Welcome back to the cnscs_ corner of the internet!

The start of the new year always has a reflective air to it, as we prepare for a new chapter and allow ourselves to embrace a new opportunity to try again. Why shouldn’t this reflection apply to our personal style journeys too? It is the perfect time for you to reflect on your style intentions for the year ahead. Here are a few prompts to get you thinking:

• How are you going to start, or continue, your slow fashion journey, this year? And, why are you determined to continue this journey?
• What would you like to change about the way you engage with the fashion industry?
• How will you work on creating a more meaningful connection with the clothes you already own, so that you can love them more and make them last?
• How can you use your purchasing power as a force for good?

On our side, we’re excited to be continuing to take on the new year in cnscs_ style. And, we hope you’ll join us too! Here’s what cnscs_ style means to us:

Outfit repeating

Here’s the thing, the economy and society we live in wants us to believe that outfit repeating is taboo, because this perception fuels over-consumption. Despite what social media might have you thinking, you don’t have to wear a new outfit every day of the week. Outfit repeating is 100% normal and normalising outfit repeating is so important for changing the mentality that we always need to be wearing something new. So, repeat the outfits that make you feel good and wear them with pride. This doesn’t mean that you have to wear the exact same outfit every day, but maybe you can play around with different ways of styling your garments and accessories. You can set yourself a style challenge to see how many ways you can style one garment in a week.

Mending

Mending is a great way to breathe new life into garments with imperfections from a life well-lived. You can use visible or invisible mending techniques – whatever takes your fancy. Taking time to mend your clothes can be really therapeutic and it means that you get to wear your well-worn clothes for a while longer.

upcycling

Upcycling requires you to get creative and create something new from something old. Upcycling often helps minimise waste and it is loads of fun. Share your upcycling tips and tricks, if you feel like it, because maybe you’ll inspire others to get creative too.

loving your old fast fashion pieces

When you start your slow fashion journey, you’ll likely have some fast fashion pieces in your wardrobe. Your first instinct might be to get rid of them, but that actually creates much more waste. The best thing you can do is keep them, find ways to love them, wear them (often), mend them, and make them last as long as you possibly can.

wearing thrifted or second hand

You’ll know by now that we are enthusiasts of all things preloved. Buying second hand minimises waste, and if you thrift at charity stores, the money goes towards a good cause too.

borrowing and swapping

If you’re tired of “shopping” your own wardrobe, but you want to avoid buying something new, borrowing something from a family or friend, or even doing a swap is a great susty alternative.

supporting small, local businesses and slow fashion brands

As much as we try to keep our purchases of new garments to a minimum, we also believe in financial sustainability and cheering on brands that we believe in. So, investing in small, low-impact, local businesses that put thought, care, and consideration into their production processes to create something special is also a part of our ethos.

renting

If you’ve got a special occasion coming up, and you’re itching to wear something new-to-you, why not explore rental options? Renting clothes instead of buying pieces you only intend on wearing once or twice, ensures that they can be worn multiple times by different people. You also avoid impulse purchases that often end up collecting dust, in the back of your wardrobe, for ages after the event. Not all clothing rental services are alike though, they run on different systems and some are not as eco-conscious as others, so as always do your research. For example, Nuw (UK), Hurr (UK) and Shared Collective (SA) are all peer-to-peer, you can rent clothes from others and earn while doing so. The Princess Porject (SA), is for matriculating people to go rent/borrow, free of charge, a dress that has been donated by a past matriculant for their matric dance.

heirloom pieces

Wrapped in history, passed down from person to person, and lovingly cared for, heirlooms are often second-, third- or fourth-hand items with precious family stories behind them. So, wear them with pride. And, tell people the stories behind your heirloom pieces too! Sharing the stories behind our most loved items might inspire someone to think about the stories behind their clothing too.

something you diy’ed

We know that not everyone is a whizz on the sewing machine, but maybe there is an accessory that you have been coveting that you could try and make yourself? The process of making something by hand is so rewarding and loads of fun. When you make something yourself, you get to experience the work, time, and patience that goes into creating something special, and (hopefully) this gives you a deeper sense of appreciation for the makers behind all of our cherished items.

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So, now that you know what having cnscs_ style means to us, we hope that you’ll join us as we take on 2021 in cnscs_ style!  

We hope that this year you get to continue on your personal style journey, cherish the stories behind your clothes, love the clothes you have and make them last, and dress for yourself first (always).

All our love,

Masego and Stella