Green is the New Black: An Info Guide for Fashionistas

About a week ago I read an article about consumerism. Basically the author was suggesting that in order to be sustainable you should stop purchasing. Anything. My response was that this is an unreasonable request. This may work for some people but it isn't practical for the majority. Being green should be an attractive lifestyle to all kinds of people. I think the more important lesson for the green fashionista is to be conscience of WHAT your buying and both the quality and quantity of these items.

In Greening Your Home Part 1 (Big Purchases) and Part 2 (Decorating), I talk about learning your personal style for home decor instead of following every current trend. The same applies to your wardrobe and this an info guide for all you fashionistas because green is the new black (I always love in books or movies when a character says the title).

Make the cuts

The first step to a greener wardrobe is to edit it. I don't mean get rid of everything that isn't made of sustainable materials and replace these things with pieces that are more environmentally-friendly. That would be the opposite of green. What I mean is find the time to look at every article of clothing that you own. Assign a spot on the floor for YES and a spot for NO.

Look at each item carefully; try them on if you need to. Ask yourself:

• Do I like this item?
• Does it look good on me?
• Do I feel good while wearing this?
• Is it torn or have holes?
• Can I fix it within a week?
• Do I dread seeing someone while wearing this?
• Do I only wear it on laundry day?

If you haven't worn something for a year, you probably don't need it anymore. Some things (a wedding or bridesmaids dress, Halloween costumes, etc.) are exceptions. If you can't think of a good reason to keep something, don't! Put it in the NO pile and get it out of your life.

I don't believe in MAYBE piles. I always end up keeping everything and it's just a waste of time trying to kid yourself. Give yourself clear guidelines about what stays and what goes, and stick to them. Purging your wardrobe is oddly satisfying.

Develop a Shopping Strategy

If you have a game plan before you leave your house about how you plan to shop you will be more likely to keep on the righteous path toward green (I'm officially a green crusader after that statement). Here are a few tips that might help you on your journey.

• Always keep at least one reusable shopping bag by your front door or in your car. There is so much information about the evils of both plastic and paper bags but this post has neither the time nor the space so in the meantime you'll have to take my word for it. When asked if you want paper or plastic always respond by saying, "Neither, I care about my planet and have brought my own bag." Or something along those lines.
• Make a list and stick to it. If you make a list you will (hopefully) only include the things you really need, and you will resist the urge to go shopping out of boredom. Think of all the things you can do with your time now. Also, by sticking to the list you won't be caught off guard by those strategically placed items that stores are so good at setting up in order to encourage you to buy on impulse.
• Opt for organic or sustainable materials. As I mentioned in Greening Your Home Part 2, conventional cotton  farming practices are the most pesticide-intensive in the world. Organic cotton is more expensive but is also more luxurious and used in better quality clothing, which means you won't have to buy clothes as often. Silk, cashmere, and wool are all sustainable materials, linen and hemp come from plants that even when not grown organically require very little treatment with pesticides.
• Consider vintage, consignment and thrifting. Now I could go on for pages about how much fun I find thrift stores (and I probably will at some point, so look forward to that). But the main thing you should take away from this post today is that clothes that are used require no additional energy to manufacture, the energy is already used and gone. Also you won't be wearing the same outfit as a hundred other people.

Some e-cards is really helping me tell a story today. They just really understand my life.

• Don't get suckered by sales. Sales are a clever ploy to get you to buy things you don't need. There is a sale for every occasion: Father's Day, Labor Day, After-Christmas, 4th of July. I know when you look at that label for 75% off it can be tempting, but just because you can get a brand-new shower head that also brews coffee for $19.95 doesn't mean you need it.
• Treat everyone you come across with respect. No matter where you are shopping or what you are buying, everyone deserves  to be treated with dignity, respect and friendliness. If you are unhappy about a policy or product, the people you come in contact with are not to blame.

Where to Buy

Now is the time I give you a list of the places you should be making purchases from. This list comes from A Better World Handbook and is ranked based on five factors: Human Rights, The Environment, Animal Protection, Community Involvement and Social Justice. They also have a Shopping Guide.

• A Companies - are social and environmental leaders
• B Companies - tend to be mainstream companies taking social/environmental responsibility seriously
• C Companies - have either mixed social and environmental records or insufficient data to rank them
• D Companies - engage in practices that have significant negative impact on people and the planet
• F Companies - have the worst social and environmental records