Sustainability is so much more than just a buzzword; it is a way of life, influencing the way we eat, live and dress!sustainable
Because of the pandemic, the fashion industry has seen a massive shift from ‘fast fashion’, where the focus was on mass-producing garments with little or no heed to the environment, to one of careful creation and curation. Linen, organic cotton, bamboo, recycled nylon and even hemp is being used by an increasing number of designers and ‘zero waste’ is more than a marketing claim; it has become a mission statement for so many labels.
But with COVID changing the way we interact and socialize, is there any room for fashion? If so, how?
What we wear at home and to run basic errands is very different from what we wear to a lunch party or dinner. Today, fashion is about the 3 R’s – Reinvent, Reuse and Repeat.
With time on my hand in the lockdown, I’ve enjoyed reinventing my wardrobe and have discovered countless new ways to dress my wardrobe up. My mantra – be quirky and have fun with style; fashion is about expressing yourself and no manual defines the boundary of self-expression.
The lockdown has given me a ton of opportunities to reuse my old outfits. I’ve cut, cropped, distressed and re-coloured many outfits to make them relevant and trendy. Not repeating clothes is so last century. In today’s sustainable age, the idea is to find ingenious ways of wearing the same clothes. A lot of my content and tips are centred on doing just that and I’ve been both amazed and humbled by how many of us are on the same page.
Another way to be more sustainable is to focus on accessorizing. 99% of looking good is making sure that you dress up the dress. It is amazing how two identical outfits can look completely different when accessorized differently. Keep it fun, go bold with colours, try neons and bright hues to breathe life into an outfit. Layer neckpieces and add different hoops to make it edgy, risqué or chic.
For those looking for inspiration, follow content creators whose style quotient matches your sensibilities. Another helpful way is to de-clutter your wardrobes; go to the forbidden part of your wardrobe, trust me I have found a treasure trove of clothes I had completely forgotten about.
Is sustainability a viable option?
Express yourself. You are what you wear. Be comfortable in your skin and do not be afraid to experiment. Be sustainable, it’s neither difficult nor expensive. True sustainability is a function of always being mindful of the environment and in finding ways to reinvent and reuse what we already have.
P.S. My current favourite fashion trend (comes with no surprise) is matching masks with outfits (sustainable, of course), fashionable shields and coloured gloves.
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Author’s Bio
Neha Modi Jalan is a fashion, fitness and lifestyle influencer known for her unique style and fashion sense. Neha’s effervescent personality and chic style coupled with an inherent ability to transform everyday fashion into something bespoke, has won her a large fan base. She has curated styles and collections for several fashion labels and styled numerous celebrities and Bollywood personalities for the Red Carpet.
