Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Can you BELIEVE that is is already OCTOBER? I know my mind was blown when I turned the calendar page this morning, and with that change in the time of year comes the opportunity to learn more about ourselves, and find new ways of improving our lives as well as the world. Why? It brings a new perspective, and that's all it takes to light the spark of change...and the same goes with books. Take today's title in the spotlight. It features sustainable fashion ideas, along with fun activities to bring your wardrobe to life, while helping to keep our planet a better place for the next generation. Curious? Well then, take a look at this...and then KEEP READING as the author share a bit about "slow fashion" and how she came up with this nifty idea...
The Fashion Fix: Activities and ideas for a stylish and sustainable wardrobe
by
Lexi Rees
About the book...
If you love fashion, this activity book will help you create a wardrobe which reflects your personal style AND is mindful of the impact the fashion industry has on the environment and human welfare.
- Learn the shocking facts about fashion
- Make better choices when shopping
- Develop your own unique style
- Get creative with friends and family
- Discover fun ways to upstyle and upcycle your wardrobe
- Be crafty with recycling garments and fabrics
"Beautifully designed and bursting with ideas to help you get creative, The Fashion Fix is a smart, savvy and practical guide that will inspire you to dress more sustainably without sacrificing your personal style. It's packed with important facts but never feels depressing or preachy – instead it shows you how joyful it is to set yourself free from fast fashion and build a wardrobe that's uniquely yours, without costing the earth. I wish I'd had it when I was growing up! But it's still taught me a thing or two now." Lauren Bravo, author of How to break up with fast fashion
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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~
The Fashion Fix: Slow Fashion with Author Lexi Rees
Hi. Thanks so much for inviting me to join you today to talk about slow fashion, and the inspiration behind my new children’s activity book, The Fashion Fix. First off, I’m going to admit that my own fashion journey has been patchy. I’ve shopped at lots of the fast fashion chains and fallen for greenwashing on labels. I’ve overconsumed (how many black t-shirts do I really need?) and bought items that have remained unworn in my wardrobe with labels still attached. Honestly, I’m not sure I would believe anyone today if they said they had never done any of the above.
So, my personal journey was really the initial spark for the book. One of the activities in The Fashion Fix encourages readers to recognise their own sustainable fashion journey with a staircase which is based on the psychology of the four stages of competence learning model. This involves a progression from unconscious incompetence, through to conscious incompetence, then conscious competence, and finally where something is so ingrained in your behaviours that it becomes unconscious competence: you just do it without thinking. Obviously, in the book the steps have way cooler names as you aspire to be a ‘Wardrobe Wizard’.
Enough of the behavioural science though. If you’ve seen any of my other books, you’ll know I absolutely love an activity book, particularly if it combines fun with what I call “stealth education”. With this in mind, narrowing down the activities for The Fashion Fix was a real challenge as there was just so much I wanted to include. In the end, there’s a range of puzzles and challenges, things to do on your own or with friends, and a broad selection of crafts. I LOVE crafts and always have multiple projects on the go so I’ve incorporated some of my absolute favourites like rag rugging and jewellery making – both of which are of course excellent ways to recycle/ upcycle items and require very little in the way of tools to get started.
I also have to mention my amazing illustrator, Eveyjoan. I’ve worked with her before on two mindfulness activity books – BElieve in YOUrself and Be More You and was desperate to work with her on this project. Not only is her quirky and cool style exactly what I had in my mind, but her obvious passion for slow fashion was really important to me.
Whilst I wrote The Fashion Fix with youngsters aged around 10-12 in mind, I’ve been delighted to get feedback from gown-ups that they have learnt stuff too. The thing that comes up most in these messages is they didn’t realise that their bamboo socks are actually made of rayon. That must be one of the most successful (cunning) rebrands ever. If any grown-ups are looking to learn more, please could I recommend a book called ‘How to break up with Fast Fashion” by the fabulous Lauren Bravo. I was deeply honoured that she wrote the introduction to The Fashion Fix. And I also really enjoy The Clothes Horse podcast although I’m not sure I would suggest starting at the beginning like I did, as with 138 episodes (and counting) it will take a while to catch up!
Thanks again. I hope you enjoy the book, and the journey to slow fashion.
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About the author...
Lexi Rees was born in Scotland but now lives down south where she’s slave to carrot obsessed gelding, a frisky mare, a dog who’s convinced he’s not been fed in a month, and a house of hungry boys.
She writes action-packed adventures and fun activity books for children. She’s passionate about reducing her footprint on the planet and becoming more self-sufficient.
She has an active programme of school visits and other events, is a Book PenPal for three primary schools, and runs a free online #kidsclub and newsletter which includes book recommendations and creative writing activities.
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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for the guest post. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
