You would have thought that at this point in our evolution, the world would have grasped the concept of sustainability, but selfishly, we really haven’t. It’s our job, as a collective, to switch this up. In a world dominated by fast fashion and fleeting trends, the temptation of cheap trendy clothing and accessibility is naturally appealing. But honestly bullshit.
In an age of information, it doesn’t take much to find some incredible independent designers, support your local vintage store or charity shop. In fact, it’s been proven that the quality of clothes is actually decreasing. The fashion world has seen a natural turn to more sustainable practices, with an emphasis on individualism, yet we still have a shit ton of work to do collectively for it to actually be beneficial for both the environment and our personal style/development. It’s time to fuck the trends and just fuck with yourself. Otherwise you will get lost in the dichotomy of -cores and aesthetics (don’t get me started on blueberry milk nails…). The whole point of personal style is that it is a reflection of our own identify and in the same way that we are never in a constant state of one particular emotion, our fashion doesn’t need to remain one constant style or trends, we’re allowed to move fluidly within our clothing choices to reflect the multifaceted beings were we born to be.
That isn’t to say that trends are necessarily bad, I think they can shed light on styles and items of clothing that we might not be typically drawn to or conventional, but it’s through these trends that we can find a place for developing our personal taste. Like anything, it is very much a journey, clothes shouldn’t be mere items we feel compelled to wear, but they reflect who we are as individuals. We’re able to fashion the body in a way that gives us more autonomy.
So, for all the fast fashion die-hards and commitment shein sheep who want to break their sustainable and secondhand virginity, we’re here to tell you how to do it. Let’s start with the basics. Think of this as your fashion dictionary. Class is officially in session so take notes; sustainability, vintage, secondhand, independent brands. These are today’s key words.
Sustainability, in my opinion, is the MOST thrown about word in recent fashion history. Sustainability doesn’t mean vintage and it doesn’t mean vegan. According to Vogue, sustainability is more an umbrella term that encompasses a number of practices, procedures and conducts that ensure there is less wastage with overproduction, less Co2 emitted in the production stage, promoting biodiversity and that employers are paid fairly. So, now we have our definition, how can we go about ensuring we’re doing our part? Well, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Climate-Change launched The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook back in June 2023. Here, they map out how the fashion industry and brands can promote and push sustainable practices to their consumers by leading with science, changing behaviours and practices, reimaging values and driving advocacy. It’s our job as consumers, to make ourselves aware of where to shop, no different to being picky with our food so we know what we’re putting in our bodies.
Next, vintage and secondhand, two words that frequently get bunched together but hold a significant difference. It’s also why you tend to hear people comment on how much more expensive vintage might be in comparison to secondhand clothing, but the two can overlap. Eibhleann McMahon from Rokit Vintage gave us the rundown of the differences:
“The basic difference between vintage and general second hand is age.
The term vintage typically relates to a previous era and idealistically, a key aesthetic from that time. The word itself has been subject to debate, and is controversially linked to the French for twenty, ‘vingt’. Loosely people regard vintage as anything more than 20 years old. Whilst this can be a simple litmus, it fails to distinguish between historic items of higher value (in terms of fashion history and craftsmanship) and the more basic garments of an age. However, fashion can be subjective and ultimately the public decides. Some trends are all about the overt aesthetic or silhouette over quality or rarity. It’s a difficult one, where the purest would have different ideals to the trend oriented.
What fundamentally defines vintage is the nuance or ‘quintessence’, as well as the age.
Secondhand simply refers to post consumer textile (used clothing) of any age. Secondhand can be vintage, or nearly new. With the increase of clothing production through fast fashion and fleeting trends, there has been a huge growth in textile waste. The grip of social media, the speed at which trends come and go, and the concept of single use looks, have all contributed to overproduction and under use. Collectively we need to take responsibility for this mess and encourage the reuse of all clothing, whether old or new.
The beauty of both vintage and secondhand is that you can curate any aesthetic, be it trend based or entirely independent. We continue to cherish the most sacred of vintage items, but also hope more and more people turn to secondhand, to reduce clothing production and unite to combat fashion waste.”
Over the decade, there has been an increased interest in vintage and secondhand options. Fashion is known to repeat itself every 20 years so it makes sense to indulge in methods of purchasing that are more sustainable and of durable quality.
Now, we can’t forget Independent brands, as the name goes, are independent brands that tend to operate outside of the big corporations in the fashion industry. Despite being on the smaller side, they have an unparalleled focus on craftsmanship, creativity or a unique aesthetic. Independent brands also have a tendency to be sustainability driven with their practices and engagement, avoiding the issue of overproduction by producing clothing on a made to order basis or only having a set amount of items during their launches, this way, they can measure and monitor customer demand without risking an excessive supply left over (it also ensure they don’t overspend too!).
So, there you have it, your initial guide to how to start shopping that doesn’t follow trends, that adopts sustainable habits and that has you ditching fast fashion in a heartbeat. There is a wealth of options readily available, and the internet just makes it even more accessible. Now stop with the excuses and start exercising consciousness when we shop 😉
Images from Rokit Vintage & other sources.