Sustainable Fashion Mistakes: What I've Learned

It’s been about two years since I started getting into sustainable fashion and exploring my personal style, so I thought now would be a good time to simply reflect on what I’ve learned. I’ll also be highlighting a couple pieces that I have regret purchasing, and how that plays into my shopping habits now. 

So one thing I want to point out is that I’m still learning things as I go about this journey, and I don’t expect myself to be perfect. Before I ever knew about sustainable fashion, most of my clothing was from fast fashion retailers, and I have splurged on a couple items that I no longer have. One of my earliest splurges was on a teal top with some cut out detailing on the chest and shoulders, and while I did love and wear it often, it just didn’t feel like me in some ways. Styling it up in more than one way wasn’t much of an issue, but I guess over time, I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer modesty as the design was a little showy on top. The material of the clothing just didn’t feel all that comfortable on me either, so since then, I have donated it. 

With me trying to put comfort and style first these days, another thing I’ve learned is that it’s better to find items that are versatile and can be worn again and again. I can’t really say I had this issue of never wanting to wear the same outfit, but what I can say is that it’s just as wasteful to wear a certain top or skirt repeatedly for only one season, and then tossing it out because of boredom or some other lack mentality. Having learned from this mistake, I now only try to find items that are more versatile in their color, or can be worn in multiple different ways, which extends the longevity of each piece in my wardrobe. 

Another splurge I remember making a year or two ago is a white, sleeveless blouse. I had the idea that I wanted my wardrobe to have an element of “business casual” for the days I’m working, and while my job can be considered as that in some ways, the reality here is that I’m not sitting at a desk for 8 hours, and I need to keep myself covered in a way that feels appropriate and comfortable. That sleeveless blouse stayed in my closet for at least a year and a half, but now it’s gone as I need to be in clothing that I can move around in. Coming to this realization is still an occasional struggle, but what I’ve learned is that it’s better to buy things with the present in mind and what works within our current lifestyle. 

If you’re someone who loves a good bargain hunt or could spend hours searching the sales racks, I can’t say there’s anything wrong with that as long as you know what you’re looking for. I realize that this is easier said than done and how tempting it is to buy things out of impulse or because it’s “a good deal”, but in the long run, if what you’re buying isn’t serving any purpose for you, then it wasn’t worth the money spent. I’ve done this more times than I can count, and what I’ve learned is following this kind of consumer-based mindset only leads to more waste. It also puts into question how much value you put into your money, especially if what you’re buying is expensive. 

Being sustainable with my clothing choices is something I value a lot more now than I ever did in my teens or early 20’s. I feel like because I had produced so much waste, I now try to be more mindful of not only the kinds of clothing I’m most drawn to, but also with my spending habits in general. Now of course, being sustainable doesn’t always have to equal buying things from expensive, ethical brands. Buying things second hand is always a good first option, but at the same time, I also believe it’s good if you can support any ethical brands when you can. 

Musical Review: Rent!

It’s been quite some time since I’ve done a review for a musical, so for this post, I’ll be talking about Rent. I’ve heard a couple covers of the music on YouTube, especially for the song “Seasons of Love” as it gets used a lot in high school choir concerts or other music-type events. 

 

In the movie, the cast listing is Rosario Dawson, Adam Pascal, Jesse L. Martin, Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Wilson-Jermaine Heredia and Tracie Thorns. Since this film is how I got to know the musical and its story, I kind of have a bias for the actors and their vocal talents. However, this isn’t to say I wouldn’t enjoy the theater production if I were to see it live on Broadway. 

The musical’s plot is fairly simple as it follows a group of friends who are struggling to live and make it in their qualified professions. It takes place in 1990’s New York, in a time where AIDS was at a high. What I love about this movie is that it contains a lot of personality within its characters as one is a drag queen, another being a teacher, an aspiring filmmaker, a musician, a stripper and very spirited TV diva. As far as talent is concerned, I love how Jesse L. Martin’s talents are featured in the movie, especially for numbers like “Santa Fe”, “I’ll Cover You” and the same song’s later reprisal. His singing is honestly as smooth as butter, so hearing his voice is always a nice treat for me personally. I also love Tracie’s voice as she can so easily hit those high notes, especially in “Seasons of Love” and “Take Me or Leave Me”. Now this is just my opinion, but I’d say that Idina Menzel’s voice is always perfect; I really love the amount of energy she has when singing “Over The Moon”. 

So since Rent has this theme of trying to count or measure your life in love, it probably shouldn’t be a surprise there are bits of romance thrown into the story. I personally love Angel and Collins’ relationship the most as it’s sweet and not as dramatic as the others. Now don’t get me wrong, Maureen and Joanne’s relationship definitely provides some spiciness at times, and Roger’s struggles with Mimi can be seen as endearing. However, I just love the simplicity of Angel and Collins’ relationship when it comes down to it. They were so good for each other; that’s all I’m going to say about that. 

 I feel like if Roger and Mark had been given different life circumstances, the movie wouldn’t feel as diverse, so I can’t say that their characters overall are too one dimensional or that their attitudes are too pessimistic. In saying that however, their friendship is definitely something that I can respect. It plays well into the musical’s theme when putting the entire film into perspective, so for that, I’d give this musical 4 out of 5 stars.

Studio Ghibli Films I Love

So even though these movies are owned by Disney, I still like to consider them as a form of anime. Some of these films are directed and produced by Hayao Miyazaki, but there are also some that were directed by someone else. So without further explanation, here’s my list of favorites from Studio Ghibli.

When Marnie Was There- This film is probably my #1 favorite out of all the others I’ve seen. The story is about a girl who has to live with some relatives in order to recover from a respiratory illness, and while she’s there, she comes across a mysterious mansion. I think what I love most about this film is that it captures this pure essence of love, joy and sadness, all without having it be too cliche.  

Spirited Away- If you haven’t heard of Spirited Away for some reason, then I’m convinced that you live under a rock. This one is about a girl named Chihiro, and as she’s getting ready to move to a new city with her parents, they come across what they think is an “abandoned” amusement park. I personally think that this movie does a great job of not only telling a visually compelling story, but also highlighting some societal issues in a way that may be elusive to younger viewers, but can later be seen more clearly as an adult. Now I’m not going to give away what those are, but once you’ve finished the film for yourself, try to see and pick out what those issues are. 

Castle in the Sky- It’s been quite a while since I’ve watched this one, but just like the other SG films, Castle in the Sky is just as beautiful both visually and from a storytelling perspective. The main characters in this film are Pazu and Sheeta, and their encounter happens when Sheeta’s amulet necklace saves her from falling out of a government airplane. Throughout the movie’s plot, Sheeta goes on a journey with Pazu as she tries to stay hidden from anyone who wants to use her amulet for their own selfish gain. Now if there’s anything that sticks out to me since watching this the first time, it’s these infamous giant robots and their mission to protect the princess. You can actually find one of those robots at one of the DisneyWorld parks, which I think is pretty cool. 

Ponyo- So if I’m being honest here, I think that the cuteness factor in Ponyo ranks high in comparison to Lilo and Stitch. Now of course, I realize that both of those movies tell different stories and go in different directions with their stories, but since each movie has a child as the lead character, I find that Ponyo and Sosuke are just a bit cuter than Lilo and her pal Stitch. These two characters meet by the shore of a beach as Ponyo has frantically escaped from her underwater home, saying that she wants to be a human instead of a fish. There’s really no shortage of sweet moments in this story as Ponyo learns how to become a human, and the purity of her feelings towards Sosuke is something that I think could even make a scrooge smile. 

My Neighbor Totoro- Who doesn’t love a big, huggable creature that only children can see as they enter a mystifying forest? This is exactly what My Neighbor Totoro provides as the story involves a lot of wonder, adventure and imagination. Just like a couple others, it’s been a few years since I’ve watched this movie in particular, but what I do remember is the joy of seeing these fuzzy creatures come to life once they were discovered by Mei and Satsuki. Fun fact: I bought myself a t-shirt with Totoro on it a few years ago after seeing the movie for the first time. Now all I need is a Totoro plushie!

Podcasts That I Follow

I’m honestly a bit picky when it comes to podcasts, because I prefer ones that not only are within my interests (I gain the most value from things like inspiring life stories, to sustainability, fashion and wellness), but are also given in an interview-based format. In addition to learning something new from these shows, I also find them to be slightly entertaining. Some of these podcast shows are old as I no longer follow them(*), but I thought I’d keep them on the list anyways since they did have an impact on me in the beginning of my journey. 

*The Ground Up Show (Matt D’avella)- This is the first podcast I’ve ever followed, and one thing I enjoyed about this podcast is that the people that Matt interviews are not limited to just men or women. His interviewing style is very relaxed where the focus is primarily on the person being interviewed, and every now and then, you still get to hear his thoughts or insights which is nice. 

Break the Twitch Podcast (Anthony Ongaro)- Similar to how The Ground Up Show is, Anthony’s podcast highlights the success stories of those who have made a name for themselves. If I had to pick out one tiny difference since every story told is unique in both shows, it would be the tone, and this can be easily picked up on in each podcast’s earlier episodes. 

Wardrobe Crisis- Listening to this podcast is very fun and light-hearted, but it can also be informative as you get to hear how different people in the fashion industry are making a more meaningful impact on the earth we live on. Some of the people interviewed do live here in the states, but others may live in a different country, so the roles that they play in sustainable/slow fashion differ based on what their customs are. 

Stress Free Naturally (with Ashlie Pappas)- I like to use this podcast whenever I’m feeling stressed, anxious or just can’t get to sleep, and it’s honestly helped me a lot. I love how each session/episode isn’t too long and really focuses on relaxing your full body, from head to toe. It’s like giving yourself a full mental/emotional reset, and once the session is over, you feel like you’ve just come back from a relaxing vacation. 

*Don’t Keep Your Day Job (Cathy Heller)- I haven’t listened to too many episodes from this podcast yet, but one thing I have noticed in these episodes is that the introduction is a little long. I had subscribed to this podcast because I was listening to the audiobook of the same name, and while I didn’t finish it as I didn’t get full value out of it, I did find it to be inspiring in some ways. There’s just something empowering about listening to other people’s success stories, and so for that, I’d give this one 4 out of 5 stars.