Posh Swaps Blog

Ethical fashion is one of those terms that seems to be bandied about all over the place but there doesn’t really seem to be any clear definition of what it is. The easiest way to discover it and see what you like and don’t like about it is to check out some of the amazing brands out there. Check out Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog for some great examples of ethical fashion.

I guess the reason the term ‘ethical fashion’ is so difficult to define is that ethics are very different for different people. For some ethical fashion is about environmental sustainability and preserving the environment for future generations, for others it is about ensuring that people working in the fashion industry are treated fairly and with respect and trying to use fashion it to alleviate poverty. It can also include treating animals with respect or vegan fashion that does not inlcude any animal products at all. Finally some also consider buying locally produced fashion the best option in terms of ethics as it cuts down on transportation , is easier to ensure fair treatment of workers and it supports the local economy.

Most people will look for a combination of the above when shopping ethically for clothing. Anything that encourages less consumption, better treatment people, animals and the environment, more sustainability and recycling, even in a small way, has to be a positive choice.

The variety and choice or ethical clothing is increasing all of the time and you know longer have to resign to looking boring, frumpy or hippyish if you want to dress ethically. Here are just a few ways that you can make your fashion more ethical.

Sustainable fashion

Generally sustainable fashion starts with the use of some sort of  sustainable material. This can include organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or Tencel, all of which are considered more sustainable choices than conventional cotton which is grown using lots of pesticides. There are also know innovative fabrics which use reclaimed materials including plastic bottles to make clothes. Recycling or upcycling is definitely on the  up in fashion. The process of making something new from something old, be it a vintage or second hand piece or factory offcuts, seems to stimulate some amazing creativity.

Fairtrade Fashion

Fairtrade is used to describe products that have been fairly traded with farmers in developing countries. There are now a growing number of fashion companies pioneering and developing their own Fairtrade programmes which not only make use of Fairtrade cotton but also local and traditional, artisan skills such as weaving, embroidery and beading. These schemes allow workers and communities to benefit from the profits made by the clothing. There are also a number of certifications that can be held by the factories which ensure fair treatment of workers.

Vintage and second hand fashion

One of the most sustainable ways of shopping has to be shopping for vintage and second hand clothing which has virtually no carbon footprint. There is a growing movement of people who buy there clothes in this way and look amazingly stylish on it.

When deciding which ethical fashion to buy, greenwashing can be a problem. There are many companies who call themselves ethical but with little in the way of ethical credentials. The easiest way to ensure that you are shopping ethically is to look for companies who have strong ethics and practice sustainability in everything that they do.

Some ethical fashion brands also support charities by donating a percentage of their profits or turnover each month.

Image - organic cotton dress by Jackpot on Fashion Conscience.

Shoe trends fluctuate just like clothing trends and with each new season comes a whole new horde of delectable shoes to pour your feet into. So what new trends are on the horizon in 2012? 

Bright colours

Neon is one of the key colour palettes for spring/summer 2012 for both clothing and footwear. Neon colours aren’t the easiest to wear on the body, but you can quite easily incorporate the odd bit of aqua marine or citrus orange on your feet. House of Fraser has a great range of shoes online including a rather tasty pair of Karen Millen ‘fun stud peep toe’ shoes in orange (pictured).

These are fun, sexy and fresh and the bright orange colour is perfect at showing off a tan, which hopefully in just a few months you will have. This style works best on towering platform wedges, preferably with some silk or patent thrown in for good measure.

Flat platforms and wedges

Wedges are turning into a summer staple. They are easy on the feet due to the forgiving sole and large surface area in contact with the ground, but they are also light, fresh and summery thanks to the use of lightweight materials such as rope, twine, cork and canvas. However, new for this season is the flat platform or soft wedge. The heel height is kept low and there is little difference in the heel and front of the foot. The platform runs the entire length of the shoe. MTV Style perfectly showcases a range of ‘flatform’ shoes here. Brogues, Oxford and espadrilles work best for this trend and add a relaxed aura to more formal daytime looks.

Prints and patterns

Fashion has come over all tropical this season. Hawaiian style floral prints in blues, yellows and greens are definitely inspired by paradisiacal beaches and piña coladas. This trend works best when miss-matched, so don’t be afraid to play with patterns and colours. In terms of shoe styles look for round-toed or peep-toed courts with cork or wood heels to really give that tropical island feel.

Wedge-heel trainers

This trend will not be for everyone – it’s one of those you’ll either love or hate – but whatever your opinions one things for sure, this trend is going to be everywhere. 70s style sporty trainers are taken to new heights with built-in wedged heels. If you want to work this casual look but are unsure about the idea, many styles have ‘hidden’ wedges that, on first appearance, are unrecognisable. They will lengthen your legs and add some height.

We talk about fashion as an art form, modern innovation, conjuring up fresh new ideas and trends, but in many ways fashion is more about recycling. Old trends from decades past are reworked, restyled and tweaked to bring them bang up to date for a modern, new audience. This means there is a certain amount of ‘recycling’ you can do in your own wardrobe. Of course you cannot possibly keep hold of every item of clothing you’ve ever bought, unless you live in a mansion as big as Madonna’s. But you can keep your favourite, key items and work them into the latest trends hitting the global catwalks.

If you need some inspiration, we are here to help. We have scoured through the season’s top trends – of which there are many – and picked out our favourites.

First up, flapper dresses. Now it’s highly unlikely you have your own flapper dress original from the roaring twenties lying around – unless you had a very forward thinking mother or grandmother – so it’s best to buy your own now. House of Fraser has a massive range of dresses to choose from, including a stunning black flapper dress from Kaliko complete with drop waist (pictured). However, you may well have the right accessories to go with it. This season is all about clashing, bright colours and patterns and plenty of mix and match. So add some bright, colourful espadrilles and some statement, oversized jewellery verging on 90s’ rave.

Pastel colours will be everywhere in just a couple of months time. Baby soft shades of lilac, coral, powder blue and mint. This is very reminiscent of the early 90s so you may well have a baby pink crop top knocking around somewhere. Complete the look with faded or acid-wash denims and feminine feathers and lace. This is soft and feminine with just a touch of 90s street style thrown in.

Sport has partnered with the fashion industry before, but this season these two former bedfellows are rekindling their old, on-off relationship with aplomb. Think sporty fabrics of nylon and polyester mixed with luxe materials like silk and lace. Sporty tees are paired with softly tailored shorts and strappy sandals. Racer front tops add shape and form and look great with pencil skirts. A key look will be the sweatshirt and mini skirt combo. If you want more information on this sporty trend, check our Vogue.co.uk’s trend report. 

If you love reading fashion blogs, you can now get your favourite fashion bloggers style by buying some of their clothes from their blog shops. Fashion bloggers love buying new clothes but eventually their wardrobes get too full and they have to make space for even more new clothes. In the spirit of sustainability many bloggers like to ensure that their clothes go to a good home and by selling them off in their own blog shop they can help to fund their next must have item.

The great thing about shopping a bloggers second hand clothes is that you can get a pretty good idea of what they look like and how to style them just by checking out their blog. if you have been loving their style for a while buying their clothes is a great way to get it yourself but you can also mix and match to create your own unique outfit. Some bloggers also use their love and knowledge of fashion to set up their own online boutiques selling vintage and second hand clothes. Here are some of our favourite fashion bloggers shops;

1. Fashion Pearls of Wisdom

2. Margie Hearts Clothes

3. Gem Fatale

4. Live Laugh Love Fashion

5. Retro Chick

image from bellavida-pursuit.blogspot.com

Eco friendly and ethical shoes are often though of as being slightly clumpy and not at all feminine. Admittedly in the past this has sometimes been the case, have you ever struggled to find a killer pair of heels that are also kind to the environment? Thankfully all of that is changing and you can now have your cake and eat it or be style and sustainable when it comes to shoes.

Spartoo have a fantastic range of eco friendly shoes on offer, but of most interest to  me is the eco friendly high heel shoes, which are usually rare as hens teeth and very difficult to find. These are the sort of shoes that you could wear with a mini dress for a night out on the town or even with a sharp suit for work. Even better they are actually so stylish and on trend that you would never even know they were good for the planet.

One of my favourite eco brands is GreenFit. Their high heels are both beautiful and feminine. Quality natural shoes with wooden soles.

For most occasions other than work and parties, you will probably wear casual jackets and casual trousers. Yet these items of clothing can be some of the hardest items to buy. Even if you are not going any where special you can still look stylish and sophisticated in your casual clothes just by shopping carefully. There are just a few key qualities to look for in your clothes, when shopping, that will ensure you always look amazing.

Quality -even for casual clothing, quality is usually immediately apparent and will become even more so after a few washes. The better quality clothing you buy, the better it will usually hang and last.

Fit - fit is vitally important if you want to look stylish. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on a piece of clothing if it doesn’t fit properly. Don’t be fooled into thinking that casual clothing should be loose fitting and shapeless, whilst you want your casual clothing to be comfortable a good fit is also really important.

Classic Styles - classic styles of clothing are usually a good investment as they  will last for much longer than high fashion items. The classic cuts of ladies trousers and jackets are also some of the most flattering styles that you can buy.

Flattering Colours -picking the right colours of clothes can transform you from looking pale and drained to looking radiant and glowing. It is fairly easy to work out what colours look best on you just look through your wardrobe and work out which colours of outfit have won you the most compliments.

Image - blazer from Crew Clothing

Just like clothes swapping, buying vintage clothing is a great way to recycle and reduce your impact on the environment. If you are a seasoned vintage enthusiast or have never worn vintage clothing before Vintage Fashion Fair London is a great place to visit for a spot of vintage shopping.

The next fair will be held on the 5th June at Cecil Sharp House and will be open between 11am and 5pm. Usually admission fee is £3 but you can apply to win a limited number of free tickets from the website www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk.

The fair has an excellent selection of clothing, accessories and textiles from a varity of decades and the stallholders have an excellent knowledge of vintage fashion. For the summer the fair will have  a great selection of summer dresses and swimsuits.

Nanna Sandom who specialises in alterations and repairs specifically for vintage clothing will also bve attending the fair.  So if you find that ‘ must have ‘ item that requires a little tweaking then Nanna will be on hand to do this, no matter how small or large the alteration may be.

All this shopping can be tiring so revive yourselves at the pretty vintage cafe downstairs at our venue.  The Nice Green Cafe offers delicious snacks and lunches, everything is homemade on the premises with natural ingredients, and for summer a variety of unusual flavoured ice creams are on offer….mmm!

For further details visit

www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk

A fabulous pair of boots is on so many of our wish lists for Spring. The perfect footwear to compliment your trousers or skirts and allow you to look stylish but alsom combine comfort and practicality and also with a minimum impact on the environment. Sounds like a tall order, perhaps but there is plenty of choice at Spartoo so you should be able to find just what you want.

These Airstep Owen boots might be ethical but they are still really rock and roll. They re made from vegetable tanned leather so harmful chemicals have not been used in their processing. They would look great with a body con dress or skinny jeans for a great party outfit.

These Toulouse Boni Shoes by Pikolinos are ideal for wearing for work. They are smart but contemporay and exude city chic. They would look perfect with either a skirt or trouser suit for a day at the office. Another great eco brand which works on sustainable principles.

For everyday casual or wearing with jeans these Nasca fixt boots by El Naturalista are ultra stylish and incredibly comfortable. They are made using vegtable tanned leather and one pound from each sale goes to The Atauchi Project, created to support children’s education in Peru. These boots would also look great with tights and a skirt or shirt dress.

If you are looking for ethical, comfy and on trend shoes, then Sole Rebels at Spartoo are a great choice. With a colourful range of tennis shoes, trainers and boats shoes, they are practical for people who like to get out and about and active and the perfect choice for wearing with casual outfits including shorts and jeans.

For those who love to look stylish but don’t want to compromise their ethics, Sole Rebels have a great story behind them. Their company slogan is ‘Ethiopia is running’ and they help to provide employment for people in Ethiopia. Their 40 employees benefit from being paid higher than the countries minimum wage and get the chance to utilise their skills and experience.

This company was founded in 2005 by Alemu Tilahum Bethléem and is based 2,600 metres in altitude high up in the Ethiopian plains. The designs use  traditional Ethiopian fabrics and recycled tyres. Each product is handmade and the factory uses solar energy.

We love these Classact Lace ups which have a striped panel that is right on trend for SS11 but will also look stylish for many seasons to come.

These Urban Runner shoes are the perfect colour for wearing with matching jeans or a contrasting floral dress for a really funky look.

Finally I think that winter is slowly disappearing and signs of spring are beginning to show………..

This will certainly be evident at the next Vintage Fashion Fair in London on 13th March where the stall holders will be bringing their vintage collections for the warmer weather that we hope will be here soon!

 Instead of thinking of knits and furs we can turn our minds to delicate lacy tops and skirts, floral print dresses, silky dresses, wispy chiffon tea dresses the vintage range is endless…..

Many of the top designers this year are inspired by vibrant and vivid colour – this can be sourced by vintage finds from the 60′s and 70′s.

 An accessory making its name on the catwalk this season were arm bangles made in wood, plastic, metal and various other materials.  Large bangles were also popular in the 50′s so keep a look out for these on our jewellery stalls.

Denim is, as ever, making a stand again.  Search out vintage denim skirts, shirts and jackets and team up with an array of accessories - beaded necklaces interesting belts and scarves.

Our venue at Cecil Sharp House will be welcoming as ever.  To everyone that comes to the fair we are offering a free raffle draw every hour with handmade chocolates being given out to the lucky ticket holders.

Don’t forget to have a break during shopping and take advantage of the Nice Green Cafe situated downstairs in the venue.  This pretty vintage cafe serves delicious homemade snacks and lunches all with natural ingredients at very reasonable prices.

*A certain amount of free tickets are available for the fair if you go to www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk*

Entrance to the fair is £3.00. 

Open from 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.  Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 7AY