Books
The World Is On Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes, by Alec Leach
“We know fashion is bad for the planet, so why are we still shopping? As a former fashion editor for streetwear publication Highsnobiety and the founder of sustainable fashion platform @future__dust, I feel like I'm in a good place to figure that out. I wrote this book to explain why we love to shop so much, how fashion keeps us hungry for more, and the tricks it plays to cover up its true impact on the planet. It's a journey touching on consumerism, sneaker hype, greenwashing, Karl Marx, mindfulness and everything in between. The result is a manifesto for a slower, more intentional approach to fashion, one that redefines what shopping is - and what it isn't.”
Overdressed, by Elizabeth Cline
“The way Americans dress has fundamentally changed in recent years. Once crafted in domestic factories, 98% of our clothing is now made abroad. And stores ranging from fast fashion chains like H&M and Forever 21 and discounters like Target to traditional companies like Gap and Macy's offer the newest trends at unprecedentedly low prices. It's driving up our pace of consumption and turning fashion into one of the most environmentally destructive industries on Earth. And we have little reason to keep wearing much less repairing the clothes we already own when styles change so fast and it’s cheaper to just buy more. In her debut book, Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, journalist and former cheap fashion addict Elizabeth L. Cline sets out to uncover the true nature of the cheap fashion juggernaut. What are we doing with all these clothes? And more important, what are they doing to us, our society, our environment, even our souls?”
The Conscious Closet, by Elizabeth Cline
“Clothing is one of the most personal expressions of who we are, and in The Conscious Closet, Cline aims to help readers truly understand and love their clothes again. Cline shares how to pare down your closet; swap, resell, or recycle what you don’t love; better care for and repair what you do; and how to affordably buy, thrift, or rent the ethical wardrobe of your dreams. Whether your goal is to build an effortless capsule wardrobe, keep up with trends, buy quality, seek out ethical brands, or all of the above, The Conscious Closet provides you with everything you need to build a sustainable, safe, beautiful, and mindful wardrobe.”
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion, by Lauren Bravo
“Fast fashion is the ultimate toxic relationship. It's bad news for the planet, our brains and our bank balances. We can't go on like this; our shopping habits need an overhaul. Journalist Lauren Bravo loves clothes more than anything, but she's called time on her affair with fast fashion in search of a slower, saner way of dressing. In this book, she'll help you do the same. How To Break Up With Fast Fashion will help you to change your mindset, fall back in love with your wardrobe and embrace more sustainable ways of shopping - from the clothes swap to the charity shop. Full of refreshing honesty and realistic advice, Lauren will inspire you to repair, recycle and give your unloved items a new lease of life without sacrificing your style.”
The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value Is Remaking Commerce, Culture, and Consciousness, by Virginia Postrel
“Whether it's sleek leather pants, a shiny new Apple computer, or a designer toaster, we make important decisions as consumers every day based on our sensory experience. Sensory appeals are everywhere, and they are intensifying, radically changing how Americans live and work. The twenty-first century has become the age of aesthetics, and whether we realize it or not, this influence has taken over the marketplace, and much more. In this penetrating, keenly observed book, Virginia Postrel makes the argument that appearance counts, that aesthetic value is real. Drawing from fields as diverse as fashion, real estate, politics, design, and economics, Postrel deftly chronicles our culture's aesthetic imperative and argues persuasively that it is a vital component of a healthy, forward-looking society. Intelligent, incisive, and thought-provoking, The Substance of Style is a groundbreaking portrait of the democratization of taste and a brilliant examination of the way we live now.”