Steps To Authentic Style for Conscious Consumers
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I have to admit something to you all:
I have been bored – like falling asleep bored – with my wardrobe for the past year.
This may sound harsh or unfair or privileged, and it probably is. After all, I am a fashion blogger, which means I get free clothes and accessories and “everything I could ever want” for free (that’s in quotes because it’s what my husband tells me).
But the thing about fashion blogging is that a lot of the things you get for free, particularly when you’re just so happy to be working with brands at all, are not precisely what you would have picked out for yourself. I’m being honest when I tell you that everything I’ve reviewed in the last couple of years is something I like and would wear.
I mean, I DO wear them. But receiving some of these things for free has meant that I haven’t been able to shop like a normal person does – it means that I’ve restricted myself to certain brands and certain styles in a way that’s shrunk a bit of the creativity that initially delighted me about pursuing personal style.
Reclaiming Personal Style
It means, in some ways, that my style has become a bit less personal.
And I don’t like that feeling. I am a firm believer that fashion should be fun and that it can be a healthy extension of our identities. Of course, that can go too far, especially when the only way we can think of to have fun is to buy into fast fashion culture.
But even in the wake of new and exciting ethical brands cropping up everywhere, conscious consumerism can come off as a bit too restrictive in terms of style. Pair that with growing concerns that companies are not as ethical as they seem and it’s a recipe for wardrobe burnout.
So I’ve been pondering how to keep the “personal” in personal style when seemingly everyone in this niche has boiled down their wardrobe to a handful of Everlane and a sprinkling of Nisolo and a dash of Reformation. I mean, I like those brands, but how do I add one last splash of Leah into the mix?
For me, it’s been about this:
Just go for it!
Instead of buying two Everlane sweaters, save up for the kooky one from Solo Six.
