VORACIOUS

More in this magazine

• CoverP TS
• Sustainable Fashion Team, ALTR MagazineMichelle Thatcher ceo, us green chamber of commerce Ant Esi
• Voracious July 2026ABOUT US ALTR Magazine is a digital publication that aims to bring forth a new vision of how we see and interact with fashion. Like a traditional fashion magazine, we provide fashion news, style inspiration, and lifestyle tips. However, we push beyond fashion as simply an aesthetic concept or a consumer industry. We ask challenging questions about sustainability, ethics, and social and environmental justice. Questions that are not discussed frequently enough in the mainstream fashion industry.
• Page 4
• Page 5Voracious July 2026
• Page 6CONT Buy Wear Repeat
• Page 7ENTS The Hidden Cost of Western Wear 58
• Page 8BUY WEAR REPEAT ›BUY WEAR REPEAT. >BUY WEAR REPENT >BUY WEAR REPEAT BUY WEAR REPEAT
• Model: Awesome EsiDesigned by: Ant
• Page 10who are you? <tit th
• <body>I scroll through my feed and notice something mildly unsettling — every person, every city, every country looks eerily similar. The same Uniqlo boxy shirt, the same girl boss black trousers, the same neutral palette. When did dressing up stop being personal? Fashion has always been about self-expression, defining how you uniquely belong to this world and figuring out your identity. However, with social media use growing day by day and fashion becoming more accessible, it's hard to find our unique style when we're bombarded with new clothing trends every week. I have always found it hard to justify whether I should buy a piece of clothing based on price, and now, another consideration is whether the piece I buy will remain in trend. I'm sure many of us face this dilemma. Do we invest in clothes we actually like or clothes we know will get compliments from others? Especially with all the different trends, I find it hard to differentiate between clothing I actually like and clothing I force myself to like just so I can fit in with the current 'it girl' aesthetic. This makes me question whether the desires to fit into an increasingly globalized world have made individualism more accessible or act as a constraint in our journey to individuality. Here's my personal take on what it feels like to figure out my style in a world where perception matters most from a digital screen.
• Page 12LOADING... Yes
• SOCIAL MEDIA AND MICROTRENDSIn recent years, the 'it girl' aesthetic has changed from clean girl to mob wife to office siren as social media now defines what it means to portray yourself as a successful, well-organized woman with confidence and a sense of bearing about her. But success looks different for every individual, and these microtrends risk defining the expression of success as a woman too narrowly. We have to be mindful of the fine line between imposing a standardized way of expressing success and providing women a platform to proudly represent their confidence. - Ox
• SOCIAL MEDIA AND MICROTRENDSBeyond that, there is a bigger player at stake that most of us forget about: the global clothing companies that dictate what becomes the next trending piece of clothing. As per the famous Devil Wears Prada 'cerulean blue monologue,' everything worn by consumers has trickled top- down from designer runways to the everyday consumer. The consumer is not entirely at fault for wanting to consume; after all, clothing brands have made it so easy for us to access such a large variety of clothing. Who can resist a pot of gold presented to them? In fact, I argue that social media microtrends have been manufactured by companies in order to sell products. Especially with the rise of influencer marketing, brands are tapping into emotionally charged ways to reach customers by engaging with influencers we trust and respect. Thus, when our favorite influencer declares that the 'clean girl' aesthetic is no longer in trend, we scramble to hop onto the next 'it' thing, which the big companies have puppeteered our beloved influencer to echo lilah b COLOR REVIVER BALM
• THE GLOBALISEDWARDROBE Stop www.com error error error error error error error error error error error error error error error error error error error or error error error error error
• Page 16Ever seen the Uniqlo boxy shirt? Or maybe the question should be: have you ever not seen the Uniqlo boxy shirt? The boxy shirt has become the globalized uniform for men all around the world, with Uniqlo catching the world by storm with the boxy shirt's flattering shape and breathable fabric. There has not been a clothing item as popular or widespread as this shirt, nor have men put in as much effort into their style as we see right now. While it seems like every man now looks the same, is it really a bad thing? Not long ago, men were given much flak for being lazy dressers, so why are we criticizing them for looking presentable and wearing a shirt that clearly flatters any guy? I argue that the 'uniform' look is part of the journey of finding your own style because it gives you a comfortable fit to rely on if the quest for finding your style becomes exhausting. Personally, some of my guy friends have complained about how dressing up means wearing a suit, whereas dressing up can mean so many other things for women. So, let's start pushing men to care more about their individual style and being presentable ― after all, us women have had decades of stylistic freedom to do so. Images: Unsplash
• Page 17Error Error
• Page 18APPRECIATION OR APPROPRIATION? The rise of global brands incorporating design features of clothing from other cultures has taken the world by storm. In particular, the Adidas 'Tang'-inspired jacket has been part of a recent wave of Chinese culture appreciation. While it raises awareness of Chinese clothing, there is still a long way to go for these global brands in their journey of representing design elements from other cultures. Chinese fashion goes far beyond the 'Tang' jacket, which I argue is not as revolutionary an exposure to Chinese fashion as the Western media has made it seem. The 'Tang' jacket has been the most commercialized representation of Chinese fashion in the Western world for a long time, from movies to music videos to the runway. Two thousand years of Chinese fashion have been diluted for the Western world to be represented only by the 'Tang' jacket, when there are in fact so many more elements that could have been used. Let's put into perspective what the Chinese have actually incorporated in their interpretation of modern Chinese fashion, also known as 'Xin Zhōng Shì' in China. We see motifs of bamboo and hanfu elements, amongst many others, which prove that incorporation of ancient aesthetics can be done even better by global brands if they put in more effort into understanding another culture's aesthetics.
• Page 19APPRECIATION OR APPROPRIATION? In fact homegrown Chinese brands such as Li-Ning, which is named after the legendary Chinese Olympian, have already been designing clothing that incorporate elements of traditional Chinese aesthetics and design. I doubt that any non-Chinese founded brand would be better able to represent Chinese aesthetics in clothing better than Li-Ning, which is considered Chinese sporting heritage. In China, this proves to be true as Adidas's share of China's sportswear market suffered a 9% decrease between 2019 and 2023, whilst Li-Ning saw a growth of 3% in the same period, proving that locally founded brands are increasing in status amongst Chinese consumers compared to global brands. Thus, consumers should start questioning if they are buying clothing that incorporates cultural aesthetics from global brands that do not actually understand the culture they claim to appreciate.
• <body>In a way, it seems that all of us are now even more susceptible to trends dictated by global brands because of social media. What we think is an exploration of individuality has been infiltrated by brands attempting to pursue their own agenda of increasing clothing sales by framing their clothes as the next trend. Can we do anything about it? Perhaps not, but it helps to be aware that 'it girl aesthetics', 'the male uniform,' and cultural design aesthetics such as the 'Tang jacket' might be a brand's way of stimulating consumerism. That Iway, we can be more intentional about our purchasing choices despite the pressures from social media trends - and having personal intentions is, in itself, individualism. WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY:
• THE SUSTAINABLE PARTY GIRLDA ON MICROTRENDS MIRROR SPIRALS, AND MAKING. ONE OUTFIT FEEL NEW FIVE NIGHTS IN A ROW
• Page 22M D
• Page 23You look into your closet: piles of tops, a few pairs of jeans, dresses for specific nights, and pieces you have barely touched since buying them. You already wore this this semester, and this, and this... maybe you need to go shopping. Except you don't. The problem is not that you have nothing to wear. It is that fashion has trained you to experience repetition as lack. With rapidly changing microtrends, that shirt you had to have becomes "out" before it even lands on your doorstep. We joke about the pregame outfit spiral, but it does something to your brain. Getting ready can feel less like self-expression and more like performance.
• Page 24This is not about villainizing women for participating in the world we live in. It is about separating the fun of going out from the pressure to keep buying for it: laughing with your girls, flirting with the cutie you locked eyes with from across the bar, while opting out of the part that quietly eats your closet alive. new, things on, and starting
• Page 25Society has a way of framing women as the issue in problems they did not create. That is deflection. The real villain in this cycle is an industry dependent on disposability, one that sells short-lived newness as empowerment and quietly counts on your closet anxiety to keep the machine fed. For each event, for each new theme, there seems to be a need for another five-dollar shirt from whatever fast fashion brand is trending. But the desire that sold the shirt will fade faster than the shirt itself can be washed, while the garment remains destined to linger as waste far longer than any trend cycle. That contrast should haunt us.
• Page 26And "decay" isn't only metaphorical. One of the strongest and least talked about reasons clothes leave our lives is that they fail. Seams splitting, zippers breaking, fabric issues, and garments losing shape. Sometimes it is even more obvious than that. Unfinished hems. Wonky, rushed stitching. Thin fabric that pills before you have even had a chance to fall in love with it. This means a piece can leave your closet even if you still like it. 8
• Page 27This is where the teeth show. The market sells clothes that don't survive the lifestyle they're marketed for. Going out clothes are often synthetic-heavy and built for the moment, not for longevity. Stretch. Sheen. Low cost. Then we act surprised when they don't last. And when synthetic heavy clothing becomes waste, it's not just "trash." The apparel industry is a significant source of plastic leakage, with synthetic clothing becoming mismanaged waste. So the one- night outfit isn't just a personal purchase. It's a pipeline.
• Page 28Repeating is not failure. It becomes part of your signature. "New"
• Page 29T To make that kind of shared, personal wardrobe possible, it helps to start with a few pieces strong enough to live many lives. The goal is to love everything in your closet. Choose one core garment that can survive a real night out and still feel good the next week. Something you can dance in, sit in, wash, and rewear without it losing its shape or falling apart. When your closet has a solid capsule collection, you stop shopping in a panic and start building looks with intention.
• Page 30Now that you have your core collection of wardrobe essentials, clip-on embellishments, scarves, safety pins, and fashion tape are your best friends. Part of styling is getting creative with what you already have. Small details can change the entire vibe of your outfit. Even switching your bag or jewelry can take you from sweet to sharp, from casual to polished, from day to night. If you are feeling uninspired, that is okay. Ask a friend. They might see a combination you missed, or they might have a piece you can borrow that makes your look feel new without buying anything. Tailoring and small repairs matter here, too, because they keep your anchor pieces in rotation. It is important to develop a relationship with our clothes so they are not so disposable.
• Page 31Back in front of the mirror, keep the fun. Keep the music, keep the pregame, keep the girls, keep the thrill of stepping into a night that matters more than the outfit. Just do not let a system built on disposability convince you that repeating is a failure. Let your style be voracious, not your consumption. WRITTEN BY ABBY
• Page 32
• Confessions of a... Recovering MaximalistI used to be a very mindless consumer when it came to my personal care products. My medicine cabinet was overflowing with various serums, toners, and acne patches. My shower shelves were consumed by plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. And eyeshadows, concealers, and foundation products spilled out of my vanity drawers and makeup bags. These consumption habits were always something that I felt pretty ashamed of. I couldn't stand looking at the dozens of half-empty products under my bathroom sink or the collection of expired mascara tubes that I have accumulated over the years. And every time I threw out another shampoo or conditioner bottle, only to order another container on Amazon, I felt a little queasy.
• Page 34Early last year, I got to thinking on how I could personally lessen my contribution to these environmental crises. After doing a quick google search, I realized that one of the most interesting and effective ways to live more sustainably would be to transition my beauty and personal care routine to zero-waste products. Written & modeled by Chelsea
• Page 35I used to own a myriad of somewhat unnecessary items like detangler sprays, eyebrow gels, bath bombs, and sugar scrubs. After taking a hard look at my bathroom drawers, I realized these products served no real purpose in my routine. My hair is not tangly enough to justify a detangling spray, my eyebrows did not need any gel to keep them in place, I rarely took enough baths to warrant collecting bath bombs, and I could easily exfoliate with a sponge rather than a sugar scrub. After this realization, I decided to substantially reduce the number of products I owned to just a handful of essentials. And by doing this, not only did I free up some room in my bathroom cupboards, but I also had peace of mind knowing I was lowering my ecological impact.
• Page 36There are also numerous brands that use a return-and-reuse system, where customers can return product packaging so the business can reuse the container. Some examples include the UK-based brand UpCircle, Lush, Kiehl's, and Aveda. Another option for zero-wasters is refill systems, where you can buy the product and packaging once and refill your product at in-store locations or online. Many major beauty retailers, like Sephora and Ulta, offer refillable products that help consumers reduce waste and save money. Beyond adopting a more minimalistic approach to my beauty routine and prioritizing sustainable packaging, I also started caring more about what exactly is going into each of my products, as many beauty-related ingredients often inflict serious harm to our ecosystems.
• Page 37My last step towards cultivating a more sustainable beauty collection has been researching companies' animal-testing policies. I was shocked by the sheer number of companies that still test on animals before bringing their products to market. Animal testing has been widely considered unethical, inaccurate, inefficient, and expensive, so it is essential that we, as consumers, boycott brands that continue to utilize these methods. When I am buying a new product, I usually look out for the Leaping. Bunny certification or PETA's Beauty without Bunnies to ensure that no animals were used at any stage of product development. future.
• DO KHMLIKE
• NODI NO SALEFOR E
• Page 40Saltwater crocodiles have been bestowed the honor of being one of the most voracious creatures on Earth. Of course, their appetite pales in comparison to our own, our teeth metaphorically sharper and our pallets eternal salivating. For many years, individuals on all sides of the political spectrum have desperately tried to untangle humans from our animal brethren. Their attempts to snip away our intrinsic connection to nature to achieve their goals, whether it be “protection” from us to exploitation in the name of domination. This destruction is in vain, our connection will remain due to the unshakeable fact that we are all related. Descending from the same source that the smallest mouse and the largest elephant derive from.
• Page 41Photo by LexScope on Unsplash more than grillz gold, grit and history
• Page 42What was once a respected form of expression became stigmatized under colonial rule. Yet despite these efforts, such practices did not disappear, they adapted, resurfaced, and found new meanings. Grillz, as we understand them today, re-emerged most prominently within Black diasporic communities. In the 1970s, parts of the West Indies, particularly Jamaica, experienced economic hardship that limited access to dental care. Gold teeth became both a practical solution and a symbol of resourcefulness. Figures like Eddie Plein helped pioneer techniques for removable gold crowns, laying the foundation for modern grillz culture. As the style evolved, jewelers like Johnny Dang and Dolly Cohen helped bring grillz into the global spotlight, where they became embedded in hip-hop culture as visible markers of success, wealth, and self-definition. For many Black children, memories of molding foil over their teeth to imitate grillz reflect an early engagement with this cultural form; playful, imaginative, and deeply symbolic. I was one of those children. I knew that when I graduated, the way I wanted to commemorate my experience was through grillz, something enduring, something archival.
• Page 43
• Photo by Olumide Adekunle on UnsplashThrough this lens, grillz become more than adornment. They are a language, one that communicates identity, resilience, and belonging. Whether marking a milestone like graduation or expressing cultural connection, grillz carry meaning beyond aesthetics. The journey of grillz is one of preservation, resistance, and survival, one that reflects the Black experience. They are not simply fashion statements but cultural artifacts, living symbols that carry histories of wealth, power, and creativity across generations. In a society that often pressures marginalized communities toward assimilation, grillz insist on visibility. Getting grillz became, for us, a celebration of perseverance and resistance. Through further reflection, I understand grillz as a form of cultural sustainability. They are not static relics of the past but dynamic expressions that continue to adapt while maintaining their cultural significance.
• CitationsEffendy, Vanessa, and Zengrui Xiao. "How Does Cultural Sustainability Promote Fashion Consumers' Purchase Intention?" Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 5, 2025, p. 2034. ProQuest.
• GardenParty A collection by Abby Yheaulon
• Page 47
• Page 48Before Garden Party became a collection, it was a pile of fabric with too much history to throw away. The collection is made entirely from secondhand materials: deadstock denim, vintage buttons, thrifted textiles, inherited jewelry supplies, and scraps pulled from my university's resource room before they could be forgotten. A large part of the fabric was given to me by an older woman whose mother had been a seamstress in the 1970s, which meant I was not just working with "sustainable materials." I was working with someone else's archive.
• Page 49
• Page 50
• Page 51
• Page 52O O
• Page 53The photoshoot took place at the MSU Horticulture Gardens and the MSU Children's 4- H Garden, two spaces that made the collection feel like it had found its natural setting. The garden became more than a pretty backdrop. It became part of the story. Gardens are places where care becomes visible. Things are planted, tended, cut back, rearranged, and allowed to grow again. That felt like the right place for clothing made from materials that had also been waiting for another chance. In the same way a garden is built through layers of soil, weather, labor, and time, Garden Party is built from layers of fabric, memory, and reuse.
• Page 54
• Page 55
• Page 56
• Page 57
• Page 58Designer: Abby Yheaulon
• Page 59
• Page 60Q 02
• Page 61ARGEN DeLalla
• Page 62I have spent a majority of my life on the East Coast. Being born and raised on the Jersey Shore, vacationing in the small towns of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and eventually moving up to the Bronx for college, I rarely find the time to venture beyond my Northeast bubble. That was until this past May, when I had the opportunity to volunteer with a Montana-based nonprofit dedicated to conserving the American bison population, a topic that I have always felt passionate about. So in spite of my strong East Coast roots, I traveled across the country to the Pacific Northwest, landing in the Bozeman airport on a Thursday afternoon. As I stepped off the plane, I was greeted by dangling elk-antler wall decor, wood-burning fireplaces, and gift shops that sold anything and everything huckleberry. It was a dramatic departure from the modern water fixtures and Dunkin' Donuts of LaGuardia Airport.
• Page 63Though I mostly grew up around the Northeastern fashion trends of New York and Jersey, I have always admired the fashion of the American West. Staples of Western wear---leather boots, straight-leg jeans, and wide-brimmed hats---have caught my eye since I started becoming interested in clothes. I will admit, of course, my fascination with these pieces is hardly out of the ordinary. Western style has made a massive resurgence in recent years. Though western pieces these have been worn by our nation's ranchers and cowboys since the 19th century, they continue to be popularized and reimagined by designers, influencers, and brands today.
• Page 64range. Long before Western wear became a runway trend, it served as practical attire for people who lived in the American West. Cowboys relied on durable garments that could withstand rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions. Brands like Levi's and Wrangler jeans were originally made with the intent of surviving years of ranch work, while Tecovas and Ariat boots were designed for herding cattle and working outside. Many of these pieces, such as boots, belts, hats, and jackets, have also traditionally relied on animal-derived materials to provide the durability and longevity needed for life on the Understanding the origins of Western fashion also means understanding the industries that produced it. Leather, wool, and other animal-based materials that define Western styles are often produced in the same regions where the fashion originated through the ranching and livestock industries.
• Page 65A V Cattle ranching remains deeply embedded in the West, wielding large influence over local land, politics, and culture. There exist millions of cattle grazing on public lands with nearly 20,000 cattle ranches in the 11 primary western states. When I traveled to Montana this past May, I felt somewhat surrounded by field upon field, often outnumbered by the herds of roaming cattle.
• Page 66When I slip on my favorite pair of knee-high boots, I rarely think about the cow that was killed for their hide or the sprawling ranch that helped produce it. Yet, despite my efforts to psychologically distance the cattle from my closet, ranching practices and leather products are deeply interwoven. Though many argue that leather is merely a byproduct of the meat and dairy industries, buying leather- based goods is funneling money towards the cattle industry and contributing to the broader environmental challenges associated with it. To avoid supporting these unsustainable practices, the best option for consumers would be to forgo leather goods altogether and direct one's money towards more eco-friendly industries. I myself stopped buying leather products a couple of years ago, opting for vegan leather handbags, faux leather knee- high boots, and second-hand options if I am lucky.
• Page 67Along with vegan and faux leather, another exciting alternative is lab-grown leather. Lab- grown leather is produced by cultivating animal cells in a lab to produce artificial animal hides. This allows scientists to take harmless skin biopsies from cattle to produce leather products, which avoids the factory farming process altogether. While many vegan leathers are petroleum-based, lab-grown leather is biodegradable and has an identical chemical composition to cattle-raised leather products, providing an authentic and durable alternative to traditional leather products. There are many biotech companies that are currently exploring this space. This includes Faircraft, a French biotech startup, and Modern Meadow, a startup based out of New Jersey. Many notable brands are also jumping on the bandwagon, with Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent's parent company Kering investing in the California biotech startup VitroLabs. Some companies are even experimenting with the DNA of other animals, with the label Enfin Levé creating the world's first T-Rex leather handbag by reconstructing fossilized dinosaur collagen DNA. So while factory farming practices have perpetuated numerous environmental crises across the country, these leather alternatives could stand as formidable forces to lessen or eliminate the industry.
• Page 68ecosystems. When I look back on my trip out west, I no longer think about those plaid button-downs and heeled cowboy boots at the airport. Now, my mind tends to wander to the millions of acres of grasslands that those styles were born from. Fashion plays such an integral part of the American West, but it also shows how the industries have shaped those landscapes.
• with ObsessionMy Collection
• Page 70cheaper than therapy
• Page 71
• Page 72God, I love necklaces. And bracelets. And earrings. In my world, nothing is complete without a piece of metal strung up somewhere in my outfit. The euphoric feeling of perfecting a necklace stack so impeccable it takes a look from a 6 to a 10.
• Page 730.
• Page 74My maternal grandmother's collection kick- started it, finding stability after fleeing a dictatorship caused her to stack up a mighty collection of costume jewelry. My mother followed suit, her love of earrings distracting her from her experience as an immigrant in a new country. While me? I inherit both an insane collection and a need to hoard more. fear.
• Page 75
• Page 76L
• Page 77W
• Page 78I feel guilty for keeping an expansive collection, it goes against so many of my values of sustainability. I know I should be better, but I also know that my jewelry makes me who I am. I toe a razor thin line of overconsumption and individuality constantly, I hope one day I can be better. Maybe I'm working towards that day, maybe not. So for now I collect... and collect...
• Page 79Written, shot & designed by Alexis Emch
• The Art of SHOPPING YOUR FAMILY'S CLOSETWritten by Amalia Harris EGMANN shre 1888
• Page 81how did it begin? Awaiting me at home after my freshman year of college were seemingly endless piles of used clothes to pick through. My family had spent the last year putting aside pieces of unwanted clothing for me to sort through before donating them, leaving me with a treasure trove of once-loved silky scarves and cotton sweaters facing my unrestrained greed.
• #1 learn its story2345659 Every item of used clothing has a story; take the time to listen to it. Unlike clothes bought from donation centers, these pieces were worn by your family. Every piece of second-hand clothing has lived a long life full of stories that make it even more meaningful, offering you a rare opportunity to learn.
• Page 83PAUL C
• Page 84Tip #2 break your rules
• Page 85In a pile of hand-me-downs from my aunt, I discovered a circular wooden pendant with a large floral white design. Initially, I tossed it aside, dismissing it as much flashier than any piece of jewelry I would pick out myself. But after sifting through the pile, the loose pendant lay idly on the floor, begging me to try it on. More to amuse myself than anything, I held the pendant to my neck. To my surprise, it wasn't as hideous as I had been expecting. I decided to give it a try, knowing my aunt would happily take it back if I changed my mind.
• Page 8644 A #3 rework it
• Page 87Last fall, while fruitlessly moping about my lack of well-fitting jeans, my mother brought me her old pair of low-waisted bootcut Mudd jeans. When I tried them on, I nearly jumped up and down with excitement. They were the most perfect pair I had ever laid my eyes on. They were hand-me-downs my mother received over 30 years ago, and were now being passed on to me. get For the following 6 months, I wore the jeans as much as I could away with, but their age began creeping up on me. Even the slightest force would cause a tear, causing my most prized possession to disintegrate before me. As the gaping holes became unnoticeable, I knew I had to do something. After collecting old lace and crocheted doilies from my grandmother's collection and various flea markets, I got to work. I carefully sewed lace patches under each ripped knee, upscaling it into an item I now love even more.
• give it a chanceNow is the time to experiment. When borrowing clothes from your family, you are relieved of the burden of high prices or the hassle of returns. If you decide the piece doesn't work for you, it can easily be put back in your family's closet or donation pile. Trying a new style is often a risky investment, but borrowing provides the perfect chance to test out clothing and creative with fashion, risk-free. get
• 2. & for their les 47... for myAlthough I had always appreciated the eclectic 70s bohemian style on others, it was never something I felt comfortable enough to try. I worried it was too much of a statement, something to be reserved for a music festival or Halloween costume. Yet as my grandmother stubbornly tied it through my hair, I entertained the possibility that I could pull it off. Although it was never an item I would feel brave enough to choose for myself, it dawned on me that this was the perfect opportunity to try it. This seemed like chance to take a risk and wear an item despite my fears, because why should a piece of clothing scare me?
• Page 90Tip #5 be decisive
• BUNDESPOSTROP 20
• final thoughtsLooking back at the mountain of hand-me-downs patiently waiting for me to pick through, I am grateful I didn't mindlessly accept it all. Instead of letting the clothing be left unworn, I chose only the pieces which I would appreciate the most. The remaining clothes I passed on to other friends and family, or donated to find a better home. Hand-me-downs aren't just a budget-friendly alternative to shopping, they are an opportunity to be creative, connect with others, and minimize consumption. Every borrowed sundress and t-shirt provides the chance to appreciate fashion while extending the life of a garment. In the current era of endless consumption, sometimes your next favorite item is already waiting in someone else's closet. POST credits
• THE HUNT FOR AUTHENTICITY'It's day one to the launch of my brand, I'm sooo excited to share this with everyone..' I bet you've seen at least one video of a micro-influencer announcing the launch of their 'unique' personal clothing brand because they were sick of being unable to find clothes that suit their style. Yet, some of these brands have recently been outed for dropshipping their clothes from fast fashion platforms such as Taobao and Shein. So how do we know if we are actually consuming consciously or duped into thinking we are? In theory, purchasing from a small business sounds great, you get thoughtfully designed clothing whilst being more sustainable because these small brands usually produce less or are made-to- order. There is no doubt that if executed with well intention, these small clothing brands are the answer to expressing individuality whilst reducing clothing waste. However, the small clothing brand industry has been dirtied by brand owners whose aim is to make a quick buck by taking advantage of style arbitrage from fast fashion platforms. So, how do we identify small brands actually promote conscious consumption?
• WACKY WEARSAuthentically unique and original designs Own Four Pic
• Mode MischiefLeaning into sustainable production Unique designs and sustainable production practices often come hand in hand. For most small businesses that produce their own collections, the founders are intentional with the amount of stock they keep, or even use the pre-order method to determine how much they should stock. These two production methods are not only practical for a smaller scale business, but also show a brand's commitment to reducing fabric wastage.
• CRISTRIYLastly, look for brands that focus on encouraging conscious consumption rather than compulsive spending. Traditional fast fashion/mainstream brands rarely produce multifunctional clothing because they want you to BUY MORE whereas small brands that are truly sustainable focus on how their clothing can serve you throughout your different style changes throughout your lifetime. Therefore, you will tend to find basic pieces that incorporate a touch of the brand's identity as the designers want you to wear their clothes for a long while. Ghostboy, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, embodies the spirit of rebellion and individuality in their designs. With a focus on 'a curiosity to subvert normality', Ghostboy's designs are multifunctional which fits their target audience, the youths who maximise life. Their bestsellers such as the 'Reverent' Maxi skirt also doubles as a dress, and the 'Amity' top can be styled in different ways using the many hook and eye fastenings.
• SATURN LA FUNCTIONAL MULTIPURPOSE CLOTHINGOn that note, this logic also applies to small brands that target a very specific audience such as Saturn LA, which focus mainly on climbing apparel. By targeting a niche audience, it shows that the brand is dedicated to optimising their clothing for their audience as they put in research to understand the features that their audience would appreciate. Saturn LA's clothing and accessories have features specific to what climbers would need, such as the 'Pleated Climb Pants' and the 'Saturn Carabiner' which features a unique locking system with keys. Saturn's apparel provides climbers the perfect clothing that can simultaneously be worn on the streets and to pursue their hobby, creating convenience for their wearers. Perfect! Now you're all equipped to discover your favourite small brand, because shopping sustainably isn't just about shopping less, it is also about shopping consciously, and there's no better way than finding clothes that you feel comfortable in, actually saves the planet and suits your lifestyle.
• Page 98Perfect! Now you're all equipped to discover your favourite small brand, because shopping sustainably isn't just about shopping less, it is also about shopping consciously, and there's no better way than finding clothes that you feel comfortable in, actually saves the planet and suits your lifestyle. So now... 'THE HUNT
• FAST FASHIONAbby Yheaulon You're using she/her pronouns
• Page 100HOW DO WE FALL IN LOVE IN THE AGE OF DISPOSABILITY? There is something strange about how dating starts now. You sit on your bed, or on the couch, or in line somewhere half-bored, and sort through people with your thumb. It does not feel all that different from online shopping. The same scroll. The same quick judgment. The same little rush when something catches your eye. Another face, another outfit, another possibility. It all feels close, easy, and weirdly disposable.
• Page 101id est laborum. clit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididon
• Page 102-ectetur adipi milie della Nave Audito lit, sed do eiusmod te Dating apps also change the way people present themselves. You are not just being yourself. You are trying to make yourself readable in seconds. Attractive, but not trying too hard. Funny, but not embarrassing. Interesting, but still easy to understand. Fashion slips right into that process. Clothes stop being just clothes and start acting like shorthand. They tell people what kind of girl you are supposed to be before you even speak.
• Page 103_ str ne he cause its hold. while ropes cured, and the beast was secure ragged into the pr here it was firm ed up by the kee The poor boy was by Stewart, the ficer, in a state o affering with two acerated wounds arm and right side face and was "They are built to keep you consuming." And after a while, that does something to your brain. When you are constantly fed curated, edited images of other people, you start looking at yourself the same way. You begin to see yourself from the outside, like a profile, like a product, like something being compared against a thousand other options. Dating apps intensify that feeling because desirability starts to seem measurable. Fast fashion intensifies it too, since it keeps offering little fixes. A new top, a new aesthetic, a new version of you that might finally get it right. But that satisfaction never really lasts, because these systems are not built to satisfy you. They are built to keep you consuming.
• Page 104That is why I argue this is a sustainability issue, even if it does not appear like one at first. It is not just about overbuying, though that is part of it. It is about the mindset underneath all of it. If you are taught to always crave the next thing, then it gets harder to value repetition, attachment, or patience. Wearing the same look too often can start to feel lazy. Staying with one version of yourself can feel like falling behind. Sustainable fashion asks us to push against that, not just by buying less, but by questioning why constant newness has come to feel so necessary in the first place. "It is about the mindset underneath all of it."
• Page 105proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt molli consectetur adipiscing eli Maybe that is the real connection between fast love and fast fashion. Both are shaped by platforms that make endless options look like freedom while quietly making satisfaction harder to reach. Both flatten complicated things into quick choices. Both reward surfaces that can be understood immediately. And both keep us chasing the feeling that the next thing might finally be the right one
• Page 106CONSUMING COMFORT: How Moving 8,000 Miles Taught Me That No Amount of Shopping Could Fill the Gap
• I. THE APPETITE AWAKENSSeattle greets you with rain that isn't really rain— more like the sky weeping in slow motion. But that's not what steals your breath when you land. It's the cold-dampness that crawls under your skin and makes a home in your bones, turning the 80-degree Bangalore warmth into something that only exists now in the phantom limb of memory. I was eighteen years old, carrying two suitcases and a hunger I didn't yet have words for.
• CONSUME™IDENTITY CO. - EST. THE MOMENT YOU LANDED 8,000 MILES FROM HOME
• Page 109see. III. THE EMPTY PLATE
• Page 110
• Page 111
• Page 112ALTR CIOS