Global Climate Strike

The Domain, Sydney 

Never underestimate the power of the youth.

A little over a year ago, at the age of 15, Greta Thunberg went on a school climate strike all by herself and began the Fridays For Future movement. This year, the movement went global, mostly organised and led by highschool students. 

It was also great to witness the rally last Friday (20 September) supported and joined by many businesses, community groups and people of all ages. As many as 2,845 businesses and organisations pledged to allow their staff to also strike as a part of the Not Business As Usual campaign by Future Super. The turnout and energy in Sydney alone was unreal.

These students can't vote at elections yet but they do want their voices heard and to advocate for things that matter about their future, i.e. demanding the government for greater action on climate change. In Australia, strikers demanded: 

• No new coal, oil and gas projects, including Adani's mine. 
• 100% renewable energy generation and exports by 2030.
• A just transition and job creation for all fossil-fuel workers and communities. 

Afterall, the consequences of climate change such as warming temperatures, extreme weather events and rising sea levels are going to be copped mostly by future generations.

So grateful that I live in a democratic society that I'm able to exercise my freedom of assembly and human right to protest. Some may argue and suggest students to strike on weekends. However, the whole point of a strike is to make a strong point by disrupting normal working hours. Striking on weekends is pointless.

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Buy Less, Wear More

Throwback to my teenage years when I wore the same clothes over and over again without feeling self-conscious about it, at all. The same jeans, same jumper (the one in the photo lasted me yeeeeeaaars), same tops and same footwear were always in rotation. I liked my clothes and I was happy about it. Little did I know at the time that my choices were actually sustainable.

Until one day, a friend had the audacity to burst my bubble and said,

"Linda, you're wearing the same thing AGAIN!" 

So naturally, I got a little upset about it, became a little self-conscious and prompted me to buy new clothes, which became a mindless and nasty habit.

Fast forward to my present self as a young adult and I feel absolutely proud about wearing the same thing over and over again. I still only wear a fraction of my wardrobe though. However, I do intend on getting more wear out of my current clothes and being more mindful on the impact of my purchasing power. No longer am I falling for those fleeting fashion trends or caring about being caught in the same outfit. Nor do I need approval from others about my outfits.

Being intentional with my clothing choices and sustainability brings me peace. 

Buy less, choose well. Make it last.

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Who Made My Clothes

Dear: Bec and Bridge, 

I am your customer and I love your clothes. However, I feel not enough positive change has happened in the six years since Rana Plaza collapsed, the tragedy which killed and injured thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh.

It is very important to me that people working in your supply chain are seen, heard, paid properly and working in safe conditions.

Seeing your "F" rating in the Ethical Fashion Guide 2019 by Baptist World Aid does not sit well with me.

So please tell me who made my clothes and where I can find out more information about your supply chain.

Thank you!

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Click for the full Ethical Fashion Report 2019. 

Who Made My Clothes

It's been five years since the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh with the death toll of 1134 people and approximately 2500 injured. 

That man-made disaster really was an eye-opening moment that made not just myself as a consumer, but fashion brands as well, to re-evaluate about our decision-making processes when it comes to the garment and fashion industry. 

Somewhat far removed from the reality of the working conditions behind each garment, because all I see is the end product sitting nicely in the shopping mall waiting to take place in my wardrobe. 

However, as a daughter of a (former) refugee, I'm quite aware of the sweatshop conditions with long hours for little pay, that a lot of Asian refugees in Australia have taken on as work because of their lack of English speaking skills but have strengths in sewing apparel. I'm sure this case is pretty much the same in other parts of the world. So, I can't begin to imagine what the possible factory working conditions are like overseas in a third-world country where most of my clothing pieces were made in. 

Being brutally honest (and disappointed at that), I've failed to become more conscious and make more responsible shopping decisions. I told myself I will no longer buy from fast-fashion shopping chains and have completely failed. It's actually not a good feeling, even though I have slowed down a little over the last 12 months. I guess it all really comes to down to discipline. 

The "Who Made My Clothes" campaign as a part of Fashion Revolution Week (23-29 April) is a refreshing reminder of sending out the message; to really consider the working conditions and supporting the well-being of those hard-working people who physically made your clothes. 

Whilst completely avoiding fast-fashion items or items made in a third world country is almost an impossible action to take, it's worth noting that you can make more ethical decisions based on the Ethical Fashion Guide published by Baptist World Australia. 

Click here to download.  

Alternatively, you can check out global brands in the Fashion Transparency Index 2018. 

I aim to buy less and choose better from now on. 

Lots o' Love, Linda

Decluttering...

It's been three years since my last post about cleaning out my closet. I have found myself back at square one, where I have accumulated even more stuff since then as I developed unhealthy and irresponsible shopping habits over the years, which then meant more clutter and stress. 

I'm actually very disappointed that I let myself to relapse like this but this time, it's easier to let things go. It took me a while but I had to be brutally honest with myself and asked "am I really gonna wear this again?", and when the answer was no, it had to go. 

So, I asked myself the following questions;  

• Does it suit my style?

As I've grown a little older and a little bit more wiser (and a little wider), I've realised that my style has definitely changed. I am no longer into patterned prints, bright colours or excessive florals that used to overflow my wardroble. Those fleeting trends that seem to be on trend one minute then completely forgotten the next minute don't appeal to me (eg: ruffles, gingham print, peplum, platform pumps). 

I'm trying my best to steer away from fast fashion in the attempt of being more socially aware of its impact. I'd rather stick to core, solid, staple and classic pieces that I know that I'd still be rocking years down the track. 

Classic pieces over fleeting trends, always. 

• Does it fit properly? 

My body weight and figure had fluctuated over the previous years, which is why I end up having so many different sized clothing. I had accumulated clothing that ranged from AU size 4 to AU size 10. I even had the bad habit of buying clothes that weren't my size, just for the sake of having it (which was probably just an ego thing - irresponsible shopping). 

Now, that I'm a little older, I'm seeing changes in my body. And, instead of beating myself up about it, I have come to acceptance that I just can't fit into some of my clothes anymore.

So, there you have it. I ended up donating my pre-loved items to my local thrift store, which I really hope they get more love. Some of these are items I've been hoarding for 10 years. It's still an ongoing process though, cause I still have too many things.

Nevertheless, it's a small but proud moment to finally let these go.  

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Cleaning Out My Closet

I'm currently in the process of downsizing my excess of possessions. I must admit, it has been quite a struggle but very liberating at the same time. I'm not fortunate to have a big room but I have accumulated too much stuff over the years which has ultimately led me to a state of unhappiness and a room full of clutter. I guess you can also say I'm quite a hoarder. 

I've been feeling quite stressed and seeing so many things fill up my room but are usually left untouched is quite overwhelming. I've been inspired by some online articles such as this one from Harvard Magazine and videos I've seen on YouTube about minimalism and downsizing. The following quote from the online article really got me thinking; 

"Buddhists say that desire for things, including material goods, is a root cause of suffering. And in Walden, Henry David Thoreau, class of 1837, makes clear his view: "Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."

Hence, I've finally made my first step. Although the process is quite slow for me (I need a bit of time), it's getting easier each time. 

Just like most of us, there really isn't any real reason why I have an overflowing wardrobe, especially when I'm not really a "fashionista" nor do I find much joy in shopping. So, I guess it's finally time to let go of stuff that are useless, holds no value nor make me feel happy. 

Meanwhile, I also aim to be more conscious and have more self-control with my shopping in general (especially clothes, shoes and cosmetics) with determination to get more wear out of my current clothes that I'd actually still wear again. 

Less Stuff = Less Stress! 

Most of the clothes on this rack are clothes I would actually still wear again. 

Letting go of some of my books is my biggest challenge. 

A fraction of my shoes under my desk. I'm running out of space! 

The following video by RyMingTahn was the very first video that I watched that ultimately inspired me. 




If you need further inspiration, check out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Lots o' Love, Linda