• Onstyle

    What is the True Cost of what you are wearing?

    Fast fashion, low wage manufacturing, poor working conditions. Taking steps to be a more conscious consumer.

     Our generation is the first that grew up with fast fashion. We were and still are able to get our favourite designer influenced clothes at rock-bottom prices. I took advantage of this and I’m sure most of you did too. There was a phase in my life where I definitely subscribed to the quantity over quality mode of buying and treating myself to new clothes once in two-three weeks.

     Does this sounds familiar? A friend made me listen to this podcast by Rich Roll interviewing the Director of a documentary called – The True Cost. (http://truecostmovie.com/)  The True Cost is a documentary film exploring the impact fashion on people and the planet. All of us have witnessed continuous decrease in the price of clothing. But that’s only one side of the industry, the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. Honestly, I still have to watch the documentary, but I have been reading about it and I’m moved. It’s making me question my decision of selling these clothes – I don’t know where are they from, who made them, how they made them and most importantly if they were fairly paid? 

     So you must be thinking – what can we do about it? How can we help? Here are a few things we all can start with – 

    • Buy ethical. Here is a list of a few brands in India who are following fair trade model.  http://www.thealternative.in/lifestyle/10-indian-organic-clothing-brands-that-you-should-be-proud-of-wearing/

    • Know what is happening in the industry – Zara has been called our twice for terrible labour conditions. It is also one of the large retailers who just signed a legally binding agreement to finance fire safety and building improvements in Bangladesh, along with H&M and the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Addhttp://www.ecouterre.com to your bookmarks to know what is happening in the industry.

    • Go for quality over quantity – One of the factors contributing to horrific labour conditions is paying cheap prices for throwaway clothes. Instead, build a wardrobe of classic staples that will last you for years! Think more carefully when curating your closet, next time when you see a t-shirt for Rs 100/- don’t go – it is so cheap – why not? There are 1000 reasons why you should not.

    • Opt for Vintage/ Used Fashion – I do this all the time! You can stock up on some really classy pieces with a clear conscience! It’s difficult to find though, but the thing with vintage is that it has superior craftsmanship and fit.

  • Wiggly Wiggles

    In collaboration with Wiggly Wiggles – Part 1

    Hi there!

    This is my second collaboration with another blogger from Chandigarh. Mehar Kaur Cheema of WigglyWiggles has an amazing vibrant personality. Just like her blog name, she is cheerful and a happy person. I had so much fun collaborating with her.  She chose this beautiful cocktail kind of dress from my summer collection and I must say she nailed it. I totally love this look!  hope you like this too!

    🙂

    VINTAGE FEVER FT. “BE”

    Hey gorgeous people! Hope ya’ll doin great and chillin’ like a villain. So, the other day, I was sitting and watching, the movie, ‘Pretty Woman’. This movie has been one of my all time favorites! As I watched the movie, I noticed so many beautiful outfits Julia Roberts is dressed up in! Oh my! It took me back to the 90s. In today’s fashion world, we’re reviving the retro look and going back to all the style statements and trends. All the Bell-Bottoms, High-waisters, Crop-tops etc etc. are back with a bang! I absolutely LOVE vintage clothing, which brings me to talk about my new collaboration with “BE” (Vintage Clothing Chandigarh). A beautiful collection by Shruti Aggarwal, who is a fellow blogger as well as a collector and seller. She’s into Vintage Clothing and I’m totally drooling over her collection. Well! I’m not the only one who loves the retro looks. She has a beautiful collection of floral dresses which are very eye-catching and moreover, the variety of designs and styles that she has are suitable for every body-type. Ain’t that cool?
    Coming back to the collaboration, I chose two dresses, one of which is shown as followed.
    c909b-img_01922bcopy In collaboration with Wiggly Wiggles - Part 1
    I’m wearing a Navy-Blue Cocktail dress. It has a very unique design in the front. The patterned neck of this dress is very different and one of the main reason why I chose it. It has a beautiful flair at the end. I don’t usually wear such dresses, you know the ones with a flair. Such dresses don’t suit me most of the times as I have very broad shoulders and the ones with the flair make me look even fatter and broader. But this one right here, just fit me perfect. It hugged my upper body perfectly in order to give me a slimmer look and the flair too, surprisingly, just worked perfect!
    c909b-img_01922bcopy In collaboration with Wiggly Wiggles - Part 1
    The best part about this dress is that it can be teamed up with almost anything, according to the events. It became a Cocktail dress for me when I added on those pearls, it can be turned into a casual dress, just add a pair of sneakers and a cute brown belt, and the list can go on and on.
    c909b-img_01922bcopy In collaboration with Wiggly Wiggles - Part 1
    The collection is very summery and vibrant! The beautiful mix ‘n’ match of the colors is a treat to the eyes!
    c909b-img_01922bcopy In collaboration with Wiggly Wiggles - Part 1
    This outfit gave me a very classy, elegant and a sophisticated look. It just looked drop dead gorgeous!
    The next outfit by “BE” coming soon! Stay tuned for another stunner outfit!
    Shoot Courtesy: Adhyan

    Follow BE on Instagram: vintage_clothing_chandigarh

    Follow me on,
    Instagram: wiggly_wiggles
    Facebook: Wiggly Wiggles
    Twitter: @meherkcheema