OOTD: Rose Maxi Dress

Sustainable Daisy

eco friendly thrift shopping upcycling sustainable fashion recycled clothes ecofashion image picture

thrift shopping upcycling sustainable fashion recycled clothes ecofashionI’ve been searching for a long black maxi dress. In my head I pictured it: sleeveless, cotton, all black, no pattern. But who am I kidding? I love florals and of course I walked away with this beauty! It pretty eco friendly thrift shopping upcycling sustainable fashion recycled clothes ecofashion image picturemuch hits all the marks anyway ;).

I love this piece and I have to say that my favorite part is the see-through mesh that hangs 4 inches past the inner dark body. It is so elegant and really adds a unique touch. I imagine maxi dresses are easy for manufactures to produce. They’re flattering on everyone, are no fuss, and the dimensions need to hit the ankles at an alright-length (give or take six inches…a pretty comfortable percent error). Possibly due to this, I see a lot of cotton maxi dresses that are super cute but are not made with enough thought or handicraft to last long. The mesh lining at the bottom really gives this piece a kick of glam to an already well-made dress.

I bought this dress at the Goodwill for $7.99, a typical baseline price for dresses at my local shops. I was excited to match it with this floppy pink hat I also found thrifted for $3. I am a huge hat person, and I have had so much fun scavenging the hat sections. I’m hoping to find more and do some cute upcycle projects on future finds (stay tuned!).

 I admire the girl who can pull of a colorful bright hat. I decided that I wanted to be that girl this day, so I threw it on over my mysterious rose maxi and felt fabulous. I also think it’s even cooler that it’s secondhand. These items are so beautiful and useful to me. Clothes and accessories do not have to be brand-new to make stylish outfits. My goodwill dress and $3 thrift hat can make magic happen. Can you believe it? That’s another cool thing that I try to emphasize on Sustainable Daisy—that there is a hip uniqueness to individuals who choose to rock secondhand clothing. When you wear a thrifted item with confidence, accessorize appropriately, and feel good about yourself, it really shows that fast fashion is an option, not a solution to great style.

Shifting a mindset that well-made items are hip and valuable is necessary to change how people react towards the apparel industry. I aim to use this website as an outlet to voice that the composition of clothes (organic cotton, recycled fabrics, sustainably-sourced) goes hand in hand with the view people have towards sustainable clothing. I want people to see sustainable fashion as a desired way to go about shopping, and that view will shift when a passion is ignighted. We must show that sustainable fashion desirable and fun by being a model to your eco-wardrobe. 

Ethical fashion is so easy, affordable, and makes you kind of an interesting person for taking the time to hustle out in a thrift store and save Earth’s resources from being extracted into new products. If you’ve never done a thrift excursion, give it a try! And if you’re already a sustainable fashion advocate, keep doing you, sister.

eco friendly thrift shopping upcycling sustainable fashion recycled clothes ecofashion image pictureThe evening of this outfit’s debut I ate at Chocolatree Organic Oasis restaurant in Sedona. It was a different experience than I’ve had at other restaurants. The waiters and waitresses talked to me with love and patience. They were all gentle and I could tell they were not judgmental or defensive. I felt really welcomed here and was interested in their efforts that led them to be an eco-friendly establishment. I know that that’s a grand review, but I think that Chocolatree really is unique considering its playful outdoor patio, the kind people who work there, and the delicious sustainable food they serve. They source 100% organic or wild crafted produce and 95% of their menu is seasonal. They even take into account “travel miles” that their organic food undergoes to uphold accountability for serving primarily local products.

While I was at the restaurant I picked up a book I saw in the shop section of the front lobby. It’s titled Anastasia, the first book of the Ringing Cedar Series, that talks about the relationship between nature and man. My waitress noticed it next to me as I ate my meal and mentioned that this book changed her life and inspired the environmental functionality of Chocolatree. Wow! I am excited to finish it and tell you all what I’ve learned. ✿

Sustainable Daisy

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