I may just jump down that rainbow way

I think I'm finally going to have to accept that summer is over. The evenings are getting darker, the weather getting colder, and I actually started sixth form college today, which was weird. It was nice to be able to leave school whenever you want to and to have free periods all the time (I finished at 2.20pm today?!) but it's going to take a bit of getting used to as even after spending five years there I still don't know my way to all of the classrooms. I love just doing four subjects though - it feels like there is going to be loads of time to work on things like art outside of class which will be really useful.
I'm looking forward to the rest of this month though, as there are a lot of events going on including London Fashion Week next weekend, which I think is going to be even better than last year for some reason. I've actually applied for tickets to shows and so am just hoping this time I manage to get into a few, as that would obviously make the experience so much more exciting.

This outfit was from a good few weeks ago, when I went down to central London to see People Tree's A/W14 collection as part of a fair trade event. I wore a shirt from Blitz, skirt from Beyond Retro, shoes from Rokit and a necklace I found for five euros at a bric-a-brac market in France.

People Tree is a company dedicated to providing beautifully made sustainable and fair trade clothing, jewellery and accessories, and sells online and through several stockists around the country. 

I'd never really thought about fashion being sustainable before. I was of course aware of eco-friendly production techniques and materials because of textiles, but had sort of separated the two in my mind and forgotten that being 'green' does apply to the clothes you wear as well. I then realised that shopping vintage is actually quite environmentally friendly in itself, as the clothes you buy didn't use up any more materials or produce any more harmful gases and substances than have been produced and used already. The lovely Mia from People Tree then explained to me how the clothes they sell are all handmade by individuals in less fortunate countries, giving them a job and an income that could help get them up and out of the poverty cycle. Conditions, materials and pay is good, meaning individuals can educate and empower themselves, earning their own money and improving their own quality of life instead of having to simply rely on charity donations. I like the idea that the production of the clothes you buy is actively helping others, making the sometimes quite selfish task of clothes hoarding a little bit less selfish. 

People Tree sell a really lovely range of high-quality pieces, ranging from simple basics like knitted jumpers and cardigans to bold printed dresses and tops and collaborations with the likes of Zandra Rhodes and Simeon Farrar. They also sell jewellery, which is made by talented individuals with disabilities, giving them an income to help with their difficulties, but also giving them the ability to help others, as the jewellery that is sold all contributes to wheelchairs being bought for disabled children in less fortunate countries. I think that is such a lovely idea as it makes purchasing something for yourself feel a lot less like a selfish treat and more like a way to securely donate money to others who need it.

The pieces themselves are really exquisite, this being of course emphasised by the fact that everything is hand-knitted, hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-printed and so on. It makes you feel closer to the person who made it, and takes away that 21st century mass-produced feel that lots of modern clothes have.

Anyway, a week or so ago I was lucky enough to be able to shoot with People Tree for their 'Eco Edit' which you can read here. It was a really lovely day and I of course loved the fact it was shot on film (I just love the effect so much more than digital!).

Anyway I hope you have a lovely week - I have a few posts lined up for before Fashion Week as I am a little behind with posting about some cute little events I have been to recently! I will get my act together soon I promise!