The Conscious Closet

The Conscious Closet

Adult nonfiction
"If you want to change the world, there's no better place to start
than with the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet. I'm
not being dramatic. I believe it to my core. A look at the facts:
Apparel is a 2.5-trillion-dollar business that holds up 3 percent of
the global economy and employs hundreds of millions of people around
the world, mostly young women.
Clothes are our most personal and universal possession. I bet
you're wearing the stuff right now."
In 2011 when Elizabeth Cline's Overdressed: The Shockingly High
Cost of Cheap Fashion came out the environmental and human cost of
what most of us wear were not on many people's radars. Since then
there has been a gradual awakening. Now many of us want to
incorporate our new awarenesses into our fashion statements. But how?
Luckily Cline has come to the rescue with The Conscious Closet:
The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good. If you want
to reform your shopping habits, consider this your fashion Bible. It
takes readers from where they are to where they want to be and beyond.
The first step is a cleanout with explicit instructions on
discovering what out of all you have makes you look and feel good and
what just takes up space. There is a lot of information on the most
earth friendly ways of disposing of unwanted items and a column on
used-clothes etiquette. A chapter is dedicated to how to hold a
clothing swap. The bulk of the book is dedicated to ways of
conscientiously adding to your wardrobe. There is a very important
section on laundering and mending. The book ends with information on
how to take your newly found activism to the next level.
The book is not one size fits all. Cline takes into account
that we differ widely along body types, personal styles, and
employment and social situations. There is also no shaming and blaming.
I learned a lot by reading the book. I suspect you will too.
It's a very affordable paperback that will come in handy whether you
want to do a full wardrobe revamping or meet a more modest goal.
On a purrrsonal note, I am not and never have been (except for a short
term infatuation for Bobby Jack--yes, the monkey with attitude--
apparel) a retail shopper. In the past decade I've bought three
things (other than underwear) first hand: a pair of jeans for Eugene
before he saw the light on thrifting, my school program jacket which
was unavailable any other way, and the most adorable cat hoodie evah.
I know how to use needle and thread to extend the use of garments.
Not long after Cline's first book came out a sustainable fashion
store opened in downtown Bangor. I made a visit, willing to buy fewer
things and pay more if it would make a difference. I didn't get to
look at the price tags. The garments seemed to say, hi. I'm an
investment banker who plays golf for fun. Let's go chill in the
clubhouse.
No cats! No unicorns! No glitter! No sequins! Only the most
bland and innocuous of colors and styles!
Basically no me!
So I'm sticking to shopping thrifts, yard sales and clothing
swaps, dumpster diving, laundering in clothes friendly ways, and
weilding needle and thread when necessary. I have awesome cat pajamas
I'll mend when I find the right sized zipper.
My friends and I are going to have a really super clothes swap
this autumn. Those are the most awesome clothes recycling events
because they're so social. Since it will be close to my birthday I
think I'll do some baking and let them all eat cake. (Jules)
I refuse to wear clothes. I am not one of those cats who lets herself
get dressed for Halloween or Christmas. No need to. I have my own
purrrfect fur coat. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who buy and sell cool used
clothes and keep them out of ladnfills.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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