Get the high end look for less
My mum has a little picture in her bathroom that reads ‘I was cut out to be rich, but I got sewn up wrong! It describes me perfectly! I have expensive taste but not the funds to realise the lifestyle! So I have to think of other ways to get that high end look.
I have purposefully not included the word budget in the title as I am having a huge inner dilemma about constantly bombarding you with fast fashion. I refuse to feature brands such as Boohoo, Miss Pap, Shein etc, but I do feature Zara, H&M and ASOS - and is that just as bad? I’m not a sustainability blogger and I don’t pretend to know enough about it to give lessons on sustainability - there are plenty of amazing bloggers out there that can do that. But, I know with any kind of platform, I have a responsibility and at some point I’m going to have to say enough is enough.
I still shop in H&M, Zara and ASOS myself, but lately I am thinking should I stop. Should I just buy preloved or buy more expensive ethically produced pieces. Or stop buying at all - I mean my wardrobe is bulging, do I actually need any more clothes? The answer to that is no of course I don’t, but none of us do and my whole career has been in fashion, I love it, I get excited by it and frankly I don’t want to give it up.
So what’s the answer?
I debated long and hard about whether or not to do this blog. I didn’t want to advertise fast fashion, but I’m also acutely aware that people are on a budget and I have always wanted to be inclusive of everyone whatever their budget. But then, is it my responsibility to try to encourage people to buy less but better or buy from eBay, Depop or preloved sites? Or buy one beautiful dress from an independent designer per year instead of buying a few pieces from Zara every month… this has been the conversation i’ve had with myself again and again this past week.
In the end I decided to write this blog about getting the high end look for less, as I had promised that I would. But instead of looking for the cheapest item I could find to keep the cost of each outfit under £100 (which I could have done), I have tried to find pieces that will last, premium fabrics, classics and items with longevity. I have looked for leather bags and cashmere sweaters, silk trousers and wool jackets. Items that aren’t just throw away pieces.
We do all have a responsibility and the fashion industry is one of the worst industries for our planet. At the end of the day, something has to change. And I suppose that starts with us making the choices that sit well with our own inner conscience.
What do you think? Come over to my post on instagram to have a conversation.
Links to all the items are below the outfit pics. Some links are affiliate links.
