style

Awareness, sustainability and style

How they are connected

Awareness, sustainability and style are somehow connected.

Creating awareness through style is the way we pursue sustainability and make a change. When you become self-aware, you dress in a specific way and pay attention to what you buy, how you act. Indeed, through your style, you communicate a message.

We mainly refer to fashion, although this concept applies to any activity that involves design: technology, furniture, lighting, pottery, architecture, art and all layers of our lifestyle.

You may have seen that sustainable brands are now blooming everywhere, so much that you have the impression of living in a wonderful world. In fact, the attention to this topic is so huge. The sense of caring stands out. But let’s dig deeper into what happens for real.

Sustainable brands

The majority of sustainable brands start their new projects simply to match the current marketing requests. Perhaps they wouldn’t sell or get attention without that magic label.
But there’s no regulation on this matter. And even if some certificates provided by the suppliers may exist, it’s easy to imagine what would happen.

Anyhow, by selecting only one eco-friendly material, they enter the universe of sustainable brands. For sure, someone will applaud them. By the way, the game is so easy that it’s worth giving it a try.

The result is a brand labelled as sustainable that, to be honest, is everything but sustainable. The umpteenth brand on the market, on an overcrowded, overpopulated, almost exploding panorama.

And so, creating awareness through style we can understand more about sustainability.

Now let’s be clear, the best way of being sustainable for a brand that shows a poor design, and doesn’t communicate any concept or any added value, is not doing it. That’s it.

Please, don’t do it. We don’t need more brands. We need better brands.

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What if I don’t have money?

What if I don’t have money? This is a question we are asked frequently, from young people and those who don’t have much money to buy quality clothes but want to change their lifestyle, cutting out fast fashion. What can they do? What are the options?

This is a topic we have explored and discussed many times with our community. We know about the reality, the tough times we are experiencing all over the world. Also, we are all in the same boat, so we have to find solutions together. Uplifting the lifestyle of our community is a crucial step.

First of all, we believe it is a matter of educating ourselves to consume differently, a conscious choice on our part. And there are things we can do, which perhaps require a little creativity.

No money, but much style

When we were young, we used to transform our clothes. For instance, we used to take a pair of denim jeans and unseam the legs. Then, give them the shape of a maxi skirt with a front or back slit, and resew. Same procedure for the short skirt version.
Grandma’s white linen slip-dress worn with a belt and a nice cardi became a summer dress. Don’t forget vintage ties! They can be cool belts. Training yourself to see and wear items in a different context is just a game of fantasy and style. So, open your family closets and play!

Vintage pieces are the perfect timeless choice. Investing in some good vintage pieces should be on top of your list. We just want to clarify what we mean by vintage: clothes coming from past years or decades. When we see second-hand fast fashion clothes sold as vintage on some resell platforms, we cry. That is not vintage! Vintage has a quality that lasts for decades, not what fast-fashion can offer!

How to build a timeless wardrobe

This is our advice to avoid the look of a character who jumped out of Grease. We would suggest buying only two new quality pieces, one top – one bottom, and mix them with the vintage. In this way, your outfits will be modern and unique.
Timeless quality items will stay with you for a very long time. If you can, just add two more the following season and keep on mixing the new ones with the vintage. The ability to mix, by the way, is the fun side of fashion and the true essence of style.

So, replying to question: What if I don’t have money? Instead of eating up whatever brands make with the sole intention of making us over consume, by using a little creativity we can update our clothes. Give them a new life and mix them in a new way. We can renew our wardrobe even with a limited budget.

We are grateful for the quality of our interactions that keep the discussion alive. Thank you, community!

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Women & society’s standards

A point on women & society’s standards is always necessary considering the current discussions and comments we hear. Indeed, we find it difficult to identify with women presented in the media. But also, with women presented by women themselves!

“I make clothes for a woman who is not swayed by what her husband thinks”

Rei Kawakubo

This powerful Rei Kawakubo quote, a thought we completely embrace and promote, opens up a window on society’s standards, personal growth, self-awareness, and perhaps new feminism.

Women, fashion and expectations

The clothes we wear are the expression of our personality, this is undeniable.
If we analyse the type of clothes that easily reach a large audience, we could portray a clear image of a woman stuck in the Fifties. A woman who must have a hold on men, and most of all, who must make it crystal clear, totally visible. Therefore, this statement translates into second-skin dresses, wide necklines, and super short hemlines.

In fact, this is what society expects from women, what women are educated to, by centuries of patriarchal brainwashing. And, eventually, it seems this is what women want, too, well adapted to a man-shaped society.
Indeed, just replace grace with rudeness, and we jump into our modern times.

There’s always the same submissiveness, asking for permission to buy something or buying an item only upon the husband’s approval.

Centuries of evolution from Virginia Woolf, passing through feminism and all a woman can aspire is being an accessory of a man.

On the contrary, we embrace a new sensibility away from the dominant models. Femininity free from conventions and stereotypes. Assertive, not aggressive. Self-aware, or at least opening the eyes, and beginning the process of personal growth.

Her style would be different.
We are different.
Ready to express a new vision of who we are.

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