Brighton Style Post

Walking through Brighton's lanes I can't help but admire the beautiful murals graffitied over the city's walls. Most people who live in Brighton would agree that this kind of graffiti is not considered vandalism but is most definitely considered art. We love it.

Today I'm wearing a vintage skirt bought from within Brighton's North Lane at Starfish, a Laura Ashley top bought from a charity shop on Brighton's London Road and an O My Bag handbag bought in The Fair Shop- a Brighton based ethical fashion boutique. Brighton is an absolute hub for ethical fashion whether it be vintage, second hand or Fair Trade- it can all be found within the seaside city.

Fashion ComPassion Guest Blogger of the Month

This month I was invited to be Fashion ComPassion's guest blogger of the month which I am very excited about! I was asked to answer some questions for them about my blog and about the ethical fashion industry- I hope you enjoy reading the answers. Fashion ComPassion is an online retailer of ethical fashion promoting some beautiful fashion brands in a mid-price range. You can see my top three favourite picks from their site on the blog post here. 

Do check out the blog post and their site- it's well worth a look!

The FAIR Shop

Trying to find ethical fashion on the high street is a nightmare. When I'm buying ethical fashion I constantly find myself limited to online shopping. Yes, it is convenient in this winters miserable weather, I can shop from the comfort of my own bed, but when it comes to clothes, I like to try before I buy. I also want to take every opportunity to support local independent business's especially ones stepping out of the normal highstreet fashion comfort zone and looking into ethical alternatives.

In Brighton we have a plethora of vintage, second hand and charity shops but we have very few shops selling brand spanking new ethical clothes. This is where FAIR comes in. FAIR is an independent ethical retailer stocking brand new Fairly Traded clothing, accessories and homewares. They pick out the best bits from womens clothing brands such as People Tree, Komodo, Nancy Dee, Bibico and O So Shika focusing on beautiful dresses and bright knitwear. They stock stunning jewelry from Fair Trade brands like Bombolulu and Love That Stuff that also supply to bigger stockists like People Tree.

Ethical fashion for men is an area which needs some more effort put in and FAIR are doing just this with their exapanding mens collection. They stock the usual suspects like People Tree, Komodo and Pants for Poverty, but also stock newer Fair Trade brands such as Arthur & Henry who make stunning formal shirts for men. Along with mens clothes, FAIR stock brands for kids; the adorable Little Green Radicals that have cute animal designs on tops, hats and babygrows for the little ones in your life. 

FAIR are doing what not many other shops have the guts to do. They are going out on a limb and challenging the fast fashion monopoly. They provide a space where Fair Trade fashion can be showcased and bought by the ethically conscious consumer in an environment where it competes against retail giants following unethical and fast fashion practices. FAIR collects the best of ethical fashion and brings it straight to the public so that we can still maintain the shopping experience that most ethical brands do not provide us with. So, lets say thanks to the ethical fashion boutiques like FAIR who provide us with real life clothes instead of pixelated images online and support them with our business this Christmas.

P.S. Vote for FAIR in the 'Dress for Success' window dressing competition held by Brighton and Hove City Council here

Photo: first- www.thefairshop.co.uk, last- http://www.jimpix.com/, all others my own

@TheFairShop   #dressed2012   #ethicalfashion

It's that time of year again folks...

So it's definitely warming up to that time of year again...Christmas. This pre-Christmas time slot just stikes fear into my heart because of one reason only- Christmas shopping. Erugh! The mayhem! The panic! The pre-Christmas sales!!

You can find out how I'll cope with this years Christmas shopping panic, right here, at the Oxfam Fashion Blog