Slow Fashion

 This week i'd like to speak a bit about slow fashion. We live in a world where fast fashion is the norm. It seems like there are new fashion trend every week and companies are producing clothing items in huge quantities. These clothes are made from syntetic materials and are made by (mostly) underpaid and overworked people, sometimes even children! I would like to give you a little glimpse into my life and wardrobe, to show you another way of thinking about clothes.

When this autumn was on its way, I decided I did not want to buy anymore ready-made clothes, except for ones that I could verify were ethically sourced and produced. Then, my next step was to tell the people I am closest to, my boyfriend and my mom. Now, with winter on its way, I can proudly say I have only bought 2 items, and even though they are fast fashion, I know they will become staple pieces of my wardrobe and I am still quite proud of myself for the progress I have made. 

Slow fashion for me, is not about buying things though, although I love to support the people who make this possible for me and others around the world. Slow fashion, for me, is about making the items I want myself. Now, I must disclaim that I have a particular style of clothing, especially in the skirt area, that is not available in stores very often, if at all. And although I cannot always verify where the fabric comes from, I love to support my local sellers and buy from them. I then use the fabric to create staple wardrobe pieces, which I will be able to mend, alter or remake into something else. I dont have many skirts, I am currently wearing 2-3 on a daily basis and am making a 4th. I have found that a simple, plain, black skirt can work with almost any top. Making new skirts is a process I do entirely by hand, there is not a single machine involved on my hand, which is another reason why I like to make well-thought-out staple pieces nd not entire new wardrobes every year. 

Another way in which I bring slow fashion into my life is with my other hobbies. I love to crochet, knit and embroider. The crochet part I use mostly for shawls or home-deco. The embroidery is great to hide some mending or to re-vamp an older item that has fallen out of favour. Then, we come to the knitting, my favourite past-time at this moment. First of all, I love knitting socks and stockings, they are a great way to have some extra colour in your life. They also keep your feet warm in winter and cool and dry in summer. There is not a moment in the past 3 years that I did not have  asock-knitting project on the go. Second of all, I love to knit sweaters, vests, tops, some plain and some with bright colours. Currently I am trying to work through my yarn stash, even though it is mostly acrylic, because using it is better than throwing it in the bin, in my opinion. Lastly, I love to knit things to keep myself extra warm and cozy. Petticoats, blankets, pillowcases, all of these things are especially useful to me. I even have a blanket on the go in witch I use the leftovers from other projects, so that nothing goes to waste.

I know making your own clothing isn't feasible for everyone, but I hope to inspire you, to take the time, effort and money, to invest in slow fashion, so we can better the world.

Jayden