FAST FATSHION
by Elle Biesemeyer
Slow fashion is an ethic and lifestyle regarding fashion that requires caution, care, and an analytic perspective on our garments and their sources. Slow fashion advocates for decreased consumption of new, trending clothes, opting rather for a more careful approach that curates our wardrobe to our own individual style and investigates where our clothes actually come from. Slow fashion is not about virtue-signaling. It’s about caring for our planet, protesting a culture of constantly shifting trends, and investing in ourselves.
Slow fashion should be a core principle of fashion for all sizes, but finding plus-size options regarding shopping slow fashion is nearly impossible. Shopping as a plus-size person is relegated nearly completely to fast fashion. Fast fashion is a term to represent the rapid manufacturing of inexpensive, trendy clothing.
A major component of slow fashion is to find our own personal style and stick to it regardless of trends. What’s in will soon be out, but investing in staple pieces, known as a capsule wardrobe, that will continue to resonate with our individual style beyond the current microtrends makes us stand out.
A core practice of slow fashion is to develop a capsule wardrobe of high-quality basics that can be built into multiple looks. Brands like Coyan Studio , Bacaal, Universal Standard, 11 Honore, sister brand Henning, Miaou, and Vince offer a selection of high-end basics and statement pieces for sizes up to 30, but options beyond are slim (quite literally). Luxury will forever be a luxury, especially for a plus-size person. Access to slow fashion is not just barred by cost but by size exclusion.
Sometimes, slow fashion isn’t simply buying expensive, sustainable clothing. There are plenty of ways to participate in a slow fashion ethic exceeding just buying from slow fashion brands. Fast fashion can be a part of slow fashion for plus-sized people as we are forced into its consumption simply by virtue of our size.
Slow fashion means repairing and repurposing what we already own to increase the longevity of wear. Wear a slip under that fast fashion dress that’s just a little too sheer, sew the straps when they break and patch any holes. It can mean styling our pieces in different ways to increase viability beyond trends. Throw on a belt to create a new shape, layer up with a cropped sweater–or wrap yourself up in a scarf.
Slow fashion can also mean investing in high-quality accessories to tailor your wardrobe to your personal style. Accessories pull looks together, perfecting your looks curated from your capsule collection. Jil Dever is a brand built on the foundation of timelessness. We don’t strip our styles from the rapid cycle of runway trends–we create our accessories to last through every season, to add another layer to your basics and statement looks, and complement your style for years to come. Integrating high-end scarves that can be worn in a diverse array of styles from headscarves to tops to bracelets to belts ties your look together and makes it feel like luxury, no matter the cost of your garments.
Elle Biesemeyer is a freelance writer with experience in blogs, creative nonfiction, short fiction, memoir, journalism, food & cultural reviews, nonprofit writing, and designing content for social media.
Elle integrates her anthropological studies into her writing to achieve a unique perspective that is both introspective and deeply critical of her surroundings. Her topics of expertise include fat liberation, pop culture, the outdoors, and gender.
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