In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.: Can you tell how ethical your clothing is by its price?

1. Tagged

Can you really tell how ethical your clothing is by its price? I do not think so. It’s such an unregulated world that I read somewhere even designer clothing that says it was 100% silk, was 50% polyester and 50% silk when they did a random check on the fibres. At this point, I am truly frustrated with the fashion industry, but also just in general.

This is partly why I buy secondhand – I am not paying full retail price, it is a higher quality garment (presumably), or item, and it keeps it out of landfills. Is it the most ethical thing if it also happens to be fast fashion or polyester? Well I am of the belief that if it kept it out of a landfill, and I got to use it, it is a non-issue. Where I have an issue is more with these “fashion” (yes I put petty little quotation marks), bloggers listing “hauls” of crappy Shein clothing (they really are the worst), or from AliBaba, of these MOUNTAINS of clothes, that make me sweat.

Fast fashion like Zara from time to time isn’t so bad per se, but the amount of clothing they churn out is just impossible to sustain. They do have some good pieces (15%), but the rest is absolute crap. The line is so blurred. Hence why, aside from abstinence, secondhand will always be the best option.

2. Dropped

Now that I have discovered a love of earrings, I am starting to really see all the possibilities of (light) earrings open up for me. Like these long feather drop ones. The only issue is obviously masks. I have to take them on and off, and it increases the risk of me pulling an earring off (though no issues, it just comes off my earlobe neatly, rather than ripping it if I had pierced ears). I have not ruled these beautiful Midnight Poppy ones out either, they look light as well. Okay last ones – these ones look like little birds, cut out of leather strips. How cute is that!?

3. Speechless

I hope this was vacation brain, because these are some of the truly dumbest things I have ever heard tourists say. I do not mean to target Americans, the article targeted them. Rest assured, I believe every country in the world has their own clueless/privileged people. And before you ask, this is what would happen If All Humans Disappeared

4. New Power Suit

Earrings became the new Power Suit in the pandemic. In Zoom calls, that’s kind of all that you see, so this makes sense. For me, I have always coveted earrings but couldn’t wear them (though now I can with these converter clips that DO NOT HURT AT ALL), I can see that if I put myself on videos at all, I would have a WARDROBE of earrings to wear on the daily. I’d even switch out to afternoon earrings, if I were on video calls!!!

5. Humanity

6. Solar flare

This is an adorable solar flare ring. Two little tiny stones, hugging your finger. Is there anything cuter?

7. BBQ

I want to eat these BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes. I am really getting into vegan/vegetarian food lately and I have noticed that stews like this, or tacos / burritos in particular, are VERY easy to eat for a vegan / vegetarian because it is mostly the guacamole, salsa, cilantro with the corn, onions, and beans that gives the most flavour punch to make your brain go “YUM!”. Sour cream is great on there too, but really, what I love is beans, guacamole and cilantro. You can also bread and fry marinated firm tofu and it tastes very similar to a kind of meaty texture.

8. Sun butter

I have found my Holy Grail of sunscreens. This sun butter is 25% zinc (which means it is effective to block out sun), it is mineral but not nano-mineral (those can slip into your bloodstream, and we do not know the long-term effects yet), it is not chemical so it will not burn my skin (they always do!), they will be LESS harmful (note I said LESS not 100% NOT harmful) to our lovely coral reefs (all waterways lead to the ocean, by the way so even if we do not live by an ocean, we have to be careful of what we put down the drain), and it comes in a RECYCLABLE TIN.

I take about 30-40 swipes to completely cover my face, and rub it in. Yes, it is a white cast on my skin, but then I do a light makeup on top to bring it back to my normal skin colour, and I am protected from the sun. They also have a tinted version that basically blends into my skin (you cannot find a better makeup match than this), and it is worth it. The small jar lasts pretty well. I think I would use a full tin every 4-6 months? I have to try it out and see how long it lasts me.