Recently I found this cute little company on Instagram called Moby Thrift, they are a clothing shop run by the cutest, nicest couple and you can read more about them and their mission here. The thing is, I love thrifting, I love picking through racks and finding that 1 in a million piece, but it takes soooo much time and definitely is not for everybody. That’s one of the things that’s so great about Moby Thrift, they take all of the work out of painstakingly picking through rack and you just get to shop the great finds. They make thrift shopping feel like regular online shopping and I love that.
I’ve been looking into fast fashion a lot lately and I’m horrified with what I’ve learned. Hopefully I can help educate you a little and we can be horrified together. First off, it’s trap that is so easy to fall into. Clothes from places like forever 21, H&M, and Zara are made poorly and are not only not supposed to last, but are meant to go out of fashion quickly so that you are always buying more. They trick you into thinking you are saving money with small price tags and constant sales but it’s lie, they’re really just tricking you into consuming more (I learned this while working retail in high school & I was pissed).
Second, it’s ruining lives and our planet. For clothing companies it’s all about finding the cheapest way to make the clothes, fabric can come from one country, get cut in a another country, sewn in yet another and so on. Making our clothes cross several oceans before ever reaching us. Plus all the toxic chemicals it takes to dye the material, and the tremendous amount of fresh water that is used and wasted during the dying process. It’s estimated that the fashion industry alone is responsible for 10% of the worlds carbon footprint. Worse than that, the fashion industry is the 2nd highest polluter of fresh water. Not to mention the working conditions and sweat shops these clothes are made in is appalling. Child and forced labor, with low minimum wages ($2 a day) that systematically holds people in developing countries in poverty.
Consumers throw away, THROW AWAY, an estimated 55-85 pounds of clothing per year. A lot of that clothing is made with polyester (a man made plastic fabric) that does not biodegrade. Which is why we have landfills full of textile waste.
I was shocked, shook if you will, when I found all of this out. I wanted to know what I could do better. After researching a little I found the easiest ways to start is by, looking up and buying from ethical brands, donating my clothes (and not throwing them away), and thrifting. I know I will probably still buy things from places like Forever 21, Zara, and H&M, but I want to do that as little as possible. I want to make positive changes to my shopping habits while still being able to enjoy fashion-
Which is why I love Moby, they makes thrift shopping so easy. Personal style is so important to me. I hate seeing other people wearing the same clothes as me!! Shopping second hand basically eliminates that. It also pushes you to cultivate your own unique style, not just blindly follow trends, plus it’s so much friendlier on your wallet, AND IT HELPS THE PLANET!!!
If you still need convincing that thrift shopping is cool, here some of the to-die-for pieces I found on Moby Thrift:
This DRESS ($10)! is so perfect, it’s modest enough for church but casual enough for the everyday, which is the best kind of dress. It’s floral in a good way (if you’re from Utah county I think you know what I mean by that).
I’m not typically that girl who follows trends but lately I’ve been all about the bandanna/scarf trend. I like it, I love it, I can’t get enough of it. This vintage ascot ($7) is straight out of my pinterest dreams.
Finding a maxi skirt that isn’t too long for my short little legs is a struggle, but this baby wins! I usually don’t wear a lot of color but this skirt ($5) really pushes me out of my black-white-gray-denim comfort zone and I love that.
I’ve been looking for faux glasses ($7) for years, but I’ve never been able to find ones that I like, until now, the search is finally over! Woot woot!
As a girl with a big booty and small waist I had almost given up on my dreams of owning a leather skirt. Ordering this skirt ($12) was a L E A P of faith and I was almost positive there was no way in hell it would fit. BUT HERE WE ARE!! Life is sooo good.
I could honestly post another blog post dedicated just to these shoes ($12). They are the most perfect pair of shoes to ever enter my life! Suede, emerald green, pointed toe, they are actual perfection. They’re an 8.5 and I typically wear a 7.5 or 8 so they’re a little big on me, but I DON’T CARE. #worthit.
I hope you learned something new, and maybe feel a little inspired to start consuming smarter. Don’t forget to check out Moby Thrift, as you can see they have amazing stuff.
*p.s. not sponsored just really love their company and what they stand for*
Thanks for reading
-Jess♥
Site Title 