There is no doubt the sustainable, eco-fashion scene has grown tremendously in recent years. Consumers are becoming more interested in and thoughtful about the clothes they wear and the missions and manufacturing practices behind the brands.
While I’ve written much about sustainable, ethical, and eco-fashion and interviewed many innovators in this sector in a past life, admittedly my real-life closet doesn’t really reflect that knowledge.
Why you ask? Well, it’s simple: I am 5 feet tall, normally wear clothes sizes XS or 00 and wear shoes of the ever-uncommon size 5 or 5.5. So it’s not exactly easy to find clothing or shoes that fit a shorter, petite frame, and that’s just speaking about average mainstream fashion, not eco-fashion.
But with so many companies focusing on supply chains that are more environmentally-friendly and focused on transparency, sustainability, and giving back, I do wonder: where are all the eco-friendly fashion brands for petite women?
And maybe this was partly the reason why I never fully wrote about eco-fashion here on Plein Vanity: because I wasn’t truly living it. I found myself writing and advocating for eco-fashion brands that have incredible stories and products, with amazing missions, and yet, I could never fully take part in actually owning or wearing any of these clothes or shoes.
Now it may not be as true as when I began my stint as an eco-fashion journalist, but I noticed that most eco-fashion brands seem to follow a certain style and look: loose, flowy, one-size-fits-all, minimally structured, raw fabric clothes, all of which would never really fit my body nor personal style choice.
And while I tried a few brands thinking it wasn’t as severe as I was making it seem, the truth was, nothing really worked because they weren’t meant for petite bodies. I was swimming in clothes and clomping around in shoes, deluding myself that the point was the mission of the clothes. The embarrassment and frustration drove me back to buying mainstream petite clothing, because there was nothing else I could do. (Yes, tailoring clothes can help, but did I really want to get everything I bought tailored? No.)
But all the frustration, trials, pondering, and searching got me thinking: shouldn’t I be blogging about these experiences? Surely other women (no matter how few) could relate? Wouldn’t sharing about experiences, discoveries, or failures help others? And maybe this conversation would be encouragement for sustainable/eco-friendly designers to think about their petite sisters as well.
I imagine the same cycle must have occurred in the mainstream fashion industry. It takes time and there are more options for petites and of course, also for plus-sized women nowadays. In the eco-friendly fashion world? Not quite as common for either size groups. As sustainable/eco-fashion is becoming more commonplace and recognizable, maybe this too will encourage greater sizing options. What will it take for us to recognize these sizes also need to be included?
For now, I am going to do my best at exploring what the sustainable, eco-fashion frontier is like for a petite woman and report back here on Plein Vanity about my experiences, perspectives, and discoveries.
Can anyone else relate? Do you have any recommendations?
Are you a brand/designer who’d be interested in chatting and collaborating with me? I’d like to hear from you!
