As evidenced by the little spaces on the internet I express myself creatively, I’m rather into fashion. When I have the energy, I delight in picking out a dress or shirt/skirt ensemble and pinning various bits and bobs to it to make it truely unique. I love nerding out about fit and silhouette and experimenting with loud colours and patterns.

I find fashion to be such a delightful art form, however, I struggle with all the accompanying “other bits” that come with the fashion industry. Fashion is tied to so many deeply horrific practices which so many people have discussed in a better way than I ever could eg. here and here.

Like so many others, when I was in my teens I unknowingly sold my soul to the fast fashion powers that be in the name of self expression. The pesky fast fashion machine is hard to avoid. They’re masters of marketing, and the prices they offer are hard to argue with.

I’m not going to lie, the endless treadmill of style created by these companies used to scratch the itch of self expression. I still experience the itch despite my knowledge about unethical clothing practices, but I’ve found a new way to scratch it.

Designing and sewing my clothes keeps me away from the mall. Shopping is no fun when you can make what you see in the shop and construct it in a way that will make it last. It’s so empowering to make clothes that fit me perfectly, rather than wrestling with the strange proportions companies seem to think are “average”.

It’s really nice to see more and more people taking to the machine. Somewhere in the 1900’s the corporations convinced us we didn’t need to sew. I think that’s wrong, and I think it’s time we took it back!

About the look: I can definitively say this deep forest green is my favourite colour. I always feel so good when I wear it, and it’s so hard to find in fabric form. I sewed the skirt out of a patterned velvet. It’s actually a prototype for a skirt I’m planning on selling in the new year (so keep those eyes peeled). I found the shirt in one of my many op shop adventures, and this coat is from back in the day ;) I actually need to re - dye it as it’s a little faded.