I first came into contact with the book “The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good” while I was out shopping. I noticed a flyer that this author was going to be speaking in San Luis Obispo (where I live) in a couple of weeks, and I thought why the hell not. Let’s see what this is all about.
The Book
I wasn’t aware until I started the book that this was Elizabeth Cline’s second book on this subject, the first being “Overdressed.” The Conscious Closet is divided into six parts, each one outlining a topic with a grouping of chapters. For me, this made it easy to go back and look at the sections that I wanted to re-read.
The first couple of sections are about saying the concept of fast fashion and how to clean out your closet. Thankfully, I’ve done this step many, many times. However, it was still great to hear some additional ideas.
The second and third sections gave an overview of the art of less and more in regards to fashion. These chapters give you a background on fast vs. sustainable fashion. What it means to buy quality over quantity and how to look for quality. Here the author also discusses the different options for shopping, such as thrifting and renting.
Four and Five were all about the fabrics that you own and how to take care of them. These chapters, I found to be the most interesting. They were all about the different types of fabrics, how they are made, and the chemicals used. In addition, the author shares how to care for your clothes and shoes.
And the final section, six, is all about the fashion revolution. In this area of the book, Elizabeth talks about how we all can change the fashion industry. From making sure that we’re shopping at stores that give their employees fair wages and decent working conditions to reaching out to brands to ask what’s in their products.
The Takeaways
I would recommend The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline. I believe the art of taking care of one’s clothing has been dwindling for years now. To me, as someone who has been doing this for years, I wanted to shout “yes” and do a happy dance. This book shares the importance of this practice not only because it allows you to keep your clothes longer, but it saves you money. That, to me, is worth it.
Another significant part of this book is the author interviews several people in the industry to get their thoughts on sustainable clothing, reducing waste, and improving the lives of the garment industry’s workers.
Even if you’re still not sold on sustainable clothing and having to take care of your pieces, this book is always a great read to educate yourself on what is going on. If you’re going to choose fast fashion vs. sustainable, you might as well make an educated decision.
Closing Statement
Even before I read this book, I understood that I have a clothing waste problem. I had already started taking action. Mostly, this book has me thinking more about my clothes, where they come from, and how they are made. Although I don’t think my habits will change drastically, I know that I would like to start making some change.
Photos by Anthea Marette Photography
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