These brands are beyond antiquated brand categories
Coco Chanel used to wear her boyfriend's suits in the early 1900s — she was an innovator in chic, elegant, and comfortable clothing beyond antiquated, gendered fashion. Decades later in 2007, Rad Hourani made the first gender-neutral unisex collection in fashion history.
With artists like Chanel and Hourani paving the gender-free way, there are now dozens of talented designers offering a range of androgynous and unisex clothes that aren't just admired for their social justice stance, but for being wearable art.
They range from bold, bright-patterned athleisure to elegant staple pieces, chic jewelry, and even shoes — all of which are still pioneers in the art of gender-neutral fashion. These brands are celebrated not only for being gorgeous but for mirroring social change in the 21st century.
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There's a connection between climate change, the fashion industry, and human rights.
What exactly is ethical fashion?
This is the question I asked myself several months ago, and it's the question that started my spiral into the world of ethical and sustainable shopping.
Basically, having an ethical, sustainable mindset when it comes to fashion means being thoughtful about what you buy and where you buy it from. And I won't lie, it's hard.
Production chains, especially for clothing companies, are extremely complex and companies often can't guarantee what kind of conditions their products were made in. It can be especially difficult if you're a college student barely getting by, like myself. What really, really got to me and made me rethink the way I buy clothes was watching a documentary called "The True Cost" for one of my college classes.
This film documents the way most of our "fast fashion" trends are produced and sold, and the conditions in which the workers are treated. From this, I started looking at the way our current fashion industry impacts the environment, and spoiler alert, it's not good. Everything from an unbelievable amount of excess plastic waste from packaging and production, the toxic materials and gases that go unregulated from big corporation factories to the causes that some companies donate to and support.
All of these things had me taking a deep dive into where I get my clothes. What I learned wasn't really a shock. Most of the companies I've bought from and supported are integral players in the fast fashion industry. A lot of the brands I'm used to buying from have terrible working conditions, pay their workers unfairly, and have a terrible environmental impact.
Because our world runs on the basis of caring about other people. How they're treated, how they survive, how they can improve their lives and contribute to our ever-growing industries. We've become accustomed to a high-speed world. A world of mass-produced goods that we rarely give a second thought to where they've come from or how they affect the world we live in.
Take popular brands like Forever 21. In an effort to keep up with fast fashion, they're constantly creating new styles to stay on-trend and low-cost, routinely using toxic chemicals and dyes that seep into the water of the countries where the clothing is made. And in turn, damage the water supply of where we live when we wash them.
Not to mention the damage that's done by the almost 11 million tons of clothing that's thrown away each year in the US alone. Pieces of clothing filled with these hazardous materials take forever to break down (if they do at all), and they spend the rest of their life span releasing toxic chemicals into the air and the land they occupy.
The human beings who make these clothes, for wages far less than they should be paid, are exposing themselves to these chemicals on a daily basis. The workers who make clothes in the fast fashion industry are proven to be mistreated, underpaid, underfed, and often physically abused. What's worse is that most have no other option when it comes to putting food on the table.
If any of that makes you rethink the way you get your clothes, there are other options out there. There are many established brands, and several new ones making an appearance every day, that are fair-trade, ethical, and sustainable. Shopping from responsible brands can give you peace of mind when you wear new clothes you've bought.
The one thing about ethical fashion is that it can tend to be on the expensive side because the quality is so high. Clothes made ethically and sustainably will last longer than any fast fashion apparel and the price tag reflects that. While I'm all for trading low cost for high quality, as a college student it's not something I can realistically afford and I know a lot of other people are in the same boat. However, there is a solution.
Secondhand fashion.
Thrift stores. Consignment. Clothing swaps. Online secondhand shopping. All of these are great ways to shop ethically on a budget. By shopping secondhand you're giving pieces of clothing a second life and allowing them to get the most wear possible. You also aren't directly supporting brands that operate unethically. Instead of buying a brand new piece of clothing, buying something secondhand reduces the amount being bought new from the store. So, you can buy that Forever 21 sweater secondhand without a guilty conscience. For me, secondhand shopping is a win-win. It's more ethical, more sustainable, and it's affordable. It's a great way to employ the "reduce, reuse, recycle" motto.
Another way to benefit from secondhand shopping is by selling or trading your old clothing. Instead of throwing it away, potentially releasing those toxic chemicals into your local water supply, take it to your local consignment store. Let someone else benefit from the things you no longer need.
It all comes down to being thoughtful. Asking questions. Where did this come from? Who made it? Does this company operate within my personal ethical code? Do they support causes I want my money going to?
How often can I wear this?
Is there a certain season this caters to the most? If so, can I wear it for the next 5 years and still be happy with it?
Does this work for the rest of my wardrobe? How do I feel when I wear it? Will I regret long term walking away from this purchase? Do I already have something similar? Can I put my money towards something better?
These questions can avoid the pile-up of fast fashion items in our wardrobes and ensure that we're shopping with a purpose.
If we all took a step back and asked more questions about where our clothes come from, we'd be one step closer to an entire world full of ethical shoppers. The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to look into ethical fashion/shopping: don't take my word for it. I am by no means an expert. Do more research, find the brands that inspire you (and your budget). I'm a beginner at this, just like a lot of people, but you're one search away from starting a responsible, eco-friendly, shopping journey.
The links below can provide further insight into ethical shopping and what it means to shop sustainably:
To be able to create a beautiful garment isn't just a feat of skill with a needle and thread, it takes an amazing amount of creativity too.
A wise woman once said:
Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.
That woman was Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the founder of (you guessed it) Chanel. Always a prolific thinker, Chanel approached fashion with an artistic lens and gleaned inspiration from her time at the Aubazine Abbey to the horizontal stripes of French sailors (later known as the Brenton stripe). She believed that fashion should not only cover it's back, that it should speak for itself. She wanted her designs to reflect who she was as an artist, to take on a personality of its own.
During her time, she and so many other designers (Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, and Hubert de Givenchy to name a few) saw fashion as an art form. Their designs quite literally changed the face of fashion forever, bringing in totally new concepts and ideas in a post-war world. Since their humble beginnings, these houses have come to reflect the constantly changing world of fashion and it's ability to adapt to whatever the world throws at it, combining both artistic skill and innovation.
So, why do people view it as some sort of frivolous material item?
I mean, I can see why they might see it in that sort of light? some brands are overexposed such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, adorning the bodily forms of both rappers and YouTubers alike. Then does it become a material object, an item that separates the haves and have-nots. We lose the artistry, the craftsmanship in a couture piece when we begin viewing it as something frivolous rather than something to admire, to be fascinated by.
Is there problematic behavior within the fashion industry? sure there is. Ads in fashion magazines and its link to poor self-esteem have been a hot-button issue in society for decades now, claiming that these images promote unrealistic standards of beauty for young women (which, they often do). There's also the issue of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry, which becomes a never-ending round of "they said it was okay" and "we didn't say it was okay".
What I'm trying to say is this: fashion is an art form. It reflects a moment in time, a way of thinking. It, along with other artistic pursuits, represents the people who lived in that time whether we like it or not. The annual Met Gala, organized by Anna Wintour herself, recognizes fashion's contribution to the world of art. She believes that both fashion and art go hand-in-hand, one cannot survive without the other.
Fashion is art, you can't change my mind.
Working at a clothing boutique for the summer definitely re-ignited my passion for style!
If we are being honest, I do not consider myself a fashionista by any means. Of course, I love cute clothes and will buy a piece here and there to add to my wardrobe, but something about working at a clothing store with a bunch of cute stylish girls is inspiring me to step up my game.
I work with the sweetest girl majoring in fashion merchandising at The University of Georgia, and she is a major reason why I am excited about clothes and putting effort into what I am wearing again. So Reilly, thanks girl! Reilly is a fashion blogger and personal stylist who inspires me so much, so you should check her out! Give her a follow and read her blogs, she's amazing.
Reilly's Instagram.
Reilly's fashion blog.
So here are the top 10 places I have been shopping at this summer to expand my summer wardrobe!
Urban is my go-to store. Yes, it costs an arm and a leg, but there is something so special and fun about it that I continue to shop there.
Steve Madden platforms are my entire heart and soul in shoe form. I have this shoe in rose gold, white, black, and snakeskin and I cannot get enough on my hands! Coziest things in the world to wear for 7 hours on your feet, I promise.
Shameless self-promo... I started creating handmade jewelry pieces recently and have been pairing my necklaces with every cute outfit I put on! My mission is to uplift and inspire others and I do so by posting uplifting quotes and messages to my story regularly. I think it is important to remind women how beautiful and strong they are and that is what I want my brand to be about.
American Threads has always been a favorite since I discovered it. The clothing is high quality and has a very bohemian style. All of their pieces are neutral for the most part which I LOVE.
White Fox is an Australian label that has some of the most stunning unique pieces I have seen. They are my go-to site for formals and semi-formals in college! Super cute dresses and two-piece sets perfect for any special occasion.
This store is literally the most expensive thing ever (okay so is Urban, but for some reason, Free People has to convince me a little more to actually open my wallet) but I will give them one thing... they have some of the BEST flowy cozy white dresses I have ever seen. They have a unique cut and style that often times compliments my body very well. Also, Free People has really good staple pieces like a denim jacket with pearls (I wear mine all the time) and basic tops and skirts I wear a lot of times when I go out!
This is not exactly clothing or fashion related, but Tender Ghost has the best enamel pins and patches EVER! If you are into the whole positive, uplifting, empowering vibe... check their stuff out. You will not be disappointed!
Hazel Boutique is my hidden gem and if I could, I would spend all the money to my name here. So if you are reading this article and make it to number eight, you're welcome. Their style is very hippie and laid back, lots of fun and unique pieces to be found at this shop!
Aaron Asunsolo is actually the greatest of all time. She is a clothing designer who hand makes clothing and sells it on Instagram! She has some super cool pieces, I would definitely check her out ASAP if you want to be a style icon. She is so kind and amazing to work with!
Brooklynn's is an amazing clothing store with super affordable, cute pieces!! If you are balling on a budget and want to look cute, this is the way to go. I have this top in black and love it so much!
