Alice Catherine

Today I wanted to have a bit of a chat about something that’s been on my mind lately. Something that’s affected not only my thought process each week, but also the way in which I conduct my content, and the way it makes me feel long after it’s been posted…

In a society where climate change is ever the hot topic (excuse the bad pun), I often feel a sense of guilt when it comes to my chosen career path. It’s no hidden secret that the fashion industry has a detrimental part to play in the destruction of our planet, but it’s also a lot to take on board as a young person navigating a new business. I feel as though I’ve reached a strange point in my career where I feel guilty about the industries I enjoy and they no longer just feel like carefree sources of escapism. After all, how can fashion make the everyday mundane stuff more enjoyable whilst simultaneously destroying the earth? The rise of social media means that we now live in an era where it’s just not possible to be blindsided anymore. For the most part, it seems like people are generally more awake than ever when it comes to climate change. However, with this notion, there’s also a collected sense of uncomfortableness that’s hard to ignore online… 

I soon realised that a certain level of guilt was necessary in order to conduct change. Although this new wave of guilt that the younger generations are experiencing is unfortunate (especially in terms of mental health), it’s imperative if we are going to try and undo some of the damage that’s been done and cause a much overdue societal shift.

As someone who naturally sways towards vintage and second hand, I’ve found that this has been a great avenue for me in terms of advocating sustainability where possible, and encouraging the belief that ‘new clothes aren’t always the best clothes’. Who wants to look like everyone else after all?

Vintage means you can find real gems and express your personality without damaging the planet. However, I’m not naive in thinking that vintage is an accessible way of shopping for everyone, nor do vintage pieces always come with the best price tags now that vintage has become so popular. I’m also aware that a huge part of my job is to create/inspire new outfits and explore new brands that appeal to me in some way – without this part of my job it would be difficult to stay on the radar of brands that might be looking to collaborate via paid partnerships etc. To cut a long story short, it’s hard to find the balance between being a responsible consumer of fashion whilst also paying rent and generally just affording life as a young person who doesn’t have all their shit together. There’s no set rule book when it comes to being a blogger – just rough guidelines that are changing all the time, creating a huge amount of grey space that’s often tough to figure out…

This post isn’t about declaring ‘woe is me’. I feel incredibly lucky to do what I do, but it’s also a very turbulent time to be doing it and I think it’s important to be open about that. I’m glad that we are living in a time where people are angry, and frustrated, and more awake than ever. However, I do feel that a lot of this anger can be wrongly directed towards young people that are still figuring stuff out. We need to be able to make small positive changes without being held accountable for every little thing we do/create that doesn’t 100% align with the last thing. Nobody can move through life in a strictly straightforward line, and shaming people only discourages them from learning and growing.

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed the conversation around fashion and the effect on the environment has risen significantly. Especially since the rise of young activists like the wonderful Greta Thunberg – someone who is doing the absolute most and yet is still torn apart online. I think it’s this sort of cruel backlash that encourages so many people from speaking out about important issues and being vocal about the changes they are trying to make. It’s a shame, but I feel it on a low scale with what I’m putting out into the world, so I can’t imagine the weight that Greta must feel…

There’s numerous things on my Instagram timeline every single day, and therefore, I’m still learning new facts every single day. I’ve always tried to avoid fast fashion brands as much as possible, but am I perfect in terms of my impact on the planet – definitely not. Am I always hungry to learn and ready to steer my content in a healthier and more positive direction? Always. I guess I just wanted to be clear about that and the fact that navigating this industry in a responsible and moral way is a constant learning curve. I believe that everyone has the capacity to make positive change in some way, and when they do so, it should be without the harsh judgement we witness online everyday…

Photographs taken by Catherine Booty 

Jacket – I Am That, Jumpsuit – Mango (old), Shoes – Total Vintage, Bag – vintage via Etsy

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