In my last piece as Head Blogger, I wanted to write something a bit more personal than our usual heavy-hitting think-pieces. I’ve been thinking about the incredible people in my life who opt for a more sustainable way of living, making more ethical choices in everything from the food they consume to the clothes they wear. Online, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the sustainable fashion movement was driven by women, thanks to the extraordinary community on platforms such as Instagram where so many us share our beloved slow-fashion finds. Yet in my life, some of the most passionate proponents of ethical fashion are men. From my boyfriend to my brothers, my dad and my mates, I’m surrounded by people who are just as excited to trawl through a vintage sale as me. A gendered reading of the fashion industry is something many scholars have attempted, but I’m leaving my academia at the door this time; instead, I’ve asked my friends and family to share their own views on ethical fashion.
[I want to note that I have no time for the gender binary in any context, and that my only prerequisite for interviewees was that they identify as male to offer a perspective contrasting to the very ‘feminised’ world of slow fashion. I have so much love for the non-binary folks of this community, many of whom are responsible for art and fashion I am continuously inspired by. A lack of diversity in bodies, identities, sexualities, abilities and races is one of the biggest pitfalls of the fashion industry and for fashion to be truly sustainable, it must be inclusive.]
Harry Styles redefining 'menswear'. Image sourced via: Dazed Digital
When I decided to write this piece, I knew I had to ask my friend Tyler to contribute. We lived together in second-year, and one of the great joys of each day was seeing what he was wearing. Tyler describes his style as ‘a dad about to have a crisis’, but I see no impending doom; only his eclectic but distinctive sartorial prowess. I don’t know which came first- his love of new-wave and post-punk music, or his fantastic taste in clothes- but music is certainly an influence on what he wears; his outfits would not be out of place in the front row of a gig circa 1986, or even on stage.
I was lucky enough to shop with Tyler several times, mainly because no trip to uni was complete without a marathon tour of about nine different charity shops. This is where Tyler sources many of his clothes, with ‘the occasional online purchase from independent artist sites like Redbubble’. He notes that while slow fashion is ‘typically cheaper, easier, and more exciting’, there is often a disparity between womenswear and menswear, with ‘womenswear’ usually in far greater supply. His favourite find in a charity shop was ‘an amazingly comfy, stylish, and cheap pinstripe skirt from the British Heart Foundation’- now that’s a purchase I can get behind.
I asked Tyler if there was anything else he’d like to mention on the theme of sustainable fashion, and he touches on an important aspect of accessibility, observing that ‘slow fashion doesn't seem to be a thing in some places. Speaking from my own upbringing, there were hardly any charity shops around and they rarely lasted long. I think slow fashion can be a thing associated with wealthier areas’. Charity shops play an essential role in offering affordable fashion to a community without having to rely on buying fast fashion, so Tyler makes an important point; sustainable fashion can’t just be for the wealthy.
My next interviewee was my dad. I wasn’t clutching at straws; instead, I was hoping for a perspective from a demographic that isn’t often associated with sustainable fashion (or fashion at all, really). He describes his style as that of a ‘relaxed 50-something stallion’, though I’d suggest it’s more smart-casual meets Mediterranean leisure cruise. He draws inspiration from ‘James Bond and anyone from the Italian Job’, but then I guess what older guy doesn’t?
What makes Dad’s approach to fashion different is that you won’t see him prowling John Lewis or Sports Direct. Instead, his favourite way to add to his wardrobe is by finding ‘stuff with a story’. Ebay is his shop of choice, often adding the auction to a website that will place his bid in the final seconds. All Dad has to do is sit back and relax (medium dry cider obligatory). In a few days, his superb purchase materialises; whether it’s a groovy shirt or Italian leather boots, he’s always paid way less than the RRP. He maintains that sustainable fashion is ‘totally’ accessible to men, adding that ‘it's the way forward’. His best purchase has been ‘numerous pairs of jeans that became a second skin’ and while that turn of phrase is kind of gross I can vouch that I do always like his jeans.
Picture of my Dad (just kidding). Image sourced via Boat International.com
It seems that I always choose to live with really stylish people, and my next interviewee is no exception. Talv puts us all to shame, always throwing on a great outfit with ease. I’m super-jel because he’s definitely the one that should be running a fashion Instagram.
Talv describes his style as ‘sometimes minimal, sometimes workwear’ which to the ill-informed (me) means a look that’s laidback, casual, with neutral tones and denim accents. He’s a man of mystery; when asked who or what inspires his fashion, he responded ‘people I see in places I like to go’. I don’t know who or where these people are, but they’re no doubt well-dressed. His greatest second-hand find was a ‘Dickies luggage handlers jacket’, so maybe the place he likes to go to is an airport?
Talv’s interview concluded with an important point- that for slow fashion to work, we do need to support good quality brands. In his opinion, ‘once in a while, I think it’s important to support smaller clothing companies that support ethical and high-quality manufacture. Slow fashion wouldn't exist if the products didn't last longer than one person’s usage’.
One of my rather more controversial interviews was with my youngest brother, because of course it was. He describes his style as ‘sleek and chic’, but I would say it’s athleisure meets festival grunge. He has a clear sense of what he likes to wear, which I love, and insists he isn’t influenced by anyone: ‘this world is about more than influencers influencing the influenced. I am not a sheep!’. Sage words for a man so young.
He buys second-hand because it’s cheaper, and his greatest find was ‘a Ralph Lauren Parka mate, got it on a deal and to be fair it’s a warm garment’. As someone who appreciates a ‘warm garment’, I think that sounds brilliant.
Why are all my friends so fashionable?! Image via Casey Scott
My penultimate interviewee is a dear friend and coursemate, Casey, who has seen me look my worst while he always looks his best. I’m not even going to add any commentary here, because his responses are so great. He describes his style as ‘like baggy chic but tbh she do be pulling out the fits from time to time… I love to alternate between sportswear and formalwear because different moods have to reflect different styles. It’s nice to have days where you’re a formless comfy blob but knowing that the next day you could be looking snatched with the most *chef’s kiss* clothes’.
Casey believes ‘every person in the library on the 2nd floor is a vibe, like we’re expressing ourselves but we’re comfy at the same time. Elias Riadi and Shaquille Keith are also HUGE style icons because they just feel themselves, and their looks gloss boundaries between casual, smart, sportswear and 70s gentlemen without being afraid to experiment with both masculine and feminine styles’. Sign me up.
His favourite buys have been ‘things I’ve picked up in vintage shops/upmarket thrift stores. It’s amazing because you never know what you’re going to find which will fit into your collection, so it’s always exciting when you go to look. Whenever I go abroad I always go clothes shopping to see what the local styles are like and see if I can incorporate that into my wardrobe. My favourite 2 pieces were a pair of Hugo Boss flared trousers- which are actually women’s- which I picked up from a thrift store in Berlin, and a black and white Fleur-des-Lis shirt that I purchased in Armstrong’s in Edinburgh’.
The iconic Edinburgh institution Armstrong's. Image via Vilda Magazine
‘I buy second hand mainly because it’s cheaper but also because you never know what you’ll find and it’s very unlikely someone else will own something similar. The unknown and thrill of searching and finding a nice outfit is my favourite. I wish sites like Depop, however, would be easier to access because people get such good items from there but I can never find the good stuff’.
On the theme of accessibility, Casey laments that ‘sadly the vivaciousness of my style is hard to come by, as I often go shopping with looking for specific pieces in mind or even just in hope that I’m going to find something that will blow me away that I’ve never seen before. Vintage shops tend to only stock specific styles and don’t have nearly as much range in both choice, availability and sizes as they do for women - which is much the norm in regular stores as well. I believe this is because men struggle to assert themselves within identity so shops won’t go out of their way to stock unique pieces but rather will go for rather plain things which they know will sell - unfortunately while this self-fulfilling prophecy continues there won’t be much change’.
Casey introduced me to my final interviewee, Lucas, who runs a vintage t-shirt company. He describes his style as ‘comfy, art-school, vintage workwear and band tees’, with inspiration coming from ‘1990's Punk Rock, Shoegaze and Britpop and movies like 20th Century Women, Call Me By Your Name and Trainspotting’. Lucas shops secondhand because ‘it's miles better for the environment than fast fashion... if you look in the right places it's cheaper and overall, it's far easier to find unique and interesting items of clothing that fast fashion brands won't be interested in making...I also buy a lot of clothing for the history of them, like vintage t-shirts’. His favourite find was a ‘1980's Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas t-shirt, hand-printed by an artist called 'Mosquitohead', which he sourced on Depop.
Lucas thinks that accessibility of slow fashion has ‘improved drastically, with the increasing popularity in vintage and the awareness many second-hand marketplaces such as Depop push. It still feels like slow fashion isn't as popular among men compared to women; this could be due to the accessibility, but I do think it will continue to improve’.
A huge thanks to all interviewees- I’ll be raiding your wardrobes as soon as possible!
With love,
Ellie Ashton
The Fashion Society
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