An online document of my life’s musings
Hello, how are you? Long time no see e.t.c. ... Well 2020 was certainly a strange old year and just as I found my blogging stride again, I then lost it twice as fast. That being said, I felt it was only about time to update my blog and where best to start that with a brief life update, to explain my blogging absence. Although with 2020 being so pants, I feel no explanations are in fact needed.
Over lockdown, I've been living in the same repeated outfits, mainly consisting of old leggings, pjs and hoodies. Feeling uninspired to wear anything other than comfort whilst at home over the past several weeks meant that everyday has felt like a Sunday. At first this was very welcomed, but the novelty quickly began to wear off. Being somewhat over enthusiastic about the prospect of wearing jeans to the supermarket, I knew something had to change. This is when I decided to open up my wardrobe and invite my much loved clothes back into my lockdown life.
Having seen so many wonderful black-owned businesses being highlighted last weekend on social media, for the first #BlackPoundDay, I have realised how much control we as consumers have over how and where we spend our money. We can and should choose to support those brands who are actively anti-racist and wave goodbye to those who are not, but more importantly we should support the black-owned economy above all else, by using our power of the purse to make much-needed change.
As shops begin to open and life may seem to be returning to a 'new' normal, you may be thinking of returning to the shops and joining that ever-long queue to grab a bargain at Primark.
And just like that my days of being a care-free student are over. “Welcome to the real world”, as some may say. Whilst I’m still currently working out the plot for the next chapter of my life (watch this space!), I wanted to reflect on the closing of the current one.
The culture of trend shopping is damaging. Not only does it perpetuate inequalities within society but is extremely detrimental to our planet and those working along supply chains. If COVID-19 has highlighted anything, it is that as consumers we have become more conscious of what we buy, as we are faced with a change in our everyday priorities and lifestyles. Only shopping for essentials has shown us that prioritising needs over wants for the first time in decades is actually not that difficult. However, the fact that it’s taken a global pandemic to highlight this, only shows the importance of this message: trend culture is harmful to people and the planet.
As promised, here’s a list of sustainable fashion brands that provide amazing alternatives to fast fashion. This list is not definite, and I’ll make sure to keep it updated when I discover other amazing brands. Do let me know if there’s any brands you think I should put on the list, celebrating their consideration for others and the planet!
It’s Fashion Revolution week. A week that remembers the horrors of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 and fights for much needed change in the fashion industry. This week may go by fast and you may blink and miss this campaign, but it’s crucial that current fashion habits of trend buying begin to slow if we are to make a substantial difference to the harmful and detrimental effects of the current fashion industry on the world’s poorest and our suffering environment.
Eleanor Margaret 