I've loved clothes and style and fashion for as long as I can remember. In grade school, I would beg my mom for subscriptions to Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Seventeen. I would spend what little allowance I had to buy the latest trends - from necklaces at Claire's to mini skirts at Hollister (I'm cringing as I write this). In my lifetime, I've spent an embarrassing amount of money on clothes at Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Zara, American Eagle, Abercrombie, Gap, the list goes on. Clothes I've worn once, clothes I've never worn, and occassionally clothes I still wear.
When I started to learn more about sustainability and conservation, I began to realize that each purchase I make impacts the environment somehow. I became more aware of what I was buying, how I was buying, and where I was buying from. I discovered that clothes, shoes, and accessories are some of the toughest things to buy sustainably, especially when our society is obsessed with fast fashion.
Now, I try to only buy secondhand or buy clothes from brands I know are doing their best to be as sustainable as possible. And, I try to only buy what I need and what I know I'll wear over and over again. Some of my favorite sustainable brands are: