Thursday, September 14, 2017

A New Wave: Ethical Fashion

An article I wrote for The Selected.

For decades, the fast-fashion phenomenon has dominated the global consumer market with cost-friendly and quickly overturned trends. Not surprisingly, there is an overwhelming surplus of unworn clothing everywhere – and this number only continues to grow. Regretful consumer choices, impulsive purchases, and the lure of sale item advertisements contribute to the culture of a fast-fashion marketplace.The $24.99 cost of a cheaply-made, Peter Pan collared shirt seems hardly burdensome at the time of purchase, but reality strikes when it is packed up and routed to Goodwill just 6 months later. For clothing that is worn just once or twice then tossed, where is the ethical limit? In recent years, a growing number of consumers have shown interest in sustainable awareness, and many are looking to switch gears to more long-lasting, durable fashion in their closets. Now, a new wave of ethical fashion is on the rise – and here is our breakdown for a more sustainable world of fashion.


 
Level One: Start where you are.
Take care of the clothes already in the closet. This is perhaps the climax of ethical fashion – because long-term sustainability is directly linked with proper care. Showing careful concern for already-produced items gives it its maximum life in your closet.



Level Two: Shop less. Choose better. (Only buy pieces you love 100%).
This is perhaps the most difficult one. Personally, I admired bloggers who made smart, quality purchases and supported ethical brands, but assumed the lifestyle to be too expensive for a (then full-time student) gal like me. What I failed to realize, however, is that purchasing more in quantity of cheaply-made clothing in contrast to buying fewer but of quality items is less effective, and often more costly in the long run. Check out this scenario: You visit the mall (claiming retail therapy) and spend $100 on 5 items from Store H.
  1. You wear the $19.90 swimsuit to the beach, but the padding falls out and becomes irretrievable.
  2. The $7.99 denim jeans you put in the dryer comes out two sizes smaller.
  3. You go out wearing a set of $5.80 earrings, and lose the left pair.
  4. The $2.80 ring turns your finger green.
  5. You save the $58.00 fur coat to wear in the winter, but unfortunately it’s only May.*
*To be fair, it was on Final Sale.

Six months later, you don’t recall any of these purchases because they are all either lost or un-wearable. Whatever is left of the purchase gets shoved in the back of the closet, or in a donation bag to Goodwill.

Honestly, this scenario isn’t foreign for most of us. We’ve regretfully purchased smaller sizes on sale, vowing to one day fit in to those ultra-skinny jeans. We’ve had clothes shrink in the dryer, beads fall out, and strings come loose. Most often with low-quality clothing, the hassle of mending, fixing, and replacing heavily outweighs the benefits of spending a few bucks “less” in the moment.
 
Thus, the key to sustainable fashion is to 1) shop less and 2) choose better. Buy with intention, thought, and love. Only purchase items you 100% love, not chosen because of menial factors such as sales, discounts, trendy (for a minute), etc. Your closet is a life-long investment, and items that slip away after a short while gains you no interest or profit in the long-run.
 

Buy with intention, thought, and love.



Level Three: Buy second-hand. Upcycle.
My solution to maintaining style and closet sustainability is thrift shops. Second-hand, consignment stores are incredible gold mines with rare vintage, modern, and stylish gems everywhere. Products are a fraction of the retail price, which allows customers to choose items without considering luring variants such as sales and seasonal promotions. Select thrift shops also guarantee style and quality: Wasteland, Crossroads, and Buffalo Exchange. For true discounts, visit the local Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Fast-fashion has owned the spotlight for decades, but in recent years, sustainability-savvy consumers are growing more alert and aware than ever before. Splitting ways from cheaply-made, low quality products, consumers entering a new wave of ethical fashion is planting roots in the fashion industry. These essential steps toward a more sustainable closet is to 1) Start where you are, 2) Shop less and choose better, and 3) Buy second-hand and upcycle. By adhering to the standards of ethical fashion, it creates lasting and impactful change in the current and future world of fashion.
 
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

“It is desirable that a man be clad so simply that he can lay hands on himself in the dark, and that he live in all respects so compactly and preparedly, that, if an enemy take the town, he can, like the old philosopher, walk out the gate empty-handed without anxiety.”

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Furniture Inspo

We need a couple tables added to our living room, looking for functionality and design. I'm thinking
1) long bar table w/ bar stools for kitchen/dining table
2) short, small rectangular table for living/tv/sofa area
 
 

Monday, July 10, 2017

Ever Be


Your love is devoted like a ring of solid gold
Like a vow that is tested like a covenant of old
Your love is enduring through the winter rain
And beyond the horizon with mercy for today
Faithful You have been and faithful you will be
You pledge yourself to me and it's why I sing

Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips (x4)

You Father the orphan
Your kindness makes us whole
And you shoulder our weakness
And your strength becomes our own

Now you're making me like you
Clothing me in white
Bringing beauty from ashes
For You will have Your bride
Free of all her guilt and rid of all her shame
And known by her true name and it's why I sing

Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips (x4)

You will be praised
You will be praised
With angels and saints we sing worthy are You Lord
(x2)

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg (excerpt)

And I like you because
when I am feeling sad
You don’t always cheer me up right away.
Sometimes it is better to be sad.
You can’t stand the others
being so googly and gaggly every single minute.
You want to think about things.
It takes time.
I like you because if I am mad at you,
Then you are mad at me too.
It’s awful when the other person isn’t.
They are so nice and hoo-hoo
you could just about punch them in the nose.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Current State

One of our living room corners
our bathroom, courtesy of Crate & Barrel haha
 
My grab & go jewelry
Blue Apron, for the full-time working newly weds

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

World Itinerary

  1. Paris, France
  2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
  3. Brussels, Belgium
  4. Copenhagen, Denmark
  5. Berlin, Germany
  6. London, England
  7. Dublin, Ireland
  8. Glasgow/Edinburgh, Scotland
  9. Zurich, Switzerland
  10. Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice, Italy
  11. Oslo, Norway
  12. Stockholm, Sweden
  13. Prague, Czechia
  14. Vienna, Austria
  15. Budapest, Hungary
  16. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Spain
  17. Santorini, Athens, Greece
  18. Helsinki, Finland
  19. Moscow, Russia
  20. Jeju, South Korea
  21. Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, Japan
  22. Anchorage, Alaska
  23. Vancouver, Canada
  24. Melbourne, Sydney, Austrailia
  25. Cape Town, South Africa

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

February

PROS:
  • We found an apt and moved to DTLA! Utterly grateful for where we're living, and constantly reminding myself that this is all by the working of God's grace.
  • I got a new job! I'm currently working at my childhood dream company, Compassion. I studied Communication and Global Studies in college in consideration of the future path I wanted to take - which was Nonprofit Management. I had no idea this is where I would end up. I am so grateful, humbled, and excited by the work being done here.
  • Justin and I celebrated our 11 years! I guess we aren't dating anymore, but it still feels nostalgic to celebrate our old anniversary.
  • I took my first flight into Denver, CO and stayed at Colorado Springs, CO for an entire week (Cons will be listed, stay tuned). But overall, I felt overwhelmingly blessed to work for an organization with high integrity and unwavering values.
  • Celebrated a successful surprise birthday party for our best friend Eunice, who absolutely loved the surprise. It is better to give than to receive! Amen.
  • Invited family over for the first time to celebrate my lovely mom's birthday. I've come to treasure family a whole lot more after being married. I wish I could spend more time with them regularly.
  • Had the BEST weekend with my college roommates on the last weekend of February! I love seeing how much we've grown, both together and apart, and coming together to share these joys and sorrows of life. We visited Joanne's hometown, ate a home cooked meal with her family, re-watched La La Land, and ate the most delicious 3-course meal. Cheers to your best year, Jo!
  • Worked my first Compassion Sunday event and had a successful turnout of sponsors. I'm looking forward to the many more scheduled this year.
CONS:
  • I miss my family. It's been tough only seeing them 3-4 times per month. I also wish I could spend more time with Justin's family and his extended family too. Our schedule and the distance makes it difficult, but we'll try harder this month! (Goal: see grandparents at least 1x per month, see family at least 2-3x per month)
  • Colorado people are the greatest people you will ever meet. Living angels. But Colorado altitude is the worst. I made it alive the first few days, but toward day 3, my skin was peeling, I had constant nose bleed, dehydration, nausea, eek.... needless to say I'm glad to be back in LA. I have a newfound love for my city! Ha.
  • This has been the busiest month so far. Life is gearing up in fast mode. I don't know how else to put it! Every weekday night I think I'll have open, I feel like it fills up last minute with catching up with friends, running errands, seeing family, other schedules and classes... These are all so wonderful and necessary, but Justin and I actually had 1 free day to spend alone together. (Wait, I realize that wasn't even in February, it was yesterday, March 1. Le sigh.) I'm trying, but no matter how fast or slow I go, I've still spent the 24 hours each day, and I look back to realize there were so many things I wish I could've done before it ran out. No regrets though! It was an incredible, jam-packed month. Just some hard reflecting and moving forward.
To a better me in March...by God's grace!

x Sola

Friday, February 17, 2017

Colorado Trip

And I will unabashedly say that LA is the best city in the world. Ok, I'm a little bias. Not only is it my hometown of 17 years, our recent move to Downtown has me blinded by its beauty.

Colorado is decent. The people have halos on, the roads are wide and clean, the mountains are high, and the nature breathtaking. But Colorado is also a "mile high" above seawater (as you can take by its name). So the air is cool, dry, and raspy. Your skin dries up, your nose bleeds, you have an 85% chance that you will catch a fever/cold/chills/nausea, and you will lose appetite because of it.

But I can't complain. I had the most wonderful time at GMC this past week. The ANZA training at Compassion International probably lands in the Top 5 experiences I've had at a workplace. The employees describe this training program as "drinking from a fire hose" because of the amount of information that is thrown at you in a span of 36 hours. It's true - it's an understatement if I said it was a lot of information. It was impossible to swallow everything. But unlike any other corporation I've been a part of , the leadership shows so much grace to the employees...truly. It's not a selfish kind of ordeal, like the kind that goes "let's show off that we have great perks" or implies any sort of PR motive. It's truly because their love for children, people, and above all, their love for God guides them to love their employees well and honor each other above themselves. I feel so blessed to be here. Everyone tells the new employees that they are here for a reason. "It's a God thing." Because being admitted into Compassion International is not an easy entry. The process takes long, and there are roughly 200-300 applicants that apply to one position on any given week. The competition is real, which explains why HR recruiters begin each interview with prayer. Prayer! How awesome is that.

God, I ask for humility, wisdom, excellence, strength, discernment, and perseverance. Give me whatever it'll take to be a good steward of the talents you've given me. Let me be your hands and feet. I want to uncover the beauty of the work that's being done by your grace. Amen.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Heartbeat

Sounds like a machine gun. I feel anxious, nervous and unsettled. A windstorm of thoughts running by at once.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Mid-Century Modern

An idea board for our new apartment in Downtown Los Angeles:

From the Scandinavian styled home in modern Spanish architecture. Love it :) Colonia de Sant Jordi, Mallorca. | homeadverts.com:
^ color scheme & textures

hardwood floors meets carpet in entryway.Entryway with hardwood.:
^ an organized shoe closet

Semi- masculine interior design; white, navy blue, grey; modern, clean, bright; living room:
^ mix of organic and modern

Quibe One Line Nude Art Print - Urban Outfitters:
^ line art for walls

Fresh white kitchen from John Lewis of Hungerford. http://www.john-lewis.co.uk/kitchens/contemporary-pure-kitchen:
^ a clean, clean kitchen. absolute must. useful items on display only

You can make a small balcony feel cozy by installing some hanging planters, a comfy seat and a small rug.:
^ outside patio ideas. greens, table, chairs: relax mode

New Home, New Mind


  • Open shop
  • Restful mornings
  • Visit family weekly
  • Live fully
  • Bake and cook often
  • Yoga
  • Clean mind, clean room

Monday, January 30, 2017

Some News

I need to document how excited I am for all the changes that will be happening! February will be the start of a new city, new job, new vibes... I'm flowing with ideas left and right, thinking about the endless possibilities.

My husband and I are making our first move (alone) together to the heart of LA in Downtown. We fell in love with our place the moment we walked in. Along with our move, I'm nervous yet thrilled to venture on a new journey with Compassion International, a nonprofit Christian organization that does incredible global work with transparent integrity. I hope I can make high impact for the company. Finally, I'm excited to see Colorado! (To visit the Compassion headquarters). I'm excited for some me-time, to travel and discover on my own.

I'm fixing my heart to enjoy the time I have now, and grab the opportunities I hold in my hands. I softly vow to only look to another's backyard for uplifting inspiration, and never to compare. I think it's a powerful things to feel content.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

by Douglas Adams

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

Role Models

A list of people I look up to:


  • an individual who is teachable
  • those who can admit fault and learn
  • humble ones: those who don't blab about their own greatness, but lets others do that for them instead. 
  • someone with a few words - but few, very powerful, encouraging, and uplifting words
  • those who stir positivity and productivity everywhere they go
  • individuals who lift up others before their own, attracting people around them to lift themselves up
  • a giving, selfless, helpful, joyful, contagious fool who humbly gives 110% in everything they lay their hands on
I want to be one of these individuals.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Motivation


  1. You are a summation of talents, skills, and characteristics that no one else has.
  2. In each moment, follow your pulse and choose what you love.
  3. Love God and do what you want.
  4. Spend one day each month to wind down, whatever it may mean for you personally. (e.g. read by the pool, visit an art museum, try a new place alone)
  5. It's okay to cry.
  6. There is a light at the end of every tunnel.
  7. Focus on what makes you happy. Do more of it.
  8. There is nothing you can not do if you try.
  9. Strive harder. Work better. Love more.
  10. Live the life you've always imagined.

The xx - I Dare You