I've always thought I was a conscious and responsible person. I never thought that my purchases could possibly affect the health of the planet or the lives of others, even more so since going vegan. But after Fashion Revolution Week, I started to take a deeper look at the impact of my actions and how buying into Fast Fashion affects the planet.

So I wanted to think about different ways that I could live more sustainably, without compromising on style. Here are some of the ways I could think of to help both your pocket and the planet

1. Up-cycle

Do you have millions of clothes, yet still feel like you never have anything to wear? Yeah, me too. These are very common thoughts and feelings, yet not a very sustainable way to think. So why not think about all of the things that you could do with the items that you already have. I have so many items that I can not only re-wear but up-cycle.

There are always workshops that show you how to up-cycle such as this one from The Good Life Centre. The prices of the courses vary depending on the length. But if you, like me, are starting out on this journey, then I do think it is worth trying to attend one of these workshops as it will save you money on a whole new sustainable wardrobe

2. Thrifting

Who doesn't love a trip to the thrift shop. I guess Macklemore made it cool again, but I always love rummaging through the rails looking for a great steal. It's amazing what you can find in there. It can be hit and miss, but if you find a couture piece (that's obviously vegan friendly) at a discounted price then you're laughing! Maybe bring some of your own stuff down there to see if you could do a trade off. It may not always work, but hey, it's worth a shot! In the famous words of the Dr. Pepper ads "What's the worst that could happen?"

3. Hand me downs

So growing up in a household as the youngest of 4 siblings, I have had my fair share of hand me downs over the years. Sadly, as I started to get taller than my sister, those hand me downs became few and far between and I had to resort to using my brothers old clothes - nightmare! But as of late I have loved the fact that my Mom tends to buy clothes only to realise she will never wear them so gives them to me. I have also been given a lot of the clothes she used to wear when she was my age which are coming back in fashion. Result!

4. Recycle your wardrobe

Fashion seems to recycle itself. I mean how many times have we seen culottes and flares come and go over the years? So it's always a good idea to keep stuff that are in good condition and just rewear them when it comes back in fashion. If you happen to have clothes that you know you will never want to wear again, then you can donate them to charity shops or you could...

5. Use Old Clothes To Re-Upholster

There's nothing to say that you have to turn your old clothes into new clothes. You can take your old clothes and use them re-upholster old unloved furniture such as footstools, lampshades and sofas. The possiblities of what you could make are endless. As long as you use your imagination, there'll be nothing stopping you from re-upholstering your whole house if you feel you want to. Denim and old linen is always a good shout. Check back in a couple of weeks when I will show you what I have up-cycled. Super excited for this challenge that I have set for myself!