Choose Used - It's Slow Fashion Season

 Have you heard about Slow Fashion Season? The idea is that 10000 people commit to not buying new clothes from 21st June - 21st September with the idea of raising awareness of the problems with fast fashion. As you're doubtlessly aware, I rarely buy new clothes and there's just six items in my wardrobe that were bought new from British retailers, but I'm sure that out of the 35,000 who view my blog every month there must a handful of readers who might have a bit of a fast fashion habit so I've added my signature to the cause and if I can convert just one person to the joys of shopping secondhand first I'll be thrilled.

Why?

Our clothing has a life cycle: from design, raw material and production, to distribution, wear and waste. With Slow Fashion Season, the aim is to make this circular by not buying any new clothes for 3 months and instead thrift, repair, swap and upcycle. Every time we #chooseused and tell a friend about the challenge, it brings us a step closer to making the fashion industry more sustainable and less polluting. For example, if 10,000 people commit to our project, then we will save up to 360 million litres of water and prevent 1,4 kg CO2 emission that would otherwise go into the life cycle of our new clothes.

There are only 8 days left to join the movement and more members are needed to reach the target. Are you with us? If so then sign up HERE - you don't need to be on Instagram, write a blog or even have a Facebook account - just by adding your name , supporting the cause and spreading the word to friends, family, workmates or just random people in the street (like I do!) you really could make a difference.

Even the Glastonbury Festival is on board (HERE), urging festival goers to shun the new and buy vintage and secondhand clothing from the stalls on site - that's great news for Kinky Melon!! 

You can follow Slow Fashion Season on Instagram HERE or join the Facebook community HERE.

Its been a bit grim here in the UK this week what with torrential rain, temperatures barely getting above 10°C and numerous flood alerts and severe weather warnings up and down the country but looking on the bright side at least I've been able to wear the suede coat I won on eBay the other day, I didn't expect it to see the light of day until the Autumn.

One of the reasons I don't publish a blog post every day is that I often wear my clothes on repeat and (shock, horror!) don't even wash them between wears. Pictured above was both Tuesday and Wednesday's outfit; my 1960s Indian Imports of Rhode Island block print maxi dress (rather appropriate for this wet week as it's decorated with fish), the 1970s suede & sheepskin jacket, a vintage wool felt hat, green velvet boots & 1970s Indian screen printed silk scarf (which were all charity shop finds). 

The thing that puzzles me is why would anyone need to buy cheap fast fashion when there's so much quality secondhand treasure out there? By Tuesday I'd already acquired a vintage Phool dress, an Anokhi bag and a pair of green velvet ankle boots, all with at least one previous owner and so what? They're mine now!

In my opinion, a successful wardrobe is one that contains clothes suitable for any occasion, so there's never any need to rush out at the last minute and compromise by buying something cheap in a mad panic. Having learnt my lesson 20 years ago when out of season I was reduced to buying a not particularly attractive bikini for a winter holiday, I now look out for swimwear all year round. Lots of people buy new claiming that there's nothing available in charity shops but at the beginning of the summer you'll often find unworn swimwear bought for last years' holiday but donated to charity as they're no longer on-trend (I hate that expression!) Today I found this rather glam tropical one-piece from H&M's Conscious Collection, still with the hygiene strip and store tags attached. It's the perfect match with the 1980s Italian-made fold up beach hat I bought from the charity clearance shop yesterday. Now I'm Greek beach ready and at £3.50 the outfit didn't cost the earth in both senses of the word.

Today I'm "shopping from my wardrobe" and wearing the block printed cotton Peshwaz dress I bought new (!) from Anokhi in Jaipur back in January along with this week's charity shopped velvet boots (originally from River Island) and Ebayed Anokhi bag, an Aldo trilby hat bought from a charity shop back in 2016 and a vintage cotton velvet pixie jacket made in India by Devi which I found in the charity clearance shop last year. My bra, waist slip and socks were all charity shopped and my Marks & Spencer knickers are over ten years old.

Can you last three months without caving into temptation from the high street? Go on, give it a try, it's easier than you think!

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See you soon!