A timeless wardrobe filled with clothing that never goes out of style isn't something out of a fairytale, but rather entirely possible, according to one Ottawa sustainable fashion blogger.
"Slow fashion and sustainable clothing is really about just shopping more consciously," Alyssa Beltempo told CBC Radio's All in a Day last week.
"That's kind of the ultimate goal ... to have a closet full of pieces that you can wear for much longer than one season."
Beltempo began sifting through second-hand shops and vintage clothing stores after she moved to a tiny condo with her husband and decided to "live with less."
Her latest stop to find sustainable fashion goods is at today's Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show, which has taken over Carleton University's fieldhouse.
Alyssa Beltempo is blogging about the items she's found at the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show, which took over Carleton University's fieldhouse Sunday. (Alyssa Beltempo)
"I think there is a big movement to shopping more sustainably," she said Friday. "I think more and more people are looking for quality garments."
Fashion is one of the highest polluting industries in the world, Beltempo said, and more people need to be conscious shoppers by really examining the garments they choose to buy.
One of Beltempo's tips is to take time in the change room to ask yourself if the item truly suits your lifestyle. (Alyssa Beltempo)
"Shopping vintage is more green, and it's slow in the sense that you're giving new life to more clothes," she said.
"You are not going out and shopping for something mindlessly just because some trend or ad told you to."
6 tips for success
Beltempo gave All in a Day host Alan Neal some tips for buying sustainable clothing and building a timeless closet:
- Shop second-hand or vintage.
- Look for quality garments by flipping them inside out to see if there's lining and if the stitches are all finished.
- Take more time in the change room to ask yourself if the item suits your lifestyle.
- Buy things you love, not just because they're trendy.
- Always shop with a list.
- Find clothes that are timeless and that will always be in style.
"Looking for quality garments is huge," Beltempo said. "[Make] sure it has that longevity in terms of wear power."
The Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show runs until 5 p.m. Sunday.
Through her blog and social media, Alyssa Beltempo shares some of her sustainable fashion tips. (Alyssa Beltempo)
