“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

I am trying to live more simply and intentionally these days and cut out some of the noise of media and the distractions of our society. Cooking meals at home with food from nearby farms, spending time with family, having quiet celebrations with close friends, supporting local business and spending more time outdoors are all things that are extremely important to me. This kind of lifestyle brings to mind a time when things were simpler. Maybe I’m romanticizing something that never existed but it’s fun to imagine wearing this gorgeous dress while shopping a local farmer’s market and sitting on my porch reading in the afternoon. I think fashion is partly about fantasy anyway!

More and more, I’m drawn to brands that are environmentally friendly. A huge percentage of the clothing purchased in this country ends up in landfills and that’s why they call it fast fashion! However, sustainability is becoming somewhat of a trend and I think that’s a good thing!

Even brands you wouldn’t think of as sustainable are jumping on the bandwagon such as Zara and H&M. While typically, purchasing clothing that has less impact on the environment is more expensive, it’s nice to know that the bigger “box store” brands offer options that are more environmentally friendly as well.

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Brochu Walker who is doing a great job with their environmental footprint by using sustainable manufacturing practices, paying their workers fair wages and also using organic cotton. I've also had the opportunity to wear Juliet Dunn who uses organic cotton as well as Boden and Eileen Fisher. There are many other small companies who are working to produce sustainable and ethically manufactured clothing, such as Son de Flor, the company that made the dress I’m wearing in this post!

Son de Flor is committed to a production process that is carefully considered to minimize waste and reduce environmental impact. The timeless dresses are made from 100% linen using natural biodegradable or recycled materials for detailing. The are gentle on the environment as well as being time designs that you’ll keep for years!

Clothing that is well made and classic, even though not necessarily made using ethical and sustainable methods is more environmentally friendly simply because these pieces will stay in your closet for years and possibly even be sold in a consignment shop and not go into the landfill.

We’re most likely all guilty of participating in “retail therapy”! It’s all to easy these days to go online and find deals on Amazon or our favorite websites and I am 100% guilty of doing this from time to time!

When I’m having a bad day or even just when something on Instagram catches my eye, I can easily be persuaded to purchase it. It’s so easy to just push a button and then not really give a lot of thought to what we’ve just done. Even though I would guess that most of us care about environmental issues, it’s so easy to push that aside when we find a good deal and clothing and shoes are definitely my weakness.

As I said above, luckily, lots of brands are working to produce more environmentally friendly options! It’s still true that less is better, so purchasing classic, quality pieces that stand the test of time helps to lessen the environmental impact of the fashion industry. If you’re interested in learning more, I found this great article about ethical and sustainable fashion that goes into more detail and is very thought provoking.

Son de Flor clothing is at the forefront of slow fashion and environmental awareness! Their clothes have a romantic feel and the aesthetic celebrates simple living! I can envision wearing this dress for a picnic in the country or while shopping the markets in a beautiful village in Provence.

Son de Flor makes quality clothes that are beautifully made and you’ll feel good about purchasing and wearing them!

I love sharing new companies I’ve found such as Son de Flor and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and are inspired to support more ethical and sustainable brands!