BYE, GEMINI SEASON | a summer #ethicalootd

Sustainable, ethical outfit inspiration for summer #ethicalootd

“I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning all over again with the summer.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

I haven’t posted just an #ootd on this blog since the very early days, but I shot with a real life photographer (the extremely talented Malissa Tran @malantran!) for the first time and couldn’t just hoard these to dispense over the next six months in a slow trickle on Instagram like I usually do.

No, I had to PHOTO DUMP because this is it. I’ve achieved fashion blogger goals. And also these photos deserve to be seen in high res instead of on a tiny phone screen 🙂

Anyway, I also realized that I haven’t posted anything personal on this blog in a very long time, which is kind of crappy because somewhere along the way I think I forgot that this was meant to be a personal blog. Like, I’m a human being, not just a directory of places you can shop at with less guilt. And the longer I do this blogging thing, the less I care about hurrah-hurrahing brands—because although there are awesome brands out there, I don’t think capitalism is the solution to our climate crisis—and more about, I don’t know, asking and answering bigger questions in life.

True to the nature of Gemini season, I’m in a state of extreme flux. I’m moving this week from Seattle to the Bay Area, and I just left a workplace that became toxic for me and started a new job that I’m actually excited for. I can feel the changes within myself from these past few years; as cheesy as it sounds, I really do feel as if I am a new person, ready to build a new life in a new place.

And so, yeah, a lot of what I’ve been thinking about lately has been very much focused on the personal, on mental health and cultivating my relationships with myself and my loved ones. I’ve never considered myself an expert on sustainability or even fashion, but I am an expert on the actual lived experiences I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned from them.

I do want to continue learning and sharing what I’ve learned about ethical and sustainable fashion and living. But I’m also trying to figure out how to make this blog more true to myself and what I really want to write about. It’s a process that never really ends, I think, because we are dynamic and our interests and personality and priorities and who we are as human beings change over time.

I don’t really have a vision for what I want this blog to become yet. What I do know is that I’d like to keep growing beyond fashion-focused content. A lot of you have asked about topics like career and adulting and love, and I’m excited to start sharing more of those aspects of my life. For now, though, I’m back to feverishly packing!

restitch & resist,

Cat

Outfit:

Cardigan: thrifted | Top (it’s actually a dress!): Rae Collective Olive Dress | Pants: Saiko Eco Store (Etsy) | Sandals: Nisolo Isla Slides | Bag: Reformation | Necklaces: Mejuri Lariat Slide Necklace & Mejuri Locket Necklace | Earrings: Mejuri Editor Hoops | Hair Clips: Machete & Etsy