There’s something about the transition from spring/summer to autumn/winter that makes me crave warmth and comfort through cosy clothes and seasonal touches around the home. While September is usually a very inspiring and creatively energetic time for me, I also tend to spend more time indoors when I can, curled up on the sofa or pottering about. What better time, then, to put together a little wish list of autumnal pieces!
This post has been brewing for a while. Even so, as I sit down to write it, I remain unsure of my argument or if I even have one at all. It’s certainly a topic with a less clean-cut answer than I’d originally considered, so much so that I can’t be sure that I’ll be able to offer you much in the way of an opinion. Instead, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it – so read on for mine, then let me know what you think in the comments.
Ethical consumerism is on the rise. Restaurants and food companies proudly emblazon the word “vegan” across their products and menus; wonderful independent cosmetics brands give industry leaders a run for their money with skincare and beauty to meet a range of needs without compromising on animal welfare. In short, we have options – lots of them. So if you thought going eco-friendly was going to limit your ability to buy stuff, you’ll find it’s quite the opposite situation.
As much as we might be trying to resist it, fast fashion (and unethical consumerism in general) is still very much the norm in today’s society. Attitudes are slowly shifting, with charities and grassroots groups working alongside sustainable style brands to bring the human, animal and environmental suffering caused by the fast fashion industry to the forefront of consumers’ minds, but there’s still a long way to go. With magazine pages and blog posts devoted to throwaway style, where are we to turn to for fashion inspiration?
As much as I love using gorgeous cruelty-free skincare (not to mention writing about it for this blog), a lot of my routine is functional. From my morning cleanse to taking my makeup off at the end of the day, every step has its own function. While that consistency has its charm, it’s nice to indulge in effective skincare for the pure enjoyment of it now and again – for pleasure over business, if you will.
It’s the time of year when many of us are off on our holidays, taking a likely well-needed break from our daily routines to be around family, explore somewhere new, or sit on a beach and do diddly squat for a week. If you’re jetting off to a far flung paradise, renting a cottage with pals in the country, or embarking on a fun getaway of any description, there are ways you can minimise the waste that inevitably accompanies travelling. In this post, I’ll be going over my top tips for just that.
I’ve always enjoyed reading, but in the last year and a half or so, it’s become a much bigger part of my life than it had been. At the start of 2016, I decided to read fiction written by women only (#feministkilljoy). It started off as a fun experiment, but led me to discover some wonderful authors and stories I may not have done otherwise, and I haven’t really looked back since. With that in mind, I’ve been thinking of ways that my love for reading could have a positive effect not just on myself but in the wider world, too.
In just a few short weeks, it’ll officially be summer here in the Northern Hemisphere – yay! While the British summertime weather can be rather changeable (I’m talking blisteringly hot one minute and hailstones the next) we do love to make the most of the sun when it’s out; I for one am among the hordes of Brits who flock to the parks, the seaside or the pub gardens, to soak up those rays. All of this is to say that you’re gonna need you some sandals – and why not shop for some fabulously stylish and ethically made ones?
Coffee is a big part of my daily routine. Not only does it give me an energy boost (and stave off those ever so pleasant caffeine withdrawal headaches – addicted? Moi?) it provides comfort and structure to my day and is my only ‘vice.’ As I’ve been working on reducing my waste, I’ve found that my consumption of coffee is an area that I ought to address, not least because it’s such a key aspect of my day-to-day life. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share ways we can all lower our impact when it comes to enjoying a good old cup o’joe.
So far in my Less Wasteful series, I’ve covered ways to reduce waste in your makeup routine, day to day life and at home. As someone who menstruates monthly, I thought it was time to take a look at the ways I could address the waste surrounding this unavoidable bodily function; as it turns out, there are plenty of things you can do to have a less wasteful period, and I’ll be highlighting a few key ones here.