https://sustainablykindliving.com/best-sustainable-fashion-influencer/ (Accessed: April 10, 2023).

DiLonardo, M.J. (2022) What is fast fashion-and why is it a problem?, Treehugger. Treehugger. Available at: https://www.treehugger.com/fast-fashion-environmental-ethical-issues-4869800 (Accessed: April 10, 2023).

Domingos, Mariana, Vera Teixeira Vale, and Silvia Faria. (2022). "Slow Fashion Consumer Behavior: A Literature Review" (Accessed: April 10, 2023).   

Hearn, A & Schoenhoff, S 2015, ‘From Celebrity to Influencer: Tracing the Diffusion of Celebrity Value across the Data Stream’, A Companion to Celebrity, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, USA, pp. 194–212. 

Home: Influencerimpact (no date) Home | influencerIMPACT. Available at: https://influencer-impact.com/ (Accessed: April 10, 2023).

Lee, JA, Sudarshan, S, Sussman, KL, Bright, LF & Eastin, MS 2022, ‘Why are consumers following social media influencers on Instagram? Exploration of consumers’ motives for following influencers and the role of materialism’, International journal of advertising, vol. 41, no. 1, Routledge, pp. 78–100. 

Milne, E 2023, ‘MDA 20009 Week Six Digital Citizenship and Slow Fashion 2023.pptx’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 10 April, viewed 10th April 2023.  

Ourgoodbrands (2020) The real impact of the fast fashion industry on the world, Ourgoodbrands. Available at: https://ourgoodbrands.com/real-impact-fast-fashion-industry-world/ (Accessed: April 10, 2023).

Sustainable fashion influencers advocating for the cause (2022) IZEA. Available at: https://izea.com/resources/sustainable-fashion-influencers/  (Accessed: April 10, 2023).   

What is slow fashion? (2022) Good On You. Available at: https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/ (Accessed: April 26, 2023).  

[ddddogwaterr]

another hot take i have is about the glorification of unhealthy lives, yea i'm definitely not anywhere near the first to talk abt this one but even the glorification of poverty and grunge is so strange and tbh i couldn't afford anything but walmart and 2nd hand for a long time and now if i try and go to a 2nd hand store with a friend (especially middle/upper middle class white girls) they think this counts as a "chain it's free game" store because they function by donations, not to mention they use that store but sell their old clothes on depop instead of donation back. by glorifying poverty and unhealthy lifestyles i think it impacts people who don't have a choice about being in those situations and using what little resources they have very negatively. those girls (and other ppl) don't/ can't understand why even if value village is a chain, they should steal from it or not donate back! because they've never truly relied on it!! when poverty is a luxury you'll never value those resources

but tbh my lest favourite kind of people are those who resell shit they find at salvation army and value village online.. like that is taking away good articles of clothing from people who otherwise could not afford it or it's not in their area and you turn a profit for it!! i know it was not there so a teenage girl could call it vintage and triple the price for other teenage girls, it was donated so someone who needs clothing for a fair price can have that because it's essential not a luxury

[frengles]

every time someone exposes the industrial horror of shein people parrot back the "accessible cute clothes" byline to justify shopping there and its like maybe socially we need to come to terms with the fact that having a closet the size of cher's from clueless is simply a non-justifiable overconsumption on any level. i dont think "everybody gets to have infinite garments for their every mood” is a valuable social pursuit. it’s just waste

[lovely-low-waster]

I often think that sustainable fashion is usually thought of in either two regards: thrifting or sustainable brands. There is still more ways to go about it though that aren’t quite as widely discussed. Some of these practices are used by sustainable brands or are offshoots of thrifting, but perhaps in ways you might not have thought about. 

If you’re someone who sews and makes their own clothes, being mindful how you pattern could reduce textile waste. As someone who does sew I know that being mindful of the warp and weft does impact how you lay your pattern pieces, so moving them around might not be as viable. Careful planning of your cuts though will make it easier to place the pieces closer together to reduce the amount of extra fabric between pieces. Picking fabric too with patterns that remain consistent and aligned irregardless of how they’re arranged such as solids, dense patterns instead of things like plaids that have lines to indicate their direction. 

Thrifting or shopping “pre-loved” fashion as they put it is one of the easier options. Especially now as the scope of where to thrift has widened onto online platforms. I still prefer the typical thrift stores like the goodwill as even though I personally don’t have the widest options I do get my items for the most affordable prices. Personally this keeps me from overconsumption. Some other options are more curated consignment stores and antique shops as well as online retailers like thredup. Additionally for buying and selling there are sites like depop and poshmark. 

Clothing swaps are some of the most fun ways to trade clothes with other. These are also nice because they can be either large or small scale events. I usually hold small gathering at my place with family and friends where we can exchange items we don't want. Sometimes they’re more in the form of closet clearcuts where other people don’t bring items to exchange, but can take from the pile of items that were offered. On a couple of occasions I’ve gone to large scale clothing swap events. The ones I’ve been to you bring your items and put them in the pile. For every item you bring you can pick out the same amount of items. These are nice because there’s a lot more selection and you might find items that you’d never get for yourself but want to experiment with their style. I will say though that these events usually are attended by predominantly standard size individuals.

Using fabric scraps to make items is probably one of my favorites to do. There is tons of videos on youtube and other tutorials on how to utilize scrap fabric for small projects. I actually love quilted and mismatched materials so I can make bigger items and projects. This is also applicable to yarn and other textile projects. Pinterest is a good resource as well to find more scrap projects. 

Rewearing what you’ve already got is honestly the easiest way to divert textile waste. With overconsumption often clothes only get worn once or twice before they’re donated or thrown out. By getting the most wears out of what you have you’re doing your best to keep your textile waste as a minimum. 

Hopefully these give you some more ideas of how to approach zero waste fashion! Have you done any of these and which ones are your favorite to partake in?

infographic from consciousstyle on instagram

[sbowinenst1000]

The Impossibility of Living Sustainably

Samantha Bowin

Sustainability is an incredibly important piece of how our future generations will live. If we fail to learn to live sustainably, we will inevitably fail to live at all. Our planet is dying, whether we like it or not, and if we do not take drastic measures to change that, life on Earth will cease to exist. 

There are many factors that we as humans have contributed to the downfall of the planet, one being our clothing production. There are many clothing items that have been created in order to benefit humans, such as fur coats. They were originally the result of biomimicry, the act of mimicking plant or animal adaptations in a man-made fashion to benefit humans (Miller, Spoolman, Living in the Environment, 2), as they provided us with the protection and warmth that the fur of an animal would, however, they caused more problems than they solved. Not only is the concept of skinning animals such as foxes, chinchillas, rabbits, minks, and raccoons terrible in and of itself, but the alternative seems to cause an equal number of problems. According to an article in The Overtake,“Fake fur is mostly made from nylon and polyester, which are the main culprits for shedding microfibers” (Schneider, Fur vs Faux).These materials then pollute air and water sources. That isn’t the only problem of the clothing industry. Producing clothes requires massive quantities of water. One pair of jeans and one t-shirt needs 20,000 liters of water in order to be made (Oxfam Blog). This is a prime example of living unsustainably with overconsumption. As a people, we need to learn to recycle clothing far more often, either by shopping at secondhand stores or learning to create clothing using scraps of recycled material. 

While I try my best to incorporate small changes into my daily routine in order to reduce my ecological footprint, it is not enough. According to the Ecological Footprint Calculator, my personal earth overshoot day is May 8th, over 2 months earlier than the 2021’s overshoot day of July 29th. If everyone lived like me, we would need 2.8 Earths worth of resources to survive. While that is still a smaller number of Earths needed than the average US citizen, it is more than 1, which we did not take enough care of to begin with. The best thing a person can do individually is become entirely and strictly vegan, meaning no products, food or clothing that is made with any sort of animal production. However, even if every person in America switched to being completely vegan, it would not be enough to reverse the damage that we have done to our planet. The main solution to beginning to fix our damage lies in the hands of the larger corporations that are responsible for the excessive release of carbon emissions. One group that contributes to overloading renewable resources to an extreme is the commercial fishing industry. 

Biodiversity is absolutely crucial for our planet to survive. Especially regarding our oceans, which without, we would cease to exist. A recent documentary, Seaspiracy, captures the current problems with the commercial fishing industry. As someone who grew up with an extreme appreciation for the ocean, this is a seriously pressing issue to me. The commercial fishing industry is not only responsible for severe overfishing, but also 40% of the plastic waste in oceans. Overfishing, as well as damaging fishing methods such as trawling, severely impact the ocean’s biodiversity, causing environments to become weak and unstable and resulting in ecosystems beginning to fail. As these ecosystems die off, the less our ocean has to offer. It will eventually no longer be a carbon sink, a natural resource that we desperately need in order to maintain clean air. The examples of over-consumption regarding the ocean are endless, especially when it comes to global warming. The global temperature rise due to greenhouse gas emissions causing both seas to level rise and ocean acidification. As ocean acidification continues to worsen, the more coral species will die, leading to further degradation of biodiversity. All of these components working together will destroy our oceans much quicker than expected, especially if we continue to not change our living styles. 

The planet's fate is entirely in our hands, especially the hands of the youth. As young activists like Greta Thunberg continue to step forward and fight to make a difference, we will continue to see a change in mindsets and learn to understand how we can fight the large companies who are responsible for environmental degradation. We will be the change of Earth, and hopefully make the difference that the generations before us couldn’t, changing the living standards for ourselves, nature, and the generations to follow. 

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Bibliography:

Spoolman and Miller, Tyler and Scott. Living in the Environment. Printed in the United States of America, 2019.

Schneider, Désiree. “Fur vs Faux.” April 1st, 2019. https://theovertake.com/~beta/real-or-faux/.

Tabrizi, Ali, director. Seaspiracy. A.U.M. Films; Disrupt Studios, Netflix, 2021. 1 Hour 29 Minutes. https://www.seaspiracy.org/.

Oxfam. “Are your jeans drinking up the world’s water?” Accessed September 10, 2021. https://oxfamapps.org.uk/shop-blog/sustainable-fashion/post-about-sustainable-fashion/.

[maggotsandcream]

Me, a few months ago: It is good to repair clothes to reduce overconsumption of goods and to save money.

Me, now: It is good to repair clothes because I do not trust my ability to buy jeans I haven't tried on at the store and there won't be any in store shopping from me for months.