Can I be honest with you guys?
There have been times over this past year that I’ve grown weary of spending my valuable energy thinking about clothing.
It’s not that I don’t think clothing is important.
It can give you confidence and make you feel good.
I don’t think it’s silly or worthless or something to be ignored.
BUT, I do think it can become harmful really easily.
Clothing should be something that gives us confidence, but it shouldn’t define us or be the foundation of our confidence.
Our value is never going to be in what brands we’re wearing.
But it seems that no matter how you purchase your clothing, the temptation is always going to be to use those clothes as a ruler for how you measure up to those around you.
Buying sustainable clothing is 100% the way to go, but it’s never going to make you important.
If I’m standing next to a lady in the checkout lane and she’s wearing yoga pants from Forever 21, and I’m wearing yoga pants from Girlfriend Collective: the only difference is that my leggings were made more ethically. That’s it. It doesn’t say a single thing about our importance or worth as a person.
Clothing, sustainably made or not, is never going to hold that much power.
But we sure try to make it do so don’t we?
And we really try to force those same false hierarchies on other people (even if they aren’t playing).
And that’s what I’m tired of.
I’m not tired of pursuing ethical fashion, of thrifting and making, of being mindful of my purchases… or really clothes as a whole.
But what I’m tired of is the “game” of who’s closet is best.
Ethical fashion is something that should be inclusive… it should invite people into it, and not repel them because it seems like a “club.”
So one of my new goals here at Truncation is to show you ethical fashion routes in an inclusive manner.
There’s no “one size fits all” method, and I definitely take a less traditional route than most.
So we’re going to talk about it. Hopefully I’ll help show you that ethical fashion isn’t just about dropping $125 for a shirt (though that can be part of it).
And I hope to show you that even if your budget is tiny, you can still pursue a more sustainable way of dressing.
I definitely don’t do things perfectly, so I think we’ll go on this journey together.
Let’s learn and grow as a team, and hopefully with enough attention to the topic, we can collectively make a difference.
How do YOU pursue ethical fashion? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Karin
Outfit Details:
Top: Vintage. Similar bodysuit. Vintage Option 1. Vintage Option 2. Similar Blouse.
Denim (run, don’t walk! These are SO good… probably my favorite pair of jeans I’ve ever owned).
Basket Bag c/o the Oak Closet
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