Arc Review
Overall Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think that the information and statistics in this book were useful but we’re very broad not making it that interesting and unique.

Thank you NetGalley for this read.

If you're already familiar with the concepts of sustainability and fast fashion / slow fashion, you might not learn a lot from this book. If these words are new to you, however, you'll definitely enjoy this! The writing style is quite simple and easy to read, and it makes for a nice beginner's guide to sustainable fashion.

“Carrie Bradshaw has a lot to answer for”

Darke has nailed it with this look at overconsumption of fashion, the ginormous amount of waste, greenhouse gas emissions, products made from materials that won’t disappear for years, slave labor in places like China and Bangladesh, and us as consumers mindlessly buying more and more with little thought to the impact on the world.
Time to fess up. I’m a hoarder. I have vintage clothes collected in the 70’s, clothing I adore that I can’t use and find hard to give away. I did find a home for a 50’s dress I loved, but that’s just one piece. How to repurpose clothing I don’t want to see dumped in Africa. That wonderful slashed to the waist velvet ball gown, and bolero jacket cut on the bias that had been a friend’s grandmother’s worn at a mayoral ball in the early 1900’s. I can’t let that go to someone who won’t love it. Yes, in the 70’s I wore it and felt fabulous.
I’ve taken a stand and won’t buy directly from Shein or Temu, supported by questionable labor and the People’s Republic of China. If you think world trade domination is not their focus I have news for you.
But what about Bangladesh, the horrific fire of Dhaka, that brought into focus what our grab for fashion, our throw away fashion knockoffs, is doing on a global scale.
I underlined so much of this book it looked like a redacted Wikileaks pages. That was before shoes even raised their head. Oh my 🤦‍♀️
My question to myself is I know what Darke is saying, I applaud her research and agree, so can I act on it or am I, like Carrie Bradshaw, going to ignore the ugly underbelly, the truth of the fashion industry. Can I reclaim an ethical stance? It’s not about guilt, it’s about the well being of our planet, and I might go further to say the stewardship given to us of this wonderful world that we humans seem bent on destroying. Capitalism and communism are seemingly aligned on this overwhelming production of clothing, although each comes from a very different perspective.
Maybe I can start with what doesn’t fit me anymore. Ouch! That will hurt! Do I need ten various track pants, joggers? No, but can I wean myself away from the insidious hold textiles and clothing exerts on me. I’m like a smoker or gambler trying to give up bad habits. It’s hard,
I’m trying to take Tiffanie Darke’s words to heart because I do care about workers and their rights, I do care about the environment and waste, about the biodegradability of products.
So to say Darke’s thesis is thought provoking is for me very true. Ironically, in the words of Nike, we all need to Just Do It!

A 1517 Media—Broadleaf ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Whether you're a fashionista who cares passionately about sustainability, an environmental advocate seeking to learn more about the impact of fashion, or simply someone who wants to be a part of the change, What to Wear and Why is your go-to guide to a more sustainable future.

A lot of information about fashion. I think I would have preferred more advice about clothes and how to dress for different body types, but it was a pleasant read anyway.

I’ve been wearing mostly wool for the last year or so and I am familiar with the concepts of sustainability that are mentioned in the book. I will admit I started wearing wool because I thought the dress was cute and not to limit my purchases of “fast fashion”, though that has been an unintended consequence of the wool purchases. A lot of research went into this book, and, at times, it can be dry, but the overall message is a good one – we’re creating a lot more waste than we can deal with. Is changing our habits and purchases something that is achievable? Maybe, but it’s not cheap and not as easy to do as it seems, particularly if you have a larger household, but small steps can make a difference. This was an interesting read and I recommend it to anyone who worries about their carbon footprint or wants to know more about sustainability.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reader's copy of this publication.
What a comprehensive explanation on all things fashion from style to fabric. This book should be a must read for everyone from fashionista to causal shopper! I learned so much about what I should be buying and what I should be avoiding.
Well done!

Frankly, while the statistics in this book are helpful, and the information about how different fabrics are made is useful, it is both too broad and to specific to be that interesting.

Firstly, it really covers the whole spectrum of clothing, from agriculture to recycling. The issue here is that nothing is explored at any real depth, which leads to more questions that answers - if the carbon offset program is “broken” as the authors describes, what would allow folks to fix it? Or, if it is the consumers job to ask questions of the companies from which they buy their clothing, how can they know who to trust, and who does the author see as trustworthy? If we are supposed to wash our clothing less to prevent microplastics, are there also clothing wash methods that would help this?

But then, it’s also very very specific, both to US modes of living and to a level of fashion consumption that really doesn’t reflect the lives of anyone I know (the most common “new” place to buy clothing among the people I tend to talk to is either thrift stores, Costco or quince, none of which are mentioned). It expects a level of consumption, disposable income and fashion interest that just isn’t reflected in the daily lives of most people I know.

And the idea that we should be drying only one in 6 or 8 of our loads on the line is ridiculous and US centric - there is no reason why we can line/rack dry the majority of our laundry as they do in places like the UK.

Overall, while I found a lot of in the information interesting, I found myself skipping past her recommendations and suggestions because they almost never felt relevant to my life.

Also, it’s fashion, and therefore it needs more pictures.