As fast as you can say Metatropic Dysplasia Kyphoscoliosis

As someone who lives with metatropic dysplasia kyphoscoliosis (a rare form of scoliosis that back in the 90’s I was told affected only 29 people in the world, including me) finding things that fit, look good and are within budget isn’t easy. I am sure a lot of people can relate (that don’t even have this condition).

What this means, is relentless searching for styles that look like they aren’t meant for a child, that don’t make me look fat, or too skinny, that don’t trail on the ground and that actually fit! So, why would I want to spend my time constantly shopping around in the pursuit of the latest fashion item?

Impact.

Many popular fashion chains market themselves as offering the latest fashion items at low prices. But what impact does their production have on the environment? Many brands are recognising the impact their fast fashion approach is having on carbon footprint and things are moving in the right direction, however there is still a long way to go. For example, paper bags are now common place in stores instead of plastic bags in order to reduce waste and packaging. And some shops donate unsold items to charities whilst eco-friendly materials are slowly starting to be seen in new products.

Labour and ethics.

Labour conditions and the ethics of production facilities in countries are often unknown for many high street retailers who adopt a fast fashion business model. Waste is also a significant worry when large amounts of items are made with short life-cycles which are often poorly made. I for one can’t expend that amount of energy shopping to only wear something once, or worse, that item to fall apart on it’s first wash!

Never satisfied?

Worryingly, the cost of living crisis, may force people to forget the steps we’ve made in recent years, and choose fast fashion items instead. For me, I don’t like fast fashion. It creates a society of “always wanting the next thing”, when in reality, we should invest our time, effort and energy in searching for well made, long lasting clothes that fit and look good. My moto has always been to essentially, focus on what matters in life, and not spend time and energy on things that that don’t matter and aren’t for the greater good! If that means I don’t need to constantly visit more shops and changing rooms to try on clothes or order more online then even better…