More Than Just a Pretty Dress

Last week, I was shopping the clearance section at Marshall's. I stumbled upon a $6 pair of loafers in my size. I tried them on, they fit, and I began to carry them towards the checkout line because, well, they were six dollars. I looked down at the shoes and stopped dead in my tracks because I realized didn't even like them that much. If I had bought them, I probably would have worn them once, held onto them for a while, and then gotten rid of them. You see, this is idea of the disposable fashion is all too common in today's world: a world of fast-fashion, low quality material, and unethical labor. Brands are focused on creating more and more, and we are focused on buying more and more-- especially with prices so low. A $3 t-shirt? I'll take 5! It doesn't matter if I ever wear them, they're $3. But here's the catch: in order to have such a rapid, massive, and cheap production of clothing, something has to give. If you aren't suffering the consequences of fast fashion, someone else is. Often times, that "someone" is a laborer who is unsafe and underpaid. Or, perhaps, it is a shared burden of all of us suffering the effects of the world's 2nd most polluting industry.

I challenge you to be more intentional with what you buy. This doesn't mean that you need to research the origins and ethics of every single thing you add to your cart-- I assume none of us have time or resources for this. Before you buy something that is not a necessity, ask yourself a series of questions such as "Will I wear/use this often?" "Does this bring me joy?" "Do I already have something like it?" Practicing this review of products will lead you to "impulse buy" less often-- saving you money, saving the environment resources, and defying our hedonistic culture.

When you can, shop ethically. Research brands that produce clothing in an environmentally-friendly manner that fit your price point. My favorite sustainable company (although I may be biased), is Fame and Partners-- where I will be interning this summer. What makes F&P so unique is that they are "the modern woman's personal atelier," meaning every garment is made to order and made to fit the customer's body. Their dresses are also customizable in many ways, from color to neckline, giving women creativity and freedom with what they buy. Aside from the benefits for the customer, the benefits to the environment are numerous: no mass-production, no waste, and no need for storage in an air-conditioned warehouse. AND, as if they weren't already awesome enough, $5 of each sale goes to 1 of 3 charities (you get to choose) which will empower women in a variety of ways. Fame and Partners really is about more than a pretty dress, which has caused me to fall head over heels for this company in such a short amount of time.

Today I am sharing with you a dress that I recently received from them, which I was able to choose the fabric, have a personalized fit, and raise the neckline. Shop F&P dresses here.