Whenever we’re about to meet with someone that’s involved in the fashion industry, we have a quick team meeting first. Those meetings go something along the lines of… “No matter how much I say that I need something, even if it’s a perfect fit, DO NOT let me buy anything. We already have too many clothes”. Then we all nod in very serious agreement, and walk into the store with our heads down, determined not to make eye contact with anything except the floor.
It’s no secret that the Adelady team has a slight shopping addiction. For us, it’s not about keeping up with trends or specific brands, but more about the story behind the clothes themselves. I can’t even count how many times we’ve walked into a store with our wallets on lock down, only to fall in love with a beautiful SA designer / business owner — and from there, we really can’t help ourselves!
While we LOVE supporting local, there’s a certain amount of guilt that comes with reckless spending, so it’s officially time to sloooooow it down a little. The Slow Fashion Movement does just that, with a focus on creating clothing in an eco, ethical and green way while lowering our carbon footprint and minimising waste. It’s something that we’re excited to learn about — and wowza, there’s a lot to take in!
Here are just some of the things we’ve stumbled upon so far…
:: Shop with ethical labels
As it turns out, there are some amazing South Aussie’s that are creating good quality clothing that will last you a lifetime, while still pumping revenue back into our local community. A couple that we know and love are Good Studios, where the designer makes all her ethical pieces right here in Adelaide. Also, a big shout out to From Found, who create garments that are made by women from refugee backgrounds, empowering them to gain skills and further their career pathways.
:: Get the skills
Why not save some money AND gain a skill, all at the same time? There are some amazing educational services in SA that can teach you how to create your own clothing or breathe some new life into existing pieces. One that leaps straight to mind is Work-Shop Adelaide, who offer a Slow Stitch Workshop that teaches the Japanese stitching methods of boro and sashiko which are both beautiful and functional.
:: It’s vintage, baby
Oh me oh my, anyone that knows me knows that this is one of my favourite pastimes — not just because I love the quirky and unique pieces that you can stumble upon, but because it’s a super cheap way to find designer pieces. There’s such a thrill in not knowing what you might find, and I always feel good knowing that a beautiful pair of shoes aren’t going straight into landfill, but instead have found themselves a new home in my closet. Some of our faves are Fox on the Run Vintage, who even tag their clothes with recycled materials, and Adelaide Vintage, partly for their amazing stock and partly for their 1950’s-inspired cafe.
:: We love a party
I’m sure I’m not the only one with a dream of bundling up all my old clothes and returning home with an entire new wardrobe. Who knew that you could turn that dream into reality at a local Clothes Swap Party! For example, head along to The Joinery and for a measly $10 you get some nibbles, some drinks, and the potential of an entire new wardrobe!
So, no more excuses! There are so many options out there for sustainable, local, and beautiful clothing that we should ALL be jumping on the bandwagon. SA already has the highest recycling rate in the nation (yaaaas!) so let’s work on incorporating that into all aspects of our life.
And if you think this is an area that you’d love to hear more about then head along to the Adelaide Fashion Festival’s SLOW Saturday presented by Karl Chehade Dry Cleaning.
A big green cheers to loving our Earth!
Millie xx
PS — if you’re looking for more “shopping inspo” (because let’s face it, we can NEVER get enough shopping inspo), then head HERE and check out some of the local Spring must-haves!
