Conscious-ish: The Conscious Style Series – An Introduction

How to be Stylish and Conscious-ish

Jacket: Reformation | Jeans: Levis

I thought of this idea months ago when I was talking to my friends about shopping and I found myself at a loss for words when I was explaining why I don’t shop at Zara.

I hesitated on using the word ‘conscious’ or ‘ethical’ or ‘sustainable’ because to me those words connote something boring, and often sound super preachy and annoying. Conscious-ish is a light take on the word, making it more palatable and inclusive. We are being conscious-ish when we try our best to do better. (Note: This could be a great podcast idea, right? Calling it right now…)

I’ve noticed there are two major types of shoppers:

1) First, there are ones who will shop anywhere and everywhere without giving much thought to whether something was made ethically or sustainably. They usually have great style, may love to shop high and low, supplementing their expensive Designer investment pieces with tons of trendy fast-fashion finds. They won’t necessarily be thinking, “is ASOS fast fashion?” when they see the perfect item to complete their outfit. In their minds, the cheaper, the better since they spend a lot on fashion. Possibly a fashion blogger! They could be a social media blogger or have a popular website, writing about fashion style, culture, etc. They may use fashion photography equipment or other technology to promote their blog content.

2)The second type are those who do care deeply about ethical and sustainable fashion, and exclusively shop are very curated group of (usually expensive) sustainable brands. They may or may not also have a capsule wardrobe which is full of black, white, khaki and grey items, and quite possibly also have an air of superiority about themselves.

Personally I don’t like anything that is too extreme or restrictive, be it religion, diet, or lifestyle. I subscribe to the idea that moderation is the best, the most sustainable, and from a human perspective, the most realistic goal.

As a newly aware conscious shopper, maybe someone who just finished watching The True Cost (which I highly recommend), looking at the other end of the style conscious spectrum, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed with restrictions and fall back into the ‘ignorance is bliss’ mode.

It is also really hard to imagine life with a black, white, khaki and grey wardrobe – no thanks! Give me all the loud color and prints!

My goal with this series is to make it easier for all style lovers to learn new ways to adapt ‘conscious-ish’ shopping habits. I believe everyone should be a conscious shopper – there really is no excuse not to be nowadays with all that we know about the Fashion Industry and its blatant harm to the planet and people. And because of this, we see more and more brands in the fashion industry bringing major changes to the way their clothes are manufactured. The awareness around fast fashion has made it relatively easy to find plenty of amazing Recycled Fashion brands for the next shopping spree! It’s always in our hands to bring about a change in the way we do things. It does not have to be the way it always has been. However I don’t expect, nor do I advocate for everyone to immediately overhaul their lifestyle in order to affect change. If everyone we knew just took a few small baby steps, maybe shopping a little less often, or starting to get into resale shopping instead of always buying new, or supporting some amazing sustainable brands, I really believe we could see a huge collective shift in perspective, which I believe is ultimately what is really going to change the industry.

Conscious-ish: The Conscious Style Series – will attempt to bridge the gap between the new conscious style enthusiast and the seasoned expert.

We will discuss:

  1. Baby steps we can all take to improve our current shopping habits to align with our conscious style philosophy.
  2. How to find and develop our own personal style.
  3. How to shop savvy and avoid getting into debt. Tips on managing money and creating a budget.
  4. Resale & Consignment Shopping – How and where to do it, and what to watch out for.
  5. DIY and Fashion Styling tips to get the most out of your closet.
  6. Favorite Fashion Apps and Technology.
  7. And much more…

Subscribe to the blog if this series pique’s your interest!

Follow Me! @zahra_sandberg

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Last week we took a quick trip to escape the snow for some sunshine in Key Largo, Florida☀️ We spent every moment possible outside, Tom and Adam got their Scuba Diver PADI certification (yay!) while Sophia and I spent our days either swimming or drawing marine life and landscapes. This was my first trip after my sister passed last November, and even though I look so happy here, there were so many moments I felt the grief and sadness, as if it happened just yesterday. I am still figuring out how I want to show up in this space, as I have changed so much as a person since the loss. I just don’t feel called to post some of the things I shared before. Maybe that will change someday, or maybe it will just naturally evolve into something new. I think I will take this year to just process it all. (Even the idea of taking an entire year to think through something is a huge shift for my usually hyperactive type A personality) My focus at the moment is just living in the moment with my family and friends, spending time doing things that make me happy and healthy. I hope to share some of that journey here with you ~ thanks for following along ❤️
I had planned to shoot this outfit in collaboration with @lenacoutureofficial right before my dear sister passed away. Saba, the designer, was more than understanding if I didn’t want to anymore - but after thinking on it for a while I decided I wanted to - in my sister’s honor 💗 She was always my biggest hype woman. When i would feel like I’m not good enough or that I should quit (which was often) she would tell me I was unique and great and to keep it up. When I think of my sister, beauty and love is all that she embodied in her being. She expressed that on the outside also - as she loved to wear everything glam, bright & colorful, and full of bling. Hair done, nails done, everything did - that was Nusrat. For this shoot I took the time to get glam after a long hiatus - and makeup and hair took so long because I think I forgot how to do it, but afterwards I was surprised how I felt transformed. When I wore this gorgeous outfit that I know was designed with such love and incredible attention to detail by @lenacoutureofficial, I felt all of that beauty - like a walking piece of art, and very much at peace. Thank you so much to @divmophoto for capturing the feeling so well 💕
Ski weekend with my favorites ❄️❄️ So proud of Sophia for skiing on her own for the first time!
There are some trees with seeds that only grow after a fire. Their seeds are completely sealed with a resin that have to be physically melted off by a great fire in order to propagate. So to do we as humans, gain wisdom only after great pain and suffering.*
A month ago (and one day) I lost my sister and best friend to cancer. I am still completely gutted and broken. But, I’m also so so grateful to have had felt the love that now brings me so much heartbreak. ❤️ I am so inspired by her - and I will forever live my life to honor her memory. Miss you sis ❤️
Classic outfit combo: oversized blazer + denim 🖤fendi mules @shoeslutz
Just a mom who loves mums 🌸 🪴
Cozy for a coffee date ☕️
French. Toast. Egg. Bake. Save this recipe for a weekend or holiday brunch - it’s SO good and fool-proof! I’m not even a sweet person and I love it. The pecans are a non-negotiable IMO - I get honey bourbon vanilla pecans for this and it is just heavenly. Enjoy!