What is Slow Fashion? Its Impact on your Overall Lifestyle and More

In simpler terms, slow fashion is the opposite of fast fashion, but if we have to look at it from a deeper perspective, then the term holds a lot of different aspects of fashion and can be considered to be an essential part of the lifestyle. Like fast fashion, which is all about fast-changing trends with its forever changing landscape of fashion, slow fashion, on the other hand, is all about the slow and gradual progression of fashion. While fast fashion is all about catching up to fast-changing trends which leads to mass production and waste, slow fashion intends to curb and thwart them with its slow and calculative methods.

We live in a world where catching up to trends and seeking validation go hand in hand. Our standards are trampled by the forced so-called fashion evolution that lacks value and volume but signifies everything that is taking us to our ultimate doom by putting us all under a thrall of mass consumerism and an overall society where fast fashion thrives. A lot of waste is generated every year due to the production of mindless fashion goods and clothing pieces worldwide. Every day new trends come, leaving the old ones outdated and obsolete. On the contrary, slow fashion is everything fast fashion is not. It throttles the methods of fast production and consumerism that leads to environmental hazards and waste of resources – human and material. Slow fashion promotes slow production and slow yet gradual consumption. Slow fashion teaches you become a smart shopper, it helps refocus and channel resources in a mindful way that yields greater satisfaction while also being considerate of other factors that are directly and indirectly associated with your personal well being, and well being of the people around you and our planet at large.

While fast fashion is centered around the FOMO mentality and following all the mindless trends, slow fashion, on the other hand, promotes finding personal satisfaction and doing more with less. Slow fashion is all about buying those things that provide satisfaction, give utility and last for a long time – because, when things meet these criteria, you would not have to keep hanging at the doorstep of the market every other day to shop.

Slow fashion not only improves the fashion landscape, but it creates an overall balanced lifestyle with a more functional and reasonably competitive market, a safer working environment for the labor class and a cleaner environment for everyone.

Slow fashion is the opposite of fast fashion. It stands on the other side of the spectrum and is everything fast fashion is not. So it is natural that it dissuades practices of fast fashion, which is considered to be the biggest evil of the society, considering the overall disbalance that it has created and the number of things that are directly and indirectly trace their link to it.

Tons of chemical waste and toxins are extracted due to the production of fashion goods. While fast fashion has given birth to many evils, slow fashion promotes slow and gradual consumption, which leads to slow, gradual and mindful production, proving to be fruitful for the environment. While there are many benefits of slow fashion, this one tops the list because our environment in current times has created a staggering amount of tension and concern with its degrading quality.

Human resources are always scarce when the production is undertaken on such a larger scale, and in order to make supply meet demand, irregulated and illegal means are obtained. Such as the use of child labor. Despite being prohibited in many countries, child labor is used by the fashion industry, and mostly their needs are undermined and ignored, while they are often underpaid. Slow fashion helps thawrts this aspect of the fashion as well.

When you are becoming more mindful with your choices and buying in a more systematic way, it will naturally create a more stable market. Everyone would get an opportunity to sell their products, while similarly, every buyer would get an equal chance at buying the product, and that would create a more balanced and fairly competitive market.

Slow fashion is all about buying less, seeking stability and doing more with your fashion, and naturally, it directly promotes financial stability because when you are buying less, it is natural that you are saving more – even when you are going for expensive items, and ditching the practice of buying cheaper goods that are greater in quantity, but way too mediocre in quality.

Abbreviated as FOMO, fear of missing out is the anxiety caused by an irrational fear of missing out on things that everyone is seemingly doing and following. The term is coined and popularized during the current times of the internet, and it would not be wrong to say that a lot of anxiety is triggered due to the same internet. With social media, things reach you faster, and through those timely clicked and well-edited pictures, it becomes easier to create illusions, making it all the more indistinguishable to know what is real and what is fake, which leads you on a never-ending road of following the endless and mindless trends. But, when you intend to follow the slow fashion, you have to let go of the FOMO mentality and find joy, happiness and contentment in whatever you buy and wear. Once you become habitual of it, it will become easier for you to keep walking the path. If it becomes complicated for you to resist the urge to fall into the trap, detox from social media. Try to focus on the things that bring you joy from your style. Work on fixing your personal style – all these things are going to take a humongous amount of time, but once achieved, it will be easier for you to maintain. As we said before, it would certainly take some time to free yourself from the shackles of FOMO; you have to give it that time and energy, as it is going to be that first in your journey to becoming a more sustainable, conscious and responsible fashion lover, and an inhabitant of the planet.

Most of the mess is created due to mindless trends. While not every trend deserves to blame, there are certainly more trends that we see each day that are nothing but pure senselessness, thriving mainly on the equally mindless frenzied craze of the masses. So in order to become a more sustainable lifestyle and advocate slow fashion, you must understand that just because it is a trend does not mean it is good for you. Not every trend is for you; just because it looks great on someone does not mean it would look the same way on you. Some trends are mindless, to begin with. They have nothing to offer, which is why every other day, trends come and go. Try investing in your personal style and take inspiration from old, more reliable and sustainable trends because old is gold, without a doubt, and they have taken the test of time quite well, unlike some of the new trends that come and go with the fickle momentariness. For instance, the leather jackets trend which has sustained the test of time and remains one of the most popular and widely adored staple pieces. 

Your shopping habits are your biggest enemy. A lot of mess is created due to the way you shop. Whether you are a mood shopper who buys stuff every time you feel sad, happy or mad or an impulsive shopper who buys things randomly on an impulse when you see something that instantly receives your approval, you have to give up on these habits and become more mindful when it comes to shopping. The first step towards becoming a more mindful shopper is to be conscious of the things that need your instant attention. Secondly, try setting up a budget and be reluctant to spend more than your assigned amount. Seasonally shopping for important yet fashionable staple pieces would also help. You can save more and do more with your money by changing your shopping habits. Tip: every time you go shopping, do try to take note of the already existing things in your wardrobe.

Cleaning space is one of the essential aspects. If you are not freeing up space, it is a sign that you are still afraid to let go of the excess that you have accumulated. Decluttering and freeing space does not mean you have to throw away the stuff, but rather make better use of it by giving it away in either charity or to some friend who makes better use of it than you. You can utilize that space in a better way by organizing things in such a way that would give easier access; other than that, you can learn new ways to use the fewer but useful things in a savvier way.

Adapting to a change and modifying things from the surface will not make any difference as long as you are not focused on changing your mindset. Even when it comes to breaking the habits, you must strive to work on changing your mindset. Whether you are an excessive shopper or someone who buys something just to catch up to trends, or you are a mood shopper – in any case, if you start changing your mindset, it would help you see fashion and the role it plays differently.

Timeless, vintage pieces are expensive, but they are sustainable, nonetheless – which is why they are timeless, to begin with. From black and brown leather jackets to antique accessories and vintage silhouettes, you have a variety of options to go with.

You have to set boundaries in order to break the bad habits, and when it comes to fast fashion, the best way to curb it is to go for a lifestyle that limits your options for a while and forces you to choose the things that truly matter. Minimalism can vary from person to person, and you do not have to overlook the important and essential things, but rather avoid buying things in the heat of the moment and under the pressure of trends. When you have a set limit in the form of a minimalist wardrobe, it is natural that you would try to be a more responsible and conscious shopper.

Like we said earlier, mindset is everything, and a change in mindset can truly make a difference. When you buy something, you must look for durability and determine whether it makes a sustainable piece or not? You should also determine the amount of money that you will be spending on it and also ask yourself, are you willing to wear the things that you are buying after spending your hard-earned money or are you simply buying on an impulse? When you ask these questions and form a mindset, it becomes easier for you to decide whether to buy it or not and if you are a mindful shopper.

Just because something stops serving the initial purpose does not mean you can not use it for varied different reasons. Mindless discarding creates a lot of waste that could be avoided otherwise. The primary purpose of fast fashion is to become more mindful – mindfulness in shopping, mindfulness in following trends and even being mindful when it comes to decluttering and throwing away the stuff that seemingly does not serve a purpose. While you can certainly find different ways to recycle, repurpose and reinvent if none of the options work, the last resort should be to give it away to someone who would be able to make better use of it – that way, you can prevent a lot of waste while also being helpful to someone.

Conclusion: there is a difference between being a fashion lover and being a mindful fashion lover. There is no harm in putting in your best efforts to look stylish, doing more with the looks that you are bestowed upon and channeling your true potential, but all while being careful about other aspects that are not only important and essential for your well being, but serves a greater purpose.