QUIT fast fashion in your twenties: here's how.

[@daisyrye]

Hilarious that Shein was advertised to me TWICE while watching this video 😂 READ THE ROOM SHEIN

[@leenanorms]

😂😂😂

[@Mariamox]

😂😂

[@TM-zq7qx]

Yup, get that all the time! 😅

[@nathaliesluijs765]

I got Amazon lol

[@puntco]

I had a classmate in uni and she wore the same outfit every single day. She just had a few sets of the same pieces. Black dungarees, black and white stripey top/sweater (depending on season) and black docs. You would think it gets boring but no, she looked like a cartoon character every day, I loved it. Just throwing this out there, it is an option :)

[@RachelJ715]

People have commented on this to me before, saying things like 'do you not have any other clothes?'. I felt really self-conscious :c

[@eatme9970]

People have tried to give me clothes. I have a favorite pair of pants I own several of.

[@Meagan-Renee]

One of the advantages of growing up relatively poor in a neighborhood full of people who were relatively poor is how normalized sharing clothes absolutely was. 2/3 of my wardrobe as a child had been on a minimum of 2 older children in the neighborhood before me... it just got passed around to whoever it fit - and because we all did it, it wasn't like a shameful thing - it was more like, "Abby's older sister is so cool, and I got her hoodie she used to wear... sweet!" I wish that were more common everywhere.

[@laura4457]

Haha I'm the same - I was a child in the 80s/90s in Ireland, was quite poor then but everyone was, and it was so normal to wear cousins clothes. I never thought there was a stigma around second hand clothing existed until KZbin! 😅 Even for most of my adult life I have collected cast offs from my mam and sister and have some pieces from aunties that passed away. As I only started having a bit more expendable income in the last few years...I have found that I've shopped (incl. Second hand) a bit more and now making an effort to curtail that. I now realise I just naturally had much more fun with clothes when I had fewer (random/more meaningful) items! And anything I did buy new I wore to death!

[@laura4457]

*Oh and also my older brothers clothes, especially as a teenager!

[@wiebelziel]

Sometimes people thought we were rich because I had so many clothes as a child but they were all hand-me-downs from my cousins xD

[@anabluu]

@@laura4457 THIS! I grew up poor and sharing clothes , people in my school tried to make fun of me but the only other option was to walk around naked, lol. Then got a high paying corporate job and for the first time in my life not only could afford expensive clothes, it was kind of required "in those circles". I hated every minute of it. I went full on second hand and mending / sewing / converting and never looked back.

[@ginat.8064]

I didn't grow up poor but I grew up a the youngest with a lot of cousins, and inherited clothes from them and my parent's friends' kids. It just makes sense to pass clothes along, especially with children because they grow so fast. Getting a bag of clothes my cousin didn't want anymore felt like Christmas had come early! Should be way more common!

[@MsBlulucky]

I sometimes sew clothes for myself. The other day a friend gave me a compliment for a jacket and I said "Thanks, I made it myself" and then she asked if I could make one for her. I declined because A I'm not skilled enough and B that would be way too expensive - instead I asked if she wanted to go charity shopping (aka thrifting) together so we could find some fabrics and then sew something together. We haven't found a date yet, but I'm very much looking forward to spending that time with her. It's like a win-win-win situation for me, her, and the planet 🤗

[@lucy489]

This is so sweet! What an amazing idea to sew together 🤩

[@maleahlock]

This is a great reply!

[@raapyna8544]

That's such a good idea!

[@flowerjournal7949]

the last sentence was an absolute joy to read! 🥺💗

[@RachelAnnPotter]

Yesssss, this is a great idea!

[@crystaleaston3008]

As a trained seamstress, I want to thank you so much for acknowledging sewing as skilled work!!! Its so tough being a seamstress and garment workers are mistreated almost everywhere. I feel we are so undervalued, especially because of off shore production

[@katec9893]

I really agree that you are hugely undervalued! Your work is highly skilled, difficult and without it we'd all be wearing old sacks. I was thinking the other day if garment creators could unite and take control of the clothing companies instead of the billionaires then they'd all get much fairer wages, better work conditions and share the profit of their work. The way they're treated is no better than Victorian factory workers or chimney sweeps, it's a disgrace. I can do basic sewing myself but I tend to find it tricky so I have great respect for seamstresses.

[@chrdws6291]

Just spent a day at work surrounded by people obsessing over the zara sale and coming home to this video makes me feel slightly more sane and re-motivated. thank you Leena!!

[@sorcellerie]

I swear to everything that is good and pure, nothing makes me more tired and hopeless than friends being overjoyed by another Shein rubbish or anything of that sort. And at the end of the day it's me who gets shit for wearing a designer leather coat that i trifted years ago because I'm a vegetarian and worried about climate catastrophe. Just how short-sighted can people be

[@shangoshango2471]

Wow I actually resisted the Zara sale today and I’m so proud of myself! Was lured into the shop immediatly, carrying all these super cute clothes voor 3.99 per piece, hung all of it back and went home empty handed. Now I’m watching this :) it was soo hard to resist but I can still look cute without them!!

[@shangoshango2471]

And I really recognize the aversion against it seeing people obsess, I saw those lines.. all those cheap materials.. it didn’t feel like a treat anymore but more of a downgrade of my (almost fully secondhand) wardrobe

[@amila_]

@@sorcellerie me too! I just stay quiet when they talk about it lol cus how many times do i gotta tell someone that shits horrible 🧍🏻‍♀️

[@amila_]

@@shangoshango2471 YES when someone is like “got this from shein can you believe it!!!” Like yes i can 😕 looks like shit

[@bkzification]

Something I enjoy doing about once a month is this: I write down between 6-10 situations : a wedding, Friday night drinks after work, breakfast with the family etc I set up a tripod. I shop my wardrobe, trying things on and, importantly, I take photos of the outfits and label them in my phone. Then whenever something comes up, I have gone through the process and I can just pick up and go.

[@sallys.2707]

That's an awesome idea !

[@flowerjournal7949]

this is such a great idea whoa!!

[@victoriat9145]

Genius!

[@ccn690]

That's so smart

[@saraisreading4231]

I recently got a part-time job at a used clothing store and my favorite part is getting to curate my "staff picks" section. I put anything I would buy but either doesn't fit me or I know I wouldn't get use out of in there and I love seeing my favorite colors and textures all in one place. It makes me so happy when someone buys something from that section.

[@hillofbeans8643]

Oh my god that's so cool, I love that personal touch! It's my favorite thing especially when I go to garage sales or something to see that the people actually care about the things

[@thedeidremovies]

I recently did a financial review of myself and realized I was spending more on clothes than I would like to - including buying secondhand! When I sat with that, I realized that my wardrobe is actually complete. Every season, feeling, and activity I could experience has an appropriate outfit. I’ve challenged myself to buy no more clothes this year, and I think that will deepen my appreciation for each piece I own.

[@stephanieg2000]

I am feeling the exact same way! I'm joining you in a no buy for the rest of this year. 🥰

[@fallfromreality5864]

The whole thing about people assuming "asking for help meaning you're hard on money" really got me because Normalising this for people who *do* have money, makes a general reduction on judging people who genuinely are without. I love

[@LixiaWinter]

A woman from dance class compliment my dress. I said I thrifted it. She gave me a mortified look as if I was a victorian maiden from noble but low on the luck family who has to do morally reprehensible things to keep the facade but too naive not to announce that publicly

[@hillofbeans8643]

lol, yeah once I told someone I got my shirt second-hand and they said "second-hand i've never heard of that brand" 🙄

[@carolineappleton3177]

I feel so deeply seen by free dopamine from library ebooks. There is nothing more exciting than the email saying your book is available early

[@cebbi1313]

I go on shopping trips to clothes shop, but I leave my money at home. I realised that trying on a bunch of clothes is the part of fast fashion I found the most fun. Trying on clothes in retail stores makes me better at shopping secondhand because I learn what fits me and what I like. And I don't fall into the trap of buying a bunch of stuff secondhand online just because I wanna try it all on. I get it out of my system and make sure every actual purchase is meaningful. It feels a little bit hypocritical to enjoy going to fast fashion stores when I disagree with them so much, buuut the way I see it is I may as well make use of them while they exist as long as I don't buy from them.

[@ylla_]

This is such a good tip!

[@diinalens]

I do this too! I will go in and browse and take note of what's new, what I like etc and then keep the pics/notes for reference for when I look through vinted or for when I'm designing stuff (which my mam can later bring to life, as she's a seamstress! yes, i'm lucky 😉)

[@Cherri_Stars]

This is brilliant! It's an interactive activity that's totally free.

[@raapyna8544]

That is actually a very good tip! While our second-hand stores aren't this good yet, we can use the other stores for this part. There are a lot of drift stores that don't even have dressing rooms - not to mention the way the store is organised that can make finding things easy or hard.

[@w0rmg0rl]

same! I try to either thrift, alter something I already have or even make stuff that I see in shops!

[@mariealexandrinne6997]

Taking on sewing has been such an eye-opener. The amount of time, effort and money it takes for me to sew just a t-shirt or a very simple dress makes it super clear that fast-fashion (and other fast consommable items) cannot be made by respecting either the planet or the workers.

[@gnubaum9768]

i tried to quit fast fashion but being neurodivergent i have a lot of sensory issues around clothes and if i find something that fits and feels right i need the option to buy it 5 times and that's just not possible with buying second hand. but having all of these sensory issues also means that when i find something that's just right i will wear it to absolute death

[@anabluu]

Same here! I buy fast fashion sometimes but wear it for years , I have items ten years old or more at this point!

[@RachelJ715]

Yes!!! This is why I can't buy clothes online, which seems to be a lot of ethical brands.

[@katec9893]

I know what you mean. I love thrifting but one problem with it for me is people donating clothes they've washed in some toxic smelling detergent or fabric softener that stinks and gives me a migraine. I can't always wash it out so I've had to redonate a few items due to this. A lot of those detergents are toxic, carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting so I wish they'd be banned. Mild detergent and white vinegar is all anyone needs for laundry.

[@MsBlulucky]

"I love your dress" - "Thanks, it has pockets!"

[@BethInABox15]

If you want to be able to brag about getting an item for cheap, the most satisfying way of doing that is "THANKS! I THRIFTED IT FOR £2"

[@vickyrutherford3695]

This. I loved telling people yeah I got these vans for £10 on eBay and them being like wtf I paid £70 for them 😂.

[@alicezanini6123]

I know, right? It’s such a superficial fact but I feel so badass every time it happens

[@annaboogman3321]

"Thanks! I shop at this place where you pay by the kilo!" often gets some looks. People are really suprised that you can get nice things there.

[@hattietti]

100% agree on the hiding your clothes thing. Getting my old clothes out when the seasons change makes clothes that I've owned for years and years feel so exciting and novel somehow.

[@zandariko1942]

Leena having a sponsor is more like "goodness finally" instead of skip XD I am genuinely so happy you got this match ^^

[@leenanorms]

Xxxx

[@diinalens]

On the subject of hiding clothes from yourself- here in Italy we have a thing called "Cambio Armadio" (translates to "change of wardrobe") which is when you put away your winter clothes and bring out your summer ones! I wouldn't say it's a "tradition" per se but basically everyone here does it, usually around the end of April. It's very practical because our seasons are still pretty defined so it wouldn't make sense to have all your clothes out year-round, and also it's an opportunity to figure out what you might want to give away!

[@theonlyenekoeneko]

In the hypothetical conversation with yourself complimenting your dress, I thought you were going to say “thanks, it has pockets” because that is always the response everyone desires for everyone. More pockets!!!!

[@theonlyenekoeneko]

P.s. I highly recommend learning how to insert pockets in all your garments. Skirts and dresses are the easiest to do!!

[@elizabethmadagan8824]

@@theonlyenekoeneko Morgan Donner and Bernadette Banner here on youtube have videos about inserting pockets into clothes! I'm just starting to learn how to do this so that I can have good pockets on every item of clothes

[@samiansley5740]

I like hiding clothes seasonally because of the joy of reuniting. My issue is that I end up buying things I already own bc I forgot I had it! I have yet to solve this issue. Thanks Leena!

[@samiansley5740]

Also, my university has a sewing machine available to students in the Maker Space, maybe others do too?

[@lizzymorang8048]

Maybe you could take pictures of all your items before storing them and create a Google doc with a brief description and the photos so you can search the document to find the exact pic you're looking for? (e.g. labeling "green sweater")

[@EnnameMori]

I've still got fast fashion pieces in my wardorbe, but some of them I've owned for 17 years now. So. I guess they are now slow fashion. I like making my own things, but when I can't fit into something or I no longer fond a piece of me is 'me', I like giving them to friends or offering them to my local 'cost nothing' group. Selling is my last step. If I do buy something it needs to be a thing I can't make, be sourced responsibly and be ready to last for as long as it can. :)

[@TeaCupCracked]

I like to sew and I sew very slowly. Overtime I've struggled with putting too much responsibility on myself to sew everything, instead of buying, out of fast-fashion guilt. What I've learned though, overtime, is that really I think most of us are good at making one thing we would wear. That is to say there is a difference between what you'd like to wear and what you are ultimately good at making yourself. Just because you can finish a project doesn't mean you'll be happy with the results; just because I could make a fitted bodice dress doesn't mean I'll be happy with the quality of what I can do versus a professional. The solution I've found is really zeroing in on that zone of what can I make WELL and then actually WEAR, accepting there are categories of things I don't want to make because I know I wont like them (and wont wear). For me, I am really happy with making elastic-waist skirts and modifying otherwise finished clothing (adjusting hems, adding decorative bits on top). I just know, because I've tried, that I can't make the kinds of blouses and tops I'd then go on to wear proudly; ever time I've tried I've not been as happy as when I just bought one. So I think it's really important, in order to avoid waste on a larger scale, to try and honestly acknowledge what you're just always going to have to source passed the sewing machine. If everyone just made one category of thing they liked to wear, I think that would make a huge impact. Maybe you don't sew, buy all your clothes; but you made all your own bead necklaces? Right there you're cutting back. I've also found some categories of clothing I can't source through thrifting; t-shirt dresses have sort of been a major new trend lately and those really changed my lifestyle positively (tuck it into your bottoms, or wear under overalls/jumper dresses and then continue to wear that t-shirt dress to bed as your nightgown; thus eliminating needing to own sleepwear besides a plush robe). By contrast, every other style of clothing I want I can either thrift or make, so I don't beat myself up for t-shirt dresses. It's just really important to try and avoid falling into a purity spiral and to aim for your personal best.

[@vickyrutherford3695]

Best thing I've done to get away from fast fashion is volunteer at a charity shop. I love not knowing what my next find will be and having clothes you don't see on every other person and when I get bored I donate back. Plus I got an actual job in a charity shop which I love and feel I've found my happy place career wise after years of working in Primark.

[@Androgynary]

Changing the conversation is such a smart and unique point, I haven’t heard of that one before. I also like it because it’s completely free way to be more sustainable. It’s so true that speaking about aspects of the garment’s appearance/construction or memories associated with it allows for much more interesting dialogue!

[@misscaseyr]

Another tip for sewing: Check your local buy/sells for sewing machines! I was looking to get a cheap one and a coworker recommended that and I found an older machine for only $45!! Had to buy bits for it but still cheaper then new and I helped someone fund their move and keep it out of the landfill!

[@piperevelyn2446]

Sewing machines are also repairable! Like if your machine doesn't work like it should, you can find someone to repair it quite easily

[@StrawberryBats67]

when I get the urge to spend online I go and donate to a charity specifically ones like world vision where you can "buy" someone something like a beehive for example of but from their website so it scratches the same itch

[@margea2400]

Wow! That is so smart! Thank you:)

[@defense360]

Thanks for being such a good influence on me Leena < 3 Your videos have single-handedly changed my approach to shopping and consuming over the past few years

[@mckamy4711]

This is very specific to me but as a gamer, i have found i can explore my creativity with fashion through games like the sims. You can download custom content clothing, accessories and hairstyles online for free and it honestly gives me the same thrill of shopping but without any costs and i can play with different looks in the click of a button

[@diamondcentury21]

Same 😂 I literally just made a Lookbook in sims for my KZbin channel 😅 I absolutely love that I can play with fashion that way😍 downloading custom content is so addicting though 😅

[@mckamy4711]

@@diamondcentury21 it really is, my laptop storage be struggling for real 😂 I probably spend more time organising my cc than using it lol

[@annaissodone]

size inclusive sustainable clothing brands for men is a huge problem! They don't exist! That's the problem :D I manage to buy stuff online because brands usually have my size my husband's body is different from the beauty standard, so finding stuff for him is a struggle :(

[@theonlyenekoeneko]

Ooh I very much love a clothing swap party! Some of my favourite items I have scored from these! Did one with my housemates and all their friends way back when, and have done them again since transitioning which is a whole new level of fun because ✨gender euphoria✨ Normally we do it like a lil auction if more than one person liked it and it was paper-scissors-rock battles until the victor got the item 😂

[@NataliaNNS]

This sounds like a lot of fun!

[@emmathorpe9379]

How to build a wardrobe you will actually wear was my gateway drug to your channel. Love it so much x

[@elainebailey2002]

I’ve notice personally since starting to detach away from fast fashion, that a majority of fast fashion clothes I see in stores just aren’t appealing at all to me anymore. I feel all the products are just a bit fugly, especially when you factor in the stolen designs, green washing, low paid store and factory workers, and so on… I’ve also changed my spending habits and then thoughts surrounding them. I used allocate £50 a month to buying new clothes, which is absolutely bizarre to me now. I then decided to shrink that spending down to just one new garment a month, which had to come from either a charity shop or an online resell store. A year on from making this change, I buy a new price of clothing once every 3 monthsish, and I definitely feel like I’m enjoying my clothes way more than before. I’ve always been really creative with my clothing so it wasn’t necessarily an issue of unimaginative restyling, my issue was that I had put an imaginary pressure on myself to keep buying new clothes. I think that pressure had come from my teenage years, and ideas surrounding fashion, so making that change in mindset has not only been super lovely to my bank account and the environment, it has also made me feel more grown-up. It’s called shopping fashion more ethically sweetie ✨💅👠 Side note: it’s taken me exactly 12minuets and 49seconds to realise that Leena wasn’t wearing bread-roll earrings, but instead a lovely pair of roses.

[@ellakae7]

These videos have helped me so much. I always have bought a decent percentage of my clothes second hand but it took me a while to get over the idea of 'cheap' clothes from places like kmart I'm now at the point where I only but socks and underwear from these places and get the rest of my clothes as ethically as I can. The advice that really stuck for me was trying to see my wardrobe the way I see my book collection. It's not something I have to rush out and 'complete' with loads of cheap items right away, but something I can curate and look after and rewear/reread again and again. I've also really tried to get into the mending part of the hierarchy recently and it's made a big difference because I feel proud of those mended clothes and wear them more often.

[@jaidespilhaus2185]

If you need the reward / collection aspect that you lose from loyalty cards - go to a local small business like a cafe, they usually have a lil points stamp card! My local board game cafe has one and it feels like a reward for doing good every time I complete one. Supporting somewhere I love and enjoying their coffee ❤️

[@squattycoati931]

Yes! And I love the points about really understanding how much effort and cost goes into making a garment and we so often devalue our clothing and don’t think about that. I knit and all the time people tell me I should make an Etsy shop - I always have to remind them the sweaters would be hundreds of dollars and people aren’t just gonna be willing to pay that. I think understanding the labor that goes into garments will also help us care for them more long term, if you understand someone had to work hard to make it, maybe we will not be so casual about throwing it away or discarding it

[@auag19]

I had this whole period where I was VERY against fast fashion, so much so that I cannot even walk into a Primark without feeling yuckk. I've read too many articles about how poorly the workers get paid, how they don't even get breaks, how they have no windows etc Then the pandemic hit and I got a job in government and I started needing office clothing. I was super broke, and counting pennies for a few years at this point. Without even thinking about it I went into H&M and got myself a nice pink blazer. Now I'm not that broke anymore and I started getting ads for Shein. My colleague loves Shein and told me it's amazing what all you can get from Shein. I even downloaded the app but still couldn't purchase it for some reason. Then I met up with an old friend of mine (we have similar values) and suddenly I realized, oh shite, this is why I haven't committed to buying anything yet. That, plus the fact that I'm still too frugal to buy clothes just like that. I just deleted the app on my phone thanks to this video and will try to find similar clothes elsewhere

[@raapyna8544]

Good job!! I'm getting out of a buy-nothing year and running out of clothes, and it's tempting to 'just go and get what I need'... But I'm straight-sized, and have easy needs, so there's no reason why I can't go drifting with a friend some day. Besides I need to decorate my new home... So I need to go drifting soon regardless.

[@amara560]

I am in a similar 'counting pennies' situation and got lured into ordering from Shein. I did order a couple of times, because there are so few plus size stores in my country as well. I sent back most of what I ordered each time cause it was shapeless, too short or bad quality. I kept a few things but when wearing them longer I realized they were very uncomfortable. 100% synthetic fibers means the clothing is not breathable and you start sweating. I avoid Shein like the plague now because besides the obvious moral objections the quality is just super poor. I wish I had realized earlier.

[@JoMakerOfMovies]

Leena is actually the only creator whose ad segments I watch - I feel like being so open and honest about which brand deals you accept means I genuinely feel like the ads are relevant and ethical! Nice one Leena :D

[@queencrimsonqueencrimson]

I agree with everything, yet coming from a different country I have ooooone comment re the switching shopping/browsing/big dept stores with things like going to a museum, gallery, library or smaller independent stores… Everything shuts at 5pm in the UK apart from big shops! So for a lot of people that wanna do something nice after work… well you’re either hitting the high street, going to a massive fast fashion shop or dept store or just straight down to the pub. It would make a massive difference if these places opened later and stayed open later!

[@sigridsimmen]

You are so so so right. As a European living in the UK, I don't understand why more people don't talk about the fact that if you're working a 9-5 job in the UK, eeeeeeeverything is closed by the time you finish work and there's nothing to do

[@queencrimsonqueencrimson]

@@sigridsimmen Exactly!

[@raapyna8544]

This is weird. So all these services are up just for pensioners? In Finland, libraries are open until the evening, at least self-service. I don't know about museums, I've never tried to visit one during the week.

[@sigridsimmen]

@@raapyna8544 Exactly. I've had a variety of issues trying to get to high street stores, post offices or libraries after work as many would close at 5.30 and I would have to bolt there after finishing work at 5. During the pandemic when working from home, I no longer had the convenience of spending my day in the office close to shops and would struggle to even get to a pharmacy as they would close right after 5. The only museum where I live is open 10-4. When would a working person ever be able to go to it? Most things are only accessible on the weekends for working people in the UK (unless you have flexible hours or an extended lunch break).

[@gamewrit0058]

Felt a thrill when I saw you're wearing a cute dress you made yourself, and how you styled it with your flower earrings and great lipstick. "It's Leena! She's fab to listen to." 🥰👍

[@imo.o]

I really like going on shopping trips and trying on new things and find it a fun day out without actually buying anything! You can still be creative with different clothing but not actually buy the items you try

[@kathleen7849]

I think online shopping is the worst. Often it's items flown in the delivered to your door so you don't even need to move off your couch and can be tempted to buy much more. Small bricks and mortar shops by locals, plus also making your own, gets us back to the old days when people were more appreciative of what they had.

[@MrsQuam]

As an art teacher, I approve your message of encouraging the spirit of sharing. 😁👍🏻

[@flagerdevil]

I'm kind of glad that I haven't liked the fashion for many years now. So I barely ever find anything that I want in shops. Not that I go looking much either. I mostly shop second hand, or sew things myself these days.

[@kato6196]

I love the idea of hiding things from yourself! I fell upon the idea after Covid, when I had to move quickly and put a lot of stuff in storage lol, but now I do it on purpose.

[@pipancla]

Loved this video! I always wondered why I didnt have as much of an attachment to fashion when I was younger and recently I realised it's because I spent all of my childhood playing fashion games on the internet

[@opendoortheatre4328]

So interesting - I’m constantly buying clothes as that dopamine hits just right - I’ve transitioned fully to Vinted now and haven’t bought anything that wasn’t second hand in over a year which is better than I was doing - I guess the need for ‘new’ might actually be more of an need to reflect inward and figure out why I’m not content with a wardrobe full of clothes that I like a lot and fit... hmm your don’t let your clothes speak for you definitely is food for thought!

[@imarip9781]

Wow! not bought new in over a year that's really good start!

[@trilobit4640]

Oh, it's absolutely the browsing experience about fast fashion for me! It's the same feeling as being a kid and spending hours in the public library, just fluttering around all the books until something caught my attention! Mainly the content of the books, but also the whole sensory experience of touching pages, colourful imaginative covers, the scent of books, the hushed library sounds- there was even an aquarium there when i was really young, I think it was too much upkeep for the librarians though... I don't know what I'm trying to say, but this video did get me thinking, and the place my thoughts went to was the library, and how the joy of exploring different selves through fashion maybe is a sister of the joy of exploring different selves through browsing books? At least to me, I think it is? That also made me think of the actually kind of impressive scifi section in the library where I currently live. And I do like to consider myself a Scifi Fan. Maybe I'll go try it on?

[@Theupoy]

I'm near the end of my first trimester and have been super tempted to hit up fast fashion shops for maternity wear/new clothes as I'm on a budget and most of my pants no longer fit. This video is a great reminder to be intentional about my buying, to buy secondhand wherever I can, and to rethink my wardrobe - wearing dresses and oversized trees with leggings, sewing stretchy panels into old jeans and attending clothing swaps or shopping closets of friends who have been recently pregnant. Thank you Leena!! You're so lovely, your videos have been helped take my mind off morning sickness and exhaustion. 💕💕💕

[@raapyna8544]

Some drift stores have a lot of maternity clothes! It's a smart thing to cycle because you wear it for such a short time.

[@ss_apobangpo]

you've got some genuinely good points here and they work not only in terms of clothes and fast fashion. i barely shop so I can't relate to the clothes part but i still relate to a lot of these points, esp this "detach emotions from brands" this really made me think cuz im definitely attached to a few food chains and restaurants because of emotions.

[@reasonistreason]

A small thing but I loved that your saved bookshop is Scarthin Books! Absolutely the best book nook in the Midlands, if not the country imo.

[@vitezroman8569]

watching these videos, i feel like a tourist on a safari. there's this thing i still can't quite get is like why would a person just buy new things all the time. to me that is something quite incomprehensible. it takes forever for me to decide to "welcome" a new piece into my wardrobe and my life and then i just go on wearing it till it literally falls apart. so i went about my life buying things only when i really really had to and then i moved to [portugese backwater] and woe is me: there is nothing to buy here that would fit me that isn't h&m. like literally. i can't buy from local brands because i am too tall and nothing fits or i don't even like it as it is waaaaay to colourful and/or revealing. i needed tropical summer appropriate clothes and i couldn't find anything that would work. most places don't deliver to here and if they do about half the time things get lost. went to the capital basically to shop for clothes (horror), turns out they don't even import all sizes from major eu brands. so i ended up going to h&m to buy shirts. great. i suppose this is a long way to say thay sometimes depite people's best efforts, you're still stuck with buying things from brands/companies whose policies you religiously disagree with. now I just hope those 2 shirts last a long ass time.

[@TopazRubyQueen]

The hiding clothes from yourself thing really does work!! I've done this accidentally a few times (things didn't quite fit me, things I thought I might want to get rid of but not yet) and had the exact same experience of finding them later and being excited to wear them again, just like getting new clothes. Love all of this advice, thanks for this video Leena!

[@evahanson5424]

I think the point about additional costs is a good reminder - Recently I went and bought a fast fashion party dress for a night out. I was really excited about it cause I genuinely don't have anything else like it, but I was unsure how much I would wear it after that night since it was so different from my other clothes. I then made the silly mistake of ironing the cheap polyester material, and it shrunk weirdly in some places. I wore it for the night but was so uncomfortable I now know I will never wear it again. I feel guilty seeing it in my closet, and now need to figure out if it's even worth donating with the condition it's in. From now on I will remember to ask around from friends or give myself time to shop secondhand before an event (if I genuinely need something "new"). Hopefully next time I can save myself the $50 and handful of guilt!

[@cerysgardner4994]

Sometimes I would tell people where I got clothes from immediately so I didn’t get accused of “gatekeeping”, never considered a different approach, will definitely try it!

[@kingalew3805]

You're wearing the dress you made!! Yesssss :DD

[@SomeoneBeginingWithI]

If you get to know what colours and shapes you personally like wearing and feel good in, that releases you from the pressure of buying new things to "stay in style".

[@Jodie_May92]

After trying Depop I found it so hit and miss (some things would be amazing and then others would end up not fitting, not looking anything like their pictures ect) so it didn’t feel like it was fixing the problem as then I was ending up with clothes that I wouldn’t wear and I’d wasted the money/shipping ect and still ended up with an item I then had to find a new home for. I’ve now set my goal as owning a mostly me-made wardrobe. I’ve taken up knitting and have learned how to make lots of different items this way (which is super slow fashion as it can take me weeks/months to knit myself a jumper for example) and I’m also teaching myself how to sew. I’m allowing myself purchases at the moment which I can’t make myself, but try to go as sustainable as possible, and always look in charity shops/second hand places first. I really think learning to make clothes is a good tip for giving up fast fashion, I didn’t really understand just how poisonous fast fashion was until I started putting myself in the shoes of garment makers. The idea that after those hours and hours making something I’d be paid so little that a shop could make a profit selling it for £10 just baffles me.

[@erinrabideau3691]

Love this video!! I would definitely add mending for the clothes you have too or taking clothes from your friends and altering them to make them fit you perfectly. These skills have helped me a lot!

[@Sofia-uc5hx]

Walking through a haberdashery "just to absorb colour without having to pay" is not an experience I can relate to unfortunately XD

[@gaymooshroom371]

Did a charity shop crawl the other day for work clothes instead of buying fast fashion 💪🏻 it's hard as a disabled person but luckily I had my wheelchair and a friend to help me 🥰

[@blushingbearhere]

I’ve always grown up going to the chazzas (charity shops) & carboots because money was tight and there was a shame in that when I was in school and people saw me walking out of the shops. But I’m so glad second hand shopping was normalised and encouraged from a young age by my family. When I have a bad day in work or a bad time I just go for a wander round the chazzas and see what gems are out there. I often don’t buy things now unless I’m looking for that item and question if I need it. Or I’ll buy bits for friends and they’re always surprised where I get it from I’ve now converted 3 friends to chazza shopping 😂.

[@saraht855]

I started making my own clothes and mostly just wanted to come down here and say that my goal used to be to make them look "professional" i.e. like fast fashion clothes and now I reached a point in my sewing where fast fashion looks rubbish compared to what I made for myself XD I have a few videos on my channel about my clothing journey if you want to see any more :)

[@KatheD]

"it will blow your mind so hard, you won't be able to put all the bits back in" - overall best quote from yet another awesome video

[@sallys.2707]

Everytime I see a garment I think I would like, I : - Ask myself if I can sew it. If yes, do I want to put in the energy and time to do it ? If yes, sew it. If no, I don't really need/want that item - If I think I can't sew it myself, do I have the energy to browse Vinted to look for something similar ? If yes, I do it, put it in my which list and only buy it if I still think about it a couples days later. If no, I don't really need/want that item. This system works really well for me !

[@Rose01bloom]

I like that strategy! "Would I want to put in the energy to make this myself?" seems a solid way to figure out if you really want something

[@Emily-re3td]

With the compliment thing, I think your suggestions were really good. I usually fill the space of the compliment by complimenting the person in return, it makes both of us feel good and it allows me to say exactly what I like about whatever it is I'm complimenting so the conversation is about shapes, colours, cuts, etc.

[@theunicornrainbow363]

I'm known by my friends as a person with a very unique style and I get compliments on my clothes all the time. Even the people who complimented them, often don't remember the item, because I style them differently.

[@TheGalacticGrizzly]

Shopping is so difficult! Just finding something I like that also fits is hard enough. It's why I don't like shopping online, I'll just be disappointed. But all sustainable shops I know are online only or not in my area. So I'm left with the thrift shop, which isn't always ideal either. Sometimes I'll swap some clothes with my mum or sister, but that's the extend of it. I really wish sustainable brands were more available 😔

[@eva1malene144]

Something I did for the first time last year was lend out clothes for a full season to my friends- I had some dark coloured sweaters of high quality, that used to really be my style, and I think will be again, but I just wasn't feeling the dark colours. So instead of just storing it or parting with it forever I sent some pictures in a group chat, and all of them were lent out for the season. Don't know why I hadn't thought of it before, but the realisation that swaps can be temporary kind of blew my mind (also it makes me happy to see the clothes in use!)

[@Guguchina]

Its definitely a process and nuanced. I do buy 'fast fashion' still, but do try to find some of what I need in charity shops. Often my wants are too specific to find anything there but I do try. 99% of the time, I only buy things I need and been planning for a long time, sometimes up to a year or so. I also take into account materials too, try to stay away from polyester if possible. I recently bought pajamas from Primark, and felt ashamed. But it was a very informed purchase as I had only bought one pair of summer pajamas since I gained weight a few years ago, partly in the hopes that I would lose it e.e. I try to at least be very careful with my clothing purchases that means I buy much less... even though I feel guilty sometimes for buying things made with cheap labour.

[@pozol5542]

I really love and appreciate your advice, the last one has literally opened something in my brain. I have some old clothes that have been with me since middle school, and I was actually thinking about getting a sewing machine just to be able to modify them a little bit - maybe I should also try sewing a garment from scratch? Just to understand the work that goes into making clothes

[@FranMinney]

Loved this Leena! I’m already a way into my journey on giving up fast fashion but I had a sneaking suspicion this would be full of things I hadn’t considered and I was right!

[@nicolearriaga9969]

I found your channel maybe a month or so ago and I just love it so much. So much great, friendly, funny and entertaining content. Thank you so much for creating this and for being the person that you are! I have refrained from asking this for weeks now. Not really sure why, but can you tell us more about these amazing giant flower earrings you wear in so many of your videos? I've already done Google searches and looked on Etsy to no avail. I'm particularly in love with the red ones. Pretty please do share. Love them so much! Thank you for this and all the awesome videos you have made over the years. It's so fun to have this giant catalog of older content to watch and enjoy. ❤️

[@annikamin6914]

She mentioned in a previous video that she made those earrings herself!

[@goannagirlable]

The video was AMAZE but the animation for the countdown?! INSANELY GOOD

[@marianne4902]

Me and my college friends go thrifting. We’re all plus sized and have a fixed budget, and it’s a great way to try different looks sustainably while staying frugal.

[@themightyquill560]

I was raised by frugal parents who emphasized getting the "best deal" aka getting something that costs less, waiting until an item goes on sale, getting BOGO deals at the grocery store even if you don't necessarily need to restock on that item, etc. I rewear a lot of my clothes anyway, so when I started looking into "slow" and more sustainable fashion, I've had a hard time reframing my thinking about what is "expensive" and what exactly I'm paying for. A lot of times these items are high quality and last a long time (ideal for my rewearing!), so even though it costs more than, say, Old Navy, I am still getting a good deal because of how long they will last through wear and washing.

[@simoncaine9515]

All my camera gear is from MPB. They're an awesome sponsor. Great work. And the video is awesomely informative as well. 😀

[@Soolepoh]

My biggest tip is just mixing and matching your own wardrobe. It just brings me a lot of joy to wear an item a bit different or just a tiny bit out of my comfort zone. I like layering for that and watching videos from other people just to inspire me. I also just love accessories, because it helps with general confidence level.

[@gracedeitzler7414]

This has been a goal I've been working towards for a while with less success than I would like. Today I made a step by unsubscribing from all of the brand emails I get constantly, as well as blocking the accounts on social media so I don't get ads from them. I'm such a sucker for the ads and I fall for exactly what they want me to, so blocking them and removing that constant reminder entirely will help curb the temptation, I think.

[@shenenigans2037]

I think my very favorite tip here is the first one! I love the idea of changing how we take and give compliments to reflect the stories of these items!! So much of sustainability is realizing our clothes have stories before we buy them, and appreciating their stories with us. I love the idea of sharing the life and fun of them instead of the price, and about complimenting people's repeated items. I'm always working on all of this, but I especially want to implement that tip ASAP! I haven't quite broken free of fast fashion, but I am very close, and I have wildly cut down in my consumption and impulse shopping! It feels revolutionary to go on a mall trip to help my friend fill some wardrobe holes, and come home without even being tempted to buy anything for myself. My wardrobe is nearly everything I want it to be, and I only buy things about 2 to 3 times a year, and most of it second hand or from ethical / sustainable companies after careful deliberation. I really want to get all the way away from fast fashion, but I am so damn proud of how far I've come!

[@lydiafrost8769]

As someone who hates shopping I find that it’s hard to quit fast fashion not because I love shopping but because I hate it. I prefer to shop secondhand but often the one time a year I need a specific new item I go to thrift store and can’t find anything I like so then I end up H&M or something because I know they’ll definitely have some form of whatever item I need and I don’t have be as frustrated shopping for hours

[@albaKonst]

YES find your local tool library/library of things and borrow a sewing machine! HYPE HYPE HYPE for libraries of things!

[@genny1765]

For me, it's been quite easy to give up fast fashion because I always found it stressful and not that fun anyway. I like to make as many of my clothes as I can. But I still have problems with hoarding yarn or fabric because I see something beautiful and know I want to make something with it but it takes me years to get round to using it 🤦‍♀️ I think some of these tips are gonna be helpful for that problem as well, for instance I've started not going to my haberdashery to browse because I always buy something and it would be good to try and find a community to swap yarn I'm not going to use with 😅

[@assuntacicalese9935]

Thank you so much for the wonderful tips! I already use the library as my "impulse shopping" outlet to avoid actually spending money and accumulating things I don't need, and I will definitely try more of these!

[@sebastiancommons5404]

I've been getting into the ethos of maximalism. The idea that, to truly reject society's standards and expectations, you need to be radically individualistic. To find old clothes by any means possible and to arrange them according to nothing else but your own unique sense of style is so uplifting to me. I haven't delved fully into the aesthetic of maximalism (not quite my style), but the fundamental ideas are amazing. Some of these include thrifting/upcycling, experimentation without boundaries, and stylistic intuition. Such interesting history too!

[@eloisepaige5332]

To do this I decided to only make or thrift things I really needed and now to get that "online browsing" fix I just look at free knitting patterns, it does no harm, fills my needs and when I do need an item of clothing I have lots of patterns to choose from and trust me to commit to knitting something I must really want and need it then its special because I made it!

[@newt5111]

it was very fun to watch and chat along with everyone in the premier! you have such a wonderful community :)

[@crystaloona]

This makes me smile because I think I've never been a fast-fashion person. I've always been wary of those shops, I don't like what's in them and how it's presented! Don't get me wrong, I bought from fast-fashion more than once, but it's never been a hobby. For me the transition was so smooth. I wear my mom's and my mother in law's and my grandma's old clothes (and there are quite a few pieces I've kept for years in my closet because I didn't like them at the time and now I love them to bits!). I also try to shop at Vinted only when I need something precise. It's been so long since I've been to a shop, i genuinely dont remember it.

[@suericata]

My moms' friends' daughter once had a breast enlargement surgery, and bought a few new braws in advance. They ended up not fitting her new size, so I got like 5 brand-new braws for free! So thankful for them even considering passing them along.

[@maddinar6727]

I really appreciate your videos Leena. Mainly because you are never judgemental or blaming anyone for anything. You just give little nudges and make people, or at least you make me, realize the little things that anyone can do in a very step by step manner. I recently swapped my bank because of the collab video you made with sustainably vegan. I feel much more in control now and happy that I don't give money greedy old men the budget to continue to finance coal and weapon. I started reducing the amount of fast fashion items I buy when I went to England (a German here) as an Au Pair. There are so many amazing charity shops and i realized I didnt actually want *new* clothing, I just wanted something that's new to *me*. And after returning I continued to phase out fast fashion almost entirely. I say almost because I find it sometimes really hard to find very specific items second hand. Expecially as I am rather small and skinny and am quite small chested. However, with the emergence of the second hand app "Kleiderkreisel" or as it's now called "Vinted", I haven't bought any new clothing within the last, I don't know... Maybe three years. :)

[@makermeagan3975]

I've been trying to teach myself to sew for a long time, but have so much trouble with having the motivation to do so. Plus I don't really have the space or materials I would like to do it, but I do crochet, and have done so for years. I liked the thought of borrowing from people, and just thought how cool it could be to do that with skills! That could definitely help with people who don't have friends who are their size like me, and it would be awesome to have something handmade by your friends that you could wear all the time! You could even make it a time to spend together, whether over zoom or as a fun evening or evenings.

[@Olfonia]

you always manage to spark something in me to get me thinking further and i‘m just so happy to see you starting these important conversations… that’s the spirit we need 🌟

[@camillacaloi4122]

I relate so much to the creativity part. Not having a specific creative hobby is what built the habit of browsing ASOS and HM in me. What is helping me overhaul this horrific pattern is my life savior Vinted, which is also way funnier being full of funky second hand stuff, but ofc I am also trying to find different past times. When it comes to how my creativity works in relation to fashion/how I present myself to the world, Vinted has been life changing tho, because I feel that no matter how many new hobbies I might find, I'll always love to collect clothes and re invent my presentation.

[@ave_rie]

I was on the brink of complaining why you’re not showing a B-roll of the full dress you are wearing! 😂 So glad that your channel is about actionable steps too. I’m off to the dress video now. My 8 year old clothes from college are literally falling apart now. I found a couple of local stores (not lux designer) that make printed blouses and dresses - I’m surprised at how high quality they are! It’s so funny and ironic that the fast fashion stores are now so bland and boring compared to the local shops when the initial selling point of Zara etc is to always be fashionable.

[@monicahoger]

I feel like, in addition to changing your routine to spend less time near shops, changing your social media routine sometimes helps. At least for me, I rarely use Instagram or Pinterest as it is, and I think I follow like maybe 1 or 2 "influencers"? I'd rather see funny pictures and videos of animals than influencers. Course, following the knitting and crochet tutorials can be dangerous, but small steps 🤣

[@luisarombach683]

Ever since I quit fast fashion a few years ago now when I do end up in a department store or mall I feel incredibly overwhelmed and drained, so now I don't even wanna go there anymore

[@sophiemorin3495]

I really appreciate your take one redirecting our creative impulses of imagining new outfits (and bying new items) toward something else that can fufill that need in a similar way. I've been struggling with browsing a lot of fashion pinterests and buying new clothes from thirft stores (that I don't need and don't really have the money for). I'll try to find a new outlet :)

[@traingirl.meghan]

Leena, I just wanted to say I love how kind and thoughtful you are. Understanding the positive side of why someone might buy clothes (a creative outlet and self-expression) was such a helpful thing to hear, and I believe that kindness will do more to help change behavior than the shaming route. Thanks for being you and sharing this online! Your videos fill me with joy and help me take small steps towards what I consider to be a better me ❤

[@thatjillgirl]

Avoiding big shops is exactly how I have wound up buying fewer clothes (of all kinds). I didn't intentionally give up fast fashion. Truth be told, I do still occasionally buy it. But I moved to a town that's a good hour drive from the nearest mall, and there aren't really any similar shopping areas in my town, so I've just sort of stopped buying things simply because I'm not constantly around to see them.