Ethical Wardrobe and how Seeking simple makes it important

Hello my lovely friends! As spring roles in “My ethical wardrobe and how seeking simple made it important” has been a topic which I have been pondering this last little while. Truthfully I have always been aware of the concept of Ethical, and it sat for a long while at the back of my mind. For that reason, I rarely shopped fast fashion chains. However, the temptation of those cheep clothes was definitely a pull. For around two years, I threw Ethical out the window and went straight for those big brands of Fast Fashion. Shein, Justfab, George, etc.

Why Ethical became important in the first place

When I was little, my mother opened a tea shop, running a store of high-quality, ethical loose leaf tea. Honestly, my joy was toodling behind her around the store. We had rented this old building on main street in a village of under 500 people. Unable to afford to renovate it, my mom, ever the resourceful soul, put up whicker partitions, beautiful vintage bookshelves full of equally stunning tea-pots and china ware, old tables and chairs, cozy corners and beautiful books and art.

In old-style paper bags, tea lined the shelves, stood on old desks and side tables, acquired over the years because of a love of things that once were. Three tables were set up in that tiny shop and for $2 you got a pot of our finest teas, and sometimes homemade biscuits. The old concrete floor was covered in ragged, colourful rugs. Big windows at the front the only real light. Hidden behind the wicker partitions was a stout wood stove which kept us gloriously warm during those icy, frozen northern winters.

The first time I ever heard the word ethical, was while learning how to successfully sell a bag of our tea. Little me looked up at my mother and asked her what that word meant.

Never hearing it before, I took great joy in knowing such an obscure word!

Then, one spring day, on our Friday Farmers Market I told my first customer that we offered high-end, loose leaf tea from ethical sources all around the world. The meaning clicked and ever since that day the word Ethical has sat at the back of my mind.

I think it may have integrated into other areas of life since then, but it wasn’t until, about a year ago, I sat down to decide what I wanted to write about. Sustainable and Ethical became my top two subjects.

When I left high-school, fashion became a bit of a joy for me

I started experimenting and finding my own individual style and becoming more aware of the quality of clothes, where I was purchasing them (more on that later) and what they were made from.

As I slowly developed my wardrobe I started seeing more and more articles popping up regarding ethical brands and sustainable companies, so on and so on. I became aware that there was a little more to the fashion industry than first met the eye.

So I started doing some digging.

And my heart broke for those who worked under big corporations, where the only goal was money and success – and getting there the quickest, easiest way possible. That is why, my Ethical Wardrobe came about, and this is how seeking simple made it important.

As I began to explore the idea of a simple life, that word - Ethical, kept resurfacing

A slow, simple life is where I came from. My world had no internet, no access to a fifth of what is at our finger tips now. A world of quiet mornings, tending the farm, working the garden for food, milking goats and generally just being content in our own little world.

I wanted to find that again. And, I wanted to document my journey, share with others the joys, the value and the way to a simple, slow and intention living.

But as I began writing, brainstorming what I wanted to share – Ethical kept nagging at me.

I thought to my self – I have all these morals in life, of how people should be treated. A strong sense of justice always prevailed my heart. And I was blatantly ignoring the obvious truth of one of the biggest empires in the world.

The Fashion Industry

It’s all well and good speaking about it, but I never followed through. Until I started Faye Wilde, and I realized I really wanted to write about it – not just fashion but the entirety of ethical living.

And that, is how Simple Living brought me to a place of being aware of Ethical living.

At first, it started as an idea, looking into the “trend” of it, and maybe, I wanted to write about because I liked the sound of it.

But as I sought that place of intentional I realized I couldn’t very well live supporting a “trend”. I had to truly understand it. Not just with Ethical, but sustainable, simple and homesteading.

It is more than just an idea – it is a moral code that goes beyond giving yourself a pat on the back. And I was reminded of all those years ago, selling tea at a market stall and proudly telling everyone it was all Ethically Sourced.

Then I started to Slowly build my Ethical Wardrobe

The last year I made a decision to simplify my life. (Physically I don’t think I’m much farther along, but hey, It’s all a start)

I started simple, I didn’t need any new clothes, so I cut down my spending – Especially on cheap, fast fashion brands.

When people start thinking about curating the “perfect wardrobe” they have this panicky feeling, that they have scrap everything and start again, but better. If you have the money to do so, then fine.

I didn’t – so I did the best thing I could. Without having the money but I still managed buy a lot of clothes (and I mean ALOT )

I disliked having so much, yet still, quite happily, spent what little I earned on more. Now, saying that, I appreciate a cozy sort of clutter, that is just who I am, but I’d rather my clutter be small enough to organize.

NEVER will I be a minimalist – I like old things to much.

But, I hated that I couldn’t fit my clothes into my chest of drawers – and that 90% of them were cheap, fast fashion stuff that never lasted long and was made all wonky.

And worse of all, I am the first person to speak up against how low minimum wage is – how difficult it is for young people to carve a living out, in ways it just wasn’t before. But, I would only speak out – when it had something to do with me. I’d get all fired up about it.

I knew from the time I was small, that many people around the world were paid sometimes less than a dollar a day. That they couldn’t afford to live in proper housing, with entire families stacked up on one another. They didn’t take "sick days", as we do now. The only thing that would keep them from work was severe illness

It didn’t click until I read an old classic – North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and Bessy passed away.

She had cotton in her lungs and could never afford a doctor. They lived on nothing, in those old stack houses of North England.

My Great Grandma was one of those girls, up in those cotton mills.

It hit me then – the privilege I own – that we own, in these beautiful first world countries.

I can’t stomach it any more – buying those clothes. I’ll try making something before I purchase from them again. We can say “they are only clothes” or “I’m only one person” but I think each of us have to be aware of what we support and how we can make a difference.

Now, when I need something, I really think hard – do I need it, or do I want it. 95% of the time, it is only a want. Actually, its a bit of a weight off my shoulders when I realize that it’s not a need.

We live in a world that feeds off consumerism – and gosh! Do we live it well!

Many of us, who have little extra money, are quick to line the pockets of the Fashion Empire – myself included.

My ethical wardrobe cost me little

It can be incredibly overwhelming – and admittedly I first thought I would have to run around these expensive stores, WAAYY out of my budget and buy an entire new wardrobe.

That was silly, obviously.

All of my favourite – TIMELESS pieces have been little more then $5 at a thrift store. Maybe six or so items in my closet are new. The rest – quite happily found in charity shops here and there (I need wellies next – thrift stores, here I come! – which is a need when you have a paddock full of horses and come in each morning with wet, muddy socks… )

And you know what is the best part of it all – how I have slowly (albeit very slowly) began moving away from the Consumers mindset.

I want to be in a place – where contentment is a constant theme. Seeking a more ethical attire is one small step in bringing me to that place.

Seeking simple prompted me to seek Ethical and in turn I seek contentment and learn to live my life with intention.

My writings drifted I think, from my Ethical Wardrobe and how seeking simple made it important – but it felt worth sharing.

There are no real tips in here for yourself – just my own ramblings – but maybe you will find something that sparks a bit of inspiration to change your outlook on how we live our life.

Be careful of where and whom you are supporting – don’t just buy from anyone. Purchase local and small, thrift as much as possible!

By thrifting – not only are you not supporting the empire of fashion – you are also making a small dent in the landfill where thousands and thousands (millions) of clothing are dumped a day – without a thought to the effects of simply tossing it out.

I want to live a life rich in intention, in peace and satisfying work – and it just makes sense to me. Being aware of the items I buy, the things I fill my home with, has become important through that.

And I think living a life on intentionality – through everything – should be a little bit more common.

So, one step at a time, one day at a time.

I chose to start with my clothing, changing my mindset and goals surrounding my wardrobe.

It takes time, thought and effort – being kind to yourself and loving every new shift and change as it comes.

I challenge you then, my dear friend, how are you able to make a shift? Big or small, how can you change today, to make tomorrow different?

With love and blessing this beautiful year,

Faye Wild