Sustainable OOTD // Old Fast Fashion

When you learn more about the many many things wrong with the fashion industry (check out this blog post for a general overview), it is easy to panic about the unethical and unsustainable items in our wardrobes, and even feel the urge to chuck them all out and start again. But that approach is helpful to no one. 

The most sustainable clothes are the ones we already own. By wearing them over and over again, we stop filling up landfill at such alarming rates, are less likely to buy more, use fewer resources, as well as valuing the work and skill of the (mostly women) garment workers who made your clothes. 

 

Valuing the clothes you already own is essential to slowing down your fashion consumption and changing your outlook on both the fashion industry and capitalism as a whole. If you love a garment, continue to wear it and cherish it. These garments are all ones I adore and have owned for a long time. They are also all from fast fashion companies (apart from my accessories). They by no means had ethical or sustainable origins but I can suspend their life and make them have less of an impact on the planet by continuing to wear them. These are items I know I will wear until it is physically impossible to, and they are not going anywhere any time soon. The cardigan here is so well loved it has stretched many inches so that it is now almost like a dressing gown, just socially acceptable to wear in public. These are clothes that if you know me in real life you have probably seen me wear several times. 

 

So what’s the key message here? Wear the clothes you love and already own no matter the ethics of their origin. You love them for a reason and shouldn’t have to part with them unless they are no longer wearable. We may be fighting against the fast fashion system but we don’t need to fight with that skirt you bought in 2010 that you still absolutely adore. 

 

Top – H&M, at least 5 years old, probably older

 

Skirt – Topshop, at least 5 years old, probably older

 

Cardigan – New Look, over 4 years old

 

Boots – Vegan Doc Martens, owned for over a year

 

Necklace – originally owned by my great-nan, wear all the time and particularly often with my black and white stripey tops

 

Earrings – Handcrafted by Becca, was given to me for my last birthday by my friend Angie!

As always with the vast majority of my OOTD blog posts, thank you so much to my flatmate Jude for her photography skills and helping make these posts happen!

If you liked this post you might like: Sustainable OOTD // When Harry Met Sally Inspired

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