The Girl who did not shop

Today my little sister, the beautiful Andrea, is sharing her story on my blog. Find out more about the unusual choice she's made and be inspired by her commitment and endurance.

Hi there! The first week in 2013 is already coming to an end, and I hope you're all still successfully holding on to your New Years' resolutions. This year I did not add any resolutions to my list, because a while ago I made a decision which is pretty much using up all the willpower I was blessed with, and that's not all that much to start with. Exactly six months ago this little shopaholic decided to take a break and live without shopping for an entire year. So no buying clothes, shoes or purses... and unbelievably enough I am still going strong. I have made it through some crazy shopping-withdrawals and honestly, I just feel free.

“You’re not buying any clothes for an entire year? But… why?” That’s usually the reaction I get when I explain my lack of interest in a shopping trip or why I keep wearing my dad’s old jumpers. Well I guess it’s time I explained myself. Last June I packed my backpack with mosquito spray, malaria tablets and a few of my oldest clothes and headed to Mozambique, Africa, to help out in an orphanage for two months.

I was intrigued and fascinated by the sheer beauty of the colourful, vibrant country, the people and the culture. However, I was also struck by the stark poverty. The stories of the kids in the orphanage broke my heart. Being surrounded by people living in garbage dumps and children, dressed in rags, playing in the dirt, compliments on my “pretty clothes” filled me with shame. I felt awkward thinking about my two closets full of nice, new and rather unnecessary clothes at home. 

So after returning home in August, I promised myself not to go shopping for an entire year, and that all the money I saved that way would go to Africa to support the orphanage. I realised that I don’t need a new pair of shoes to make me happy. I have more than I could ever need.

The start was kind of exhilarating, I felt purposeful and optimistic. It was in the second month that things started to get tougher. One of my good friends was getting married and I naively agreed to a full blown shopping-spree with my girlfriends to assist them in buying dresses. Spending an entire day stuck in little boutiques and shops, surrounded by fabulous dresses, skirts, high heels with a wallet that was for once not entirely empty was no piece of cake! A trip to Stockholm with my friends (where everyone somehow seems to be wearing clothes straight out of a fashion show) didn’t make things easier either, but I've made it this far and it’s actually getting easier over time! I find myself with so much more free time and a clear head. Whenever I do get the urge to run into a shop I tell myself that I have been blessed with so much, and I do not need to define myself through my clothes. I have also gotten much more creative in choosing my outfits, reusing my dad’s old jumpers, flannel shirts, and everything else I can find in our attic (good thing retro is in, huh?).

I am truly glad I decided to fast from shopping this year, and crazily enough I’m enjoying myself. Don’t get me wrong, I still love clothes, and I don’t think shopping is a bad thing, but it should not define you or dominate your life. We live in a consumer culture, which constantly screams at us that we need more, when we already have so much. Meanwhile a vast majority of the world still lives in poverty. As a girl, and a Christian, I found it freeing to step out of the consumer machine and put my life back in perspective.

Funnily enough, the friends who were most surprised by my decision have now decided to join me, and so far three of my closest friends are fasting from clothes with me. We are having a great time supporting each other and sharing our hilarious no-shopping struggles! So to all of you either sick of going clothes-shopping or intrigued by the idea of making a difference in this world: JOIN ME!!! I promise it’s worth it! 

love,

Andrea

Have you made any similar New Years resolutions? Do you want to change the world for the better? Share your thoughts and stories with us! 

The Weather Outside is Frightful!

Happy New Year World! Let's hope that 2013 will be the year of real change in the fashion industry towards ethically produced and fair fashion!

I'm back in Belfast after my Christmas visit to Dublin and it's rather chilly and VERY windy here! So I thought I'd devote this blog post to wrapping up ethically, i.e. where to find gorgeous fair trade hats, scarfs and gloves etc.. I myself have recently lost my favourite and almost only hat, so am currently on the search for a replacement. 

One place where you can get gorgeous knitted accessories is Lowie. For over ten years, Lowie has been selling intricately hand-knitted and embroidered clothes using organic materials and ensuring their workers get paid fairly. They for instance make these luxury knee-high socks, hand-knitted out of mohair wool.

Navy Mohair Knee Socks by Lowie

Or this gorgeous set of a scarf and finger-less mittens with a thistle and flower motif:

 

Mohair Lacy Beanie

I myself was tempted by this cozy little hat in a similar style to the socks above... unfortunately Lowie's prices are rather at the upper limit for my budget, especially just after Christmas. I can't afford to spend £40 on a hat or almost £50 on socks. However, if you're looking for a luxury fair trade gift for someone, Lowie is absolutely the place to go!

So my search for a fair trade hat continues. The next place I checked out was Bibico, an ethical clothing brand whose clothes are produced in fair trade cooperatives. Bibico's style is simple and very relaxed and they sell beautiful dresses, tops, cardigans and also some accessories. 

If you're like me and your feet are always cold, then maybe these hand-knitted woolen leg-warmers are the thing for you.

Irene Warmers by Bibico

In case hats are not your thing but you want your ears to stay warm in the chilly winter wind, then Bibico also make these crochet hair bands. This one is on sale at the moment and you can snatch it up for just £10!

Nassed crochet hair band

Unfortunately the hat I had set my eyes on was all sold out. Oh well, on goes the search, next stop: Peopletree. Peopletree is possibly one of the biggest fair trade fashion houses in the world. If you want to find out more about peopletree, check out my recent post about them. Apart from stylish clothes they also sell lots of cosy and colourful accessories to keep you warm. Here's a selection:

Accessories by Peopletree

Orla Kiely Stone Hat

I absolutely fell in love with this cute bobble hat designed by Orla Kiely. You wouldn't believe my excitement when I saw it was on sale! But luck wasn't on my side today; I soon found out that this hat is out of stock as well *sigh*.

In the end I went onto Oxfam's website and ordered a nice second-hand hat that was originally from warehouse and only cost me a fiver. And this would be my last suggestion on finding warm winter accessories: check your local charity shops or visit oxfam. Their online shop has lots of cool items, including nice vintage things. I know its not fair trade, but it's second-hand. So you're reducing waste and you're supporting a charity!

If you're looking for something quirky and you don't mind whether your gloves match or not, then there's this fun project by Do the Green Thing called Glove Love. Here abandoned single gloves find new partners. Find out more by watching this glove success story:

Do you know any places that sell or make great fair trade hats, scarves, gloves, socks to keep you warm in those winter days? Have you found a treasure at a second-hand shop or do you make your own? Let us know...

My Challenge

Welcome to my very first post on FairEnough. Let me begin by explaining why I started this blog...

Well, at the beginning there was a challenge!
I love clothes and shopping, but over the last while the unjust and unethical circumstances under which most of our clothes are made started to weigh heavily on my mind. I became increasingly interested in fairtrade fashion and started to toy with the idea of no longer buying and supporting unethically produced clothes.

After my recent move and fresh start into a new job, I finally decided to make a commitment. I have set myself the challenge to only buy fairtrade and sustainable clothing for a year. This started at the beginning of October 2012, so I am already a good month in. So far so good.

But why the blog?
On FairEnough I will up-date on how my little experiment is going. I hope that this blog will be encouraging and inspiring to readers who may feel similarly about the clothing industry. My aim is not make anyone feel bad or guilty and FairEnough is as much to support and motivate myself as anybody else.

Beyond this, FairEnough is here to highlight, show-case and support everything to do with fairtrade and sustainable fashion, from shops and designers to events and even life-style choices. As I go through my year, I will share with you all my faitrade discoveries from Belfast, Dublin and the whole Island of Ireland.

Have fun and I hope you enjoy the blog!