clothing

Why Handcrafted Clothes Should Be Embraced

Angela Manning Fashion , ,
Why Handcrafted Clothes Should Be Embraced

We are all familiar with the term ‘fast fashion.’ Trends drift in and out, and the consumer finds key styles changing as fast as the weather. As fast fashion meets the world of online shopping and ordering, handcrafted, ‘slow’ fashion can often be swept under the rug. But should this be the case?

With the importance of sustainability, consideration of the planet, and ethical responsibility on the mind of the consumer more than ever before, there are plenty of reasons why handcrafted clothes should be embraced. This article highlights a few which may stop you from ordering a bulk of clothes on mass, and think twice about your next purchase.

A rundown of benefits of handcrafted clothing includes:

  1. It’s more sustainable
  2. You’re guaranteed better quality, durable products
  3. It’s a more exclusive product
  4. You will be supporting a local business

Sustainability

As concern grows for the state of our planet and companies begin to realize the impact mass-production has on the world, opting for sustainable options is a growing trend. Sourcing sustainable materials will reduce your carbon footprint, as low production costs and more ethically sourced materials will usually form the basis of a handcrafted clothing company. In addition, you will avoid investing in larger conglomerates who mass produce clothing items that will usually result in incredibly high wastage numbers, with deadstock clothing that ends up in the landfill if it isn’t sold. In fact, 30% of items made are never sold. That translates into almost 13 million tonnes of clothing sent to landfill annually.

Better quality & durability

As the clothing is being handmade, far more attention to detail will be involved in the process of making the clothes. This will root from where the materials are sourced, right down to the final product quality check. As the item will pass through the hands of those who make the goods, extra care will be taken in sourcing the materials as traders seek locally sourced, good quality materials that will stand the test of time. The human eye has far more capability to judge the quality and look of an item, and experts in the trade will also be able to use their knowledge to assure the fabrics used for their clothing is both durable and strong.

As the item of clothing will be made from start to finish under the careful eye of a dedicated team who will put effort, care and time into every piece, you will be able to feel the difference in quality. This compares drastically to fast fashion involving mass-produced items that cannot be quality assured, produced by machines or people often working in poor conditions.

More exclusive product

Exclusivity is also guaranteed with high quality, handmade items. This is because far less clothing is produced when an item is handmade due to how long it takes. It will avoid wastage and will mean you are investing in a far more bespoke, unique product that cannot be picked up anywhere. Usually, it will have been exclusively designed for that company, with designers overseeing the crafting process to ensure the item is just right. Companies such as Gloverall pride themselves on offering exclusivity alongside quality with every product, with key pieces that will stand the test of time and remain a staple for your wardrobe through all the fads and trends that come and go.

Supporting local trade

Another real draw and positive of embracing the handcrafted clothing option is that you will not only be investing in an item of clothing but investing in a story. You will be supporting a local business, most likely, and therefore, somebody’s livelihood. You will feel good about making an active decision to say no to an impersonal shopping experience. By opting for high quality, handcrafted options, you will learn the story of the item, and will usually be able to find out where the material was sourced from at the point of purchase, if not before.

Similarly, you will know you are supporting those who spent time and expert care on the very piece of clothing you are wearing. This too will impact the way you treat the product, as you will treat it with the same care, love and respect that the item of clothing has been given since its creation on the designer’s drawing board. You will get that feel-good factor every time you wear it.

How to Find Your Personal Style

Angela Manning Fashion , , ,
How to Find Your Personal Style

Are you struggling to find clothing styles that fit who you are? Then check out this article. Click here for a helpful guide on how to find your personal style.

If you want to know how to find your personal style, it can be intimidating to navigate. Developing a fashion sense is serious business. You might think of fashion as something people aspire to, but it’s more than that. Fashion is about expressing who you are.

You, too, can develop a personal style that turns heads, attracts compliments, and leaves people stunned. Use this guide to find your personal passion for fashion:

Don’t Buy into Trends

Don’t go along with trends simply because they’re “in.” People mistake being fashionable with being trendy. However, being fashionable means different things for different people.

Your fashion sense stems from a genuine attraction to your clothes and accessories. If you’re just wearing something because everyone else is wearing it, it takes away that authenticity.

The exception comes in when you happen to like a certain trend that’s hip. Then, by all means, go out and indulge in that fashion.

When choosing your style, you have to choose nice clothes and different accessories that match your preferences.

Don’t feel pressured to dress like everyone else. With that said, having outside inspiration can help you:

Find Style Icons

Identify celebrities, public figures, and other people with fashion senses you enjoy. You can gain a lot of inspiration just from knowing where to look.

Search for style icons on social media platforms like Instagram or Pinterest and make a board for all the style icons you find.

It’s unlikely you’ll find a fashion idol who nails down your style completely. However, having a few influences can do your fashion sense a world of good.

If you have a varied fashion sense, you’ll probably find that your fashion muses have different styles. It’s okay to blend more than one style into your personal style.

How to Find Your Personal Style: Your Vibe

Are you a fan of a certain aesthetic? Is there a certain “theme” that runs through your wardrobe? These are things you should keep in mind when you’re trying to find your style.

Look at your wardrobe and try to decipher what kind of vibe you’re putting off. Are you trying to look trendy, comfortable, like you’re hitting up clubs, like you’re going to a funeral, etc.?

Think of the outstanding adjectives that can be used to describe your style. Classic, bohemian, gothic, and eclectic are only a few of the words that are used to describe styles.

Again: Don’t be afraid to blend styles. You can be a kawaii princess one moment, a gothic goddess the next, and a bohemian babe after that. It’s up to you!

Study Brands

Learning how to identify your fashion style means knowing what brands align with your personal vision. Once you’ve nailed down your “vibe,” look for brands that match your style.

You can start with a google search and go from there. Different brands will come up. It’s your job to assess which ones fit you (and your price range) the best.

You’ll be surprised by what you’ll find. You’ll want to wear these branded clothes from Balenciaga.

There are so many brands to choose from. There’s definitely one out there for you!

Your Fashion Sense is Counting On You

Knowing how to find your personal style is about knowing what you like. Finding your style can seem challenging at first.

Once you find the pulse on what fashion brings you pleasure, you can develop a look of your own.

Learn more fashion tips to quench your thirst for fashion!

Think Outside the Gendered Box with Unisex Baby Clothes

Angela Manning Fashion , , ,
Think Outside the Gendered Box with Unisex Baby Clothes
Baby on white background with clothing, toiletries, toys and health care accessories. Wish list or shopping overview for pregnancy and baby shower. View from above. Child feeding, changing and bathing

Long gone are the days where boys only wear blue and bow ties and girls only wear pink and frills, so check out these cool and cute unisex baby clothes!

If you’ve ever heard of a baby box, you already know that many Scandinavian countries are ahead of the curve when it comes to providing superior care to their littlest citizens.

But did you know that the region has also been into buying and wearing unisex baby clothing (and adult clothing!), since the 1970s?

Luckily, this trend is finally catching on in other countries as well.

If you’re ready to break free from gender stereotypes and start encouraging your child to be his or herself right from the start, keep reading. We’re bringing you what you need to know about choosing and buying unisex baby clothes.

Why Choose Unisex Baby Clothes

Maybe you’re a parent looking to break away from traditional gender-stereotypes. Or you’re buying for a mom who has decided not to find out the gender of their unborn baby ahead of time.

Whatever the reason, unisex baby clothes are a cute, timeless look that all parents will love!

If you plan to grow your family even more in the future, or if you have relatives or friends who plan to have kids soon, unisex baby clothes can also be an environmental choice.

If you have a baby girl or boy the first time, and the other the next, and you’ve bought only gendered clothing, you’ll have a harder time reusing that clothing.

But if you buy a variety of unisex pieces, you can easily use them for your next baby, or pass them along to friends or relatives who have little ones after yours grow out of them.

Another great reason to buy unisex clothing is that it often features more neutral colors. This makes it much easier to mix and match pieces. If you’ve ever had a baby of your own or have someone close to you who has, you know that babies often go through many clothing changes each day.

From messes to changing for outdoor excursions, to dressing your baby in cute outfits for pics or visits from friends, you’ll go through a lot of laundry. Neutral, unisex clothing means you’ll be able to easily mix up outfits to cut down on laundry and give you more cute outfit options for your little one.

Classic and Trendy Unisex Outfits, Styles, and Colors to Try

When it comes to choosing the cutest unisex baby clothes, there are a variety of colors and styles to choose from.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to dress little girls in blue or boys in pink, if you don’t want to go that far, there are plenty of colors that aren’t considered to be gendered.

One popular, trendy option is gray. From onesies to jumpers and everything in between, gray is in right now in a big way.Other popular unisex hues are tan, brown, yellow, green, and red.

If you love a classic look, white is also always a great choice.

But don’t think that you need to stick to solid colored onesies. Patterns like stripes, polka dots, animal prints, and more are also great options.

As adults, shopping for unisex clothing might involve choosing certain styles that don’t hug your body, because they’re often designed to fit men or women. Popular options are often limited to items like t-shirts or wool sweaters.

But baby clothes don’t have that issue. So you won’t have to worry as much about choosing inherently unisex styles.

Onesies, jumpers, sleepers, and other popular baby clothes styles are already unisex. So parents or relatives can instead focus on picking the colors or patterns they like rather than worrying about the style of the clothes.

Brands That Carry Cute Unisex Baby Clothing

While you can easily walk into any department store and hunt for unisex colors and styles, this trend is still catching on in the U.S. Unless you go to a store with a large selection, you may struggle to find more than a few options for your little one that isn’t labeled for girls or boys.

Luckily, there are plenty of designers hopping on the unisex trend. Here are a few to get you started. Visit their websites, or utilize a site like this company that helps you narrow your search by bringing you a variety of styles from many different designers and brands.

Tootsa

Many unisex, and even non-unisex, baby clothes designers are hopping on the trend of clothing items that mirror adult styles.

But if you’re in the camp of dressing kids like kids, this British brand is for you.

Tootsa offers adorable, childish styles, covered in rainbows, animal illustrations, and other youthful prints.

You won’t find any labels like “girl” or “boy” here. Instead, you can shop by clothing item and choose from a wide range of colors and styles to fit your ideal look for your little one.

Mini Rodini

Since unisex baby clothes first gained popularity in Scandinavia, it’s fitting that we start with this Swedish designer.

Mini Rodini is known for its bold, bright, fun patterns. Their pieces are covered in brightly colored images of everything from horses and dinosaurs to cacti.

Many of the pieces in this designer’s lines are basics, like simple t-shirts, pants, onesies, sweaters, and basic dresses. They also offer a variety of fun bedding, outerwear, and more.

Their whimsical designs are entirely unisex. They don’t even bother using any labels on their site to separate pieces like skirts or dresses.

Mini Rodini offers baby clothes as well as clothing for older children. They offer a variety of sustainable fabric options and even have a line of upcycled baby blankets.

Adidas

Unisex clothing doesn’t have to stop at onesies and sleepers.

Adidas’ classic kicks come in itty bitty sizes that are perfect for little girls or boys. These tiny tennis shoes come in a variety of colors and styles that look like miniature versions of the adult ones.

From baby blue to classic white or soccer-shoe-black, any of their baby shoe styles are a cute addition to a unisex outfit.

Finding the Right Unisex Baby Clothes for Your Little Ones

Unisex baby clothing can be a great way to make environmentally-friendly choices while also avoiding confining your little one to gender stereotypes.

If you’re looking for other great advice on giving your child a better start to life, check out these tips for throwing the perfect first birthday party.

Merino Wool Clothing: A Wardrobe For All Seasons

Angela Manning Fashion , , , ,
Merino Wool Clothing: A Wardrobe For All Seasons

Merino wool has become the go-to choice for travelers, outdoorsmen, and adventurers because of its durability, insulation, and style. Merino wool is breathable in warm weather, wicking away moisture from your skin and keeping you cool as a cucumber. But the fabric doesn’t hold onto the moisture, meaning that you stay dry and the shirt won’t smell. You can wear a merino wool shirt for days and weeks without having to wash it and still walk into a local store or motel without being turned out for smelling like… well, for smelling not so fresh.

All of this is important because it means that you can cut down immensely on packing space. You can go on long hiking trips and bring one change of clothes, rather than five, because merino wool won’t ever smell or fall apart.

Merino wool is also insulating in cold weather; it’ll keep you warm when the temperature drops, making it ideal for seaside locations or deserts that are hot in the daytime and then get chilly at night (looking at you, Palm Springs). Merino wool is also ideal in this way for hikers, who up until this point have had to drastically change their hiking outfits from season to season. Most hiking gear is made to either keep you cool or warm but merino does both. Once again, that cuts down on packing space all the more because you won’t have to pack multiple shirts for different weather – one and done! Merino wool is also stylish. It looks and feels like cotton but is close fitting and comfortable, meaning that when you wear a merino wool t-shirt, you won’t look like too much of a tourist.

If you don’t believe that merino wool can do all it promises, do some guided research online. There are several sources that break down the science of how and why merino wool can keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, why it’s quick drying, resistant to smell, and soft to the touch. You can learn how merino sheep’s wool keeps them warm by trapping dead air and keeps them cool them by causing excess moisture to evaporate; and you can learn how, when you wear the latest options in merino wool clothing those same wonderful properties are passed on to you. It’s not only breathable and insulating, it’s fire-resistant, durable yet stretchable, natural, hypoallergenic and more – in short, there are a lot of reasons to check out merino wool.

Merino wool really is the best option for travelers, as it’s insulating in cold weather, breathable in warm weather, and stylish. Merino wool lets you go from packing a huge duffle bag with multiple changes of clothes to a small backpack with the essentials. You can save money on checking your bags and you can save your back from carrying them. You won’t reek after your long hikes and you won’t reek of “tourist” as you explore new towns. Merino wool will last for a long time, making your life so much simpler, and your travels so much happier.