Sally McMullen
This episode of Two Broke Chicks is sponsored by eBay Australia and its Authenticity Guarantee service. When you're shopping for designer handbags on eBay, look out for the blue tick to know that your new investment piece is legit. The authentication service is available across 16 brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada. Thanks again to eBay for making this episode of Two Broke Chicks possible.
Hey chicks, I'm Sal.
Alex Hourigan
And I'm Al.
Sally McMullen
And this is Two Broke Chicks, the show that shares life lessons for the gals, from le gals. And in today's episode, we're going to be talking about shopping sustainably without giving up your shopping addiction.
Alex Hourigan
And it's no secret that we love shopping and online shopping, but fast fashion is the second largest pollutant in the world, which is not sexy.
Sally McMullen
No.
Alex Hourigan
No.
Sally McMullen
And it's a serious problem. I feel like we're talking about it more and more, which is great, but I think there's a lot of shame that comes with shopping nowadays, and fashion should still be fun. So we're going to drop a bunch of helpful hints on how you can shop and consume a little bit more mindfully but still live with that passion for fashion, darling. Before we get into today's topic, what is your life lesson of the week, Alexandra?
Alex Hourigan
So I was sitting on the couch last night with my roommate, Helena. We were watching something on TV, I can't even remember what it was, but the subject of 'adult viewing' came up. And basically I was like, "Do you watch porn?" And then she was like, "Oh, not really". "Yeah, it's not that great is it?" And then she was like, "I mainly watch it on Bellesa". So this is a female point of view porn site. It's an entire site made for the female gaze, which vibes, because if you have encountered a adult viewing platform, it's very much made for the male point of view. Half the video it's just, like the man receiving pleasure and like the woman putting in all the work. Bellesa, that is B-E-L-L-E-S-A, and enjoy. Plus, I think Love Honey has like a 50% off sale right now, so go get your rocks off, chicks.
Sally McMullen
Okay, well, my life lesson of the week is a little different. On the weekend, Al and I went to a comedy show, we saw our good pal, Mitchell Coombs, at the Sydney Comedy Fest, and we're going to see Alright Hey soon. And I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that everybody should get out there and support our local creatives. Because during the pandemic, the arts of all kinds was, you know, the first thing to shut down and it's the last thing to open up again. And the industry is just really, really struggling. In the most recent federal budget, I think the arts has been cut, like, $190 million, which is almost 20% of the funding that they received the previous year. So get out there, go to the comedy fest, go see an art show by a local artist. Get your Harry Styles and tickets, all of that that's all well and good. But make sure you're supporting the Australian artists as well. Okay, well fab now that we've got our life lessons out of the way, let's get into the episode shall we?
As we mentioned up top, today's episode is all about shopping sustainably, and I saw a stat that scared me. Apparently the world produces 400% more clothes today than it did 20 years ago.
Alex Hourigan
Woah.
Sally McMullen
- So with the rise of fast fashion, it means that we're churning out way more clothes than we were before, which is causing a huge problem both in the production of the clothes, but then also where they end up in landfill. But the silver lining of this is that we're talking about it more and the conversation is becoming more common. People are thinking about how their clothes are being made, where they're going and the impact that it has on the environment. So we're going to break down some of the sustainable or more mindful choices that we make when we are shopping because we both are shopping addicts, love clothes, but there's definitely some things that you can do to be a little bit more mindful.
Alex Hourigan
We've both worn fast fashion brands like, we have both shopped with them, worn them. So like, before anyone pulls up some photo of like me wearing Princess Polly, or Sal, this isn't us being like, "No more spending money on fast fashion". It's like, mindful choices that you can make a swap, rather than like a complete stop.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, totally. Like we're guilty of it as well. But I think that there's just little things that everybody can do to make a difference. So Al, would you like to kick us off with your first tip?
Alex Hourigan
Our first tip is definitely one that Sal and I both froth, and it is thrifting and shopping secondhand. There are online vintage shops like Official Vintage Clothing or Gone Tomorrow Vintage, also eBay, The Real Deal. But you can also find so many around you, like in Sydney, if you go to Newtown, it's like boom, vintage clothing, boom, vintage clothing, boom, vintage clothing. Definitely look around your area, because it's a great way to spend time with your friends. And also, you find one off pieces, which I love the elitism of that. I love it when someone's like, "I love those pants, where did you get them from?", and you can be like, "It's vintage".
Sally McMullen
Yep, totally, it's a flex! You end up finding really good quality clothes for so much cheaper. Like, I have found so many genuine leather jackets ,and pants, and pieces under 100 bucks. Like you would be so hard pressed to find those for less than a couple of 100, if not $1,000, brand new. So you can get some absolute bargains when you are shopping vintage as well.
Alex Hourigan
Also 72% of Australians purchase at least one secondhand piece of clothing in 2021. So like, we're on our way.
Sally McMullen
Moving onto our next tip, which is to look at the fabric composition when you're shopping for clothes. So I saw a stat that was apparently 50% of our clothes contain plastics in them, which is just wild because synthetic materials like nylon, for example, don't break down like natural materials do. So when you are shopping, look for things like organic cotton, linen, hemp, stuff like that, that will actually break down when, you know, it does eventually end up in landfill. A lot of the time in production as well, those materials take less of a toll when it comes to, like, the chemicals in the water and the energy used to create them. So that's another good thing. There's also, like, a lot of innovations happening in that space to create more sustainable fabrics. So there's a fabric called Tencel which is 50% more absorbent than cotton. And it takes, like a hell of a lot less energy to produce. So just look out for things like that when you're looking on the tags or shopping online, you can always have a look at the fabric breakdown before you buy.
Alex Hourigan
Also, just because something is expensive doesn't mean that the fabric composition is good. You would be shocked, gooped, gagged and appalled at some products that you go to look at the fabric composition and compare price. Like what was that brand that you were looking at and it was gonna be like 100% wool coat, and it was like 2% wool?
Sally McMullen
Yeah, it was Hansen & Gretel. That happens all the time with those brands so definitely have a look. That is such a good tip because once I realised that that was something I should be considering I was like, holy shit. And then I actually ended up finding a vintage jacket on Etsy, that was the same vibe, that was 100% wool and I got it for 60 bucks, as opposed to, I think the other one was like, almost 300.
Alex Hourigan
Robbery, highway robbery! Just because you're spending a lot of money, doesn't mean you're shopping more sustainable. So my next tip is to build a capsule wardrobe. This is definitely something that's become a lot more of a trend, especially on TikTok, but the average woman only wears 33% of her wardrobe. So building a capsule wardrobe of quality pieces means that you're going to actually be able to get the cost per wear of your wardrobe down and actually wear everything. Because the fact that you can have those moments where you're like, "Oh, I forgot I even have this". That's naughty. And the average lifetime of a garment is only three years, which is very, very small.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, that's just wild.
Alex Hourigan
So a capsule collection is a limited selection of interchangeable pieces that complement each other. So in a capsule wardrobe, what you can expect to have is a pair of blue jeans, black jeans, brown trousers, black trousers, like neutral pants, flares, and then maybe two button up shirts, neutral long sleeves, neutral short sleeves, a blazer and a leather jacket. Literally you are gonna get, like 5000 outfits out of all of those items.
Sally McMullen
And you know they work together and the other good thing about a capsule wardrobe is that you are investing in good quality pieces that are in classic shapes and styles and colours, that won't reek of a certain fast fashion trend in 12 months. Like they will last you the test of time. So it's good for the environment, good for your wallet, and just good for your mental health because you know what to wear, you're not gonna have a menty-b when you're like trying to pair your red leather flares with like, a random sequin top that you bought.
Alex Hourigan
You just listed your capsule wardrobe, though.
Sally McMullen
That works for me, though.
Alex Hourigan
Everyone's capsule wardrobe can be different too.
Sally McMullen
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Alex Hourigan
Moving on to our next one is to keep your clothes for longer and repair items. So the average person only wears an item of clothing seven times before throwing it away. And honestly, women our age, I would potentially even throw out that it would be less.
Sally McMullen
Oh yeah, I think of all the things that are in your wardrobe that you've never worn.
Alex Hourigan
There's such a thing of like, "Oh, I already got a pic in it. I can't wear it to this". So silly. And definitely something that was like pushed onto us with the launch of social media and all that stuff, not to sound like one of those old women being like, "social media".
Sally McMullen
And also the Lizzie McGuire movie when she was shamed for outfit repeating at her graduation.
Alex Hourigan
Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater!
Sally McMullen
Exactly.
Alex Hourigan
Before you buy something, consider how many times you're actually going to wear it. And what do you have in your wardrobe that you can wear it with? Like do you have things that you can pair it with, because I feel like a lot of the time, we're like, "Ooh, I really like this statement piece", and then you go to wear it, you're like, "I've got nothing to wear it with. Do you what? I'll get something else". And it's just this cycle, this toxic cycle. And also, if something breaks, repair it, or take it to the tailor, you don't need to just chuck it out. I've definitely had jeans that a zipper maybe has broken or a button has come off. But I've loved those jeans and I've loved those pants, so rather than throwing them out, which it's so weird that throwing out clothes became a tendency.
Sally McMullen
Oh, totally. I've been 100% guilty of that. And only in recent years have actually started taking stuff to a tailor or whoever, because I can't sew for shit. But there's also like so many YouTube tutorials and stuff on how to do really simple repairs. So it is easy to learn yourself, if you don't want to go take it to a tailor, as well.
Alex Hourigan
It's not hard at all. But also, celebs are starting to, like repeat their outfits and wear like, pieces that they've worn out before as well. So don't be afraid of repeating your outfits and two, if something breaks, repair it. Or Elfy's tip in our last Add to Cart, if you have a dress in your wardrobe, take it to a tailor and make it into like a shirt and skirt set.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, I loved that. We also have a series on our YouTube that's like 'one item, five ways' and we show you how you can style one piece of clothing multiple ways to give you some inspo. So we'll chuck a link to that in our show notes. My next tip, which is kind of on a similar vein is you can rent clothes for special occasions. So there are places, like Rentr and Volte, where you can borrow beautiful dresses from brands like Bec and Bridge, Aje, Sir the Label. You know, all of those brands that you usually would be forking out a lot for, say like a wedding or a work event, and then maybe never wear again because if you are like, "Oh no", like, "I already got a photo and or I wore it to this thing, I don't want to wear it again". So you can actually just rent these pieces for a tiny percentage of the price. And then that way you don't waste your money, you're not wasting clothes that you'll only wear once, and also space in your wardrobe. Like it is incredible. So we'll chuck some links to some of those in our show notes as well.
Alex Hourigan
Last but not least, is to shop with sustainable brands and do your research. Use sites like Good On You to see brands sustainability ratings. Good On You is this entire directory that rates brands out of five stars on how well they impact the planet and they have one star which is 'we avoid' which is like bad, very, very bad.
Sally McMullen
Naughty brand!
Alex Hourigan
Naughty brand! To five which is 'great' in ways that they are not only not impacting the environment but doing beneficial things. And they also take into consideration warehouses and how they pay their workers and just making sure that everything is ethically and sustainably created within that brand. So I've pulled together a few brands that we're going to run through and I'm going to test Sal and whether or not she can guess their sustainability scores. To remind you one is bad, we avoid, in Good On You's terms. And five is gold green stars for them. I'll give you an easy one to start, Pretty Little Thing.
Sally McMullen
One?
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, fully. Like we thought it was gonna be anything else.
Sally McMullen
Yeah. Enough said.
Alex Hourigan
Next is Spell.
Sally McMullen
Ooh, three?
Alex Hourigan
They're a four.
Sally McMullen
Ah, very good!
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, so we can actually maybe like appreciate their price point a little bit more.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, look, it is a little bit more spenny but worth it.
Alex Hourigan
Realisation Par?
Sally McMullen
Three as well.
Alex Hourigan
They're a one.
What!
They're a one! Realisation Par has the same score as Pretty Little Thing.
Sally McMullen
Oh my god.
Alex Hourigan
How gross is that?
Sally McMullen
Their dresses are like hundreds of dollars. They are beautiful. But, dear God!
Alex Hourigan
Yeah. House of Sunny's? If you have never heard of House of Sunny, they kind of went viral when Kendall Jenner wore this, like beautiful green knit midi dress.
Sally McMullen
They do all those amazing like graphic cardi's and stuff. Okay, four?
Alex Hourigan
Two.
Sally McMullen
Jesus!
Alex Hourigan
Two out of five.
Sally McMullen
They're expensive too.
Alex Hourigan
Calvin Klein?
Sally McMullen
Come on CK. I'll say two.
Alex Hourigan
So they get a three. So like the three is very like, not good, not great, can do with some work, but they're not gonna get read for filth. Outland Denim?
Sally McMullen
Five.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah! They get a five out of five! Clicks for them. Sir the Label?
Sally McMullen
Two.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, they get a two. It actually kills me.
Sally McMullen
Oh my god, me too. Because their clothes are beautiful. But yeah, that's just sad.
Alex Hourigan
And then Revolve?
Sally McMullen
Four?
Alex Hourigan
One.
Sally McMullen
Oh my god. What are we paying for?
Alex Hourigan
I don't know! I don't know. And then Uniqlo?
Sally McMullen
Three?
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, they get a three.
Sally McMullen
Yes!
Alex Hourigan
Next one is, Cotton On?
Sally McMullen
One?
Alex Hourigan
There's is a two.
Sally McMullen
Okay, better than what I thought but still not great.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, I think they're definitely a bit of a green washing situation. Yeah,
Sally McMullen
Because they have like some recycled ranges or something like that I've seen them, but good to know.
Alex Hourigan
Also on Good On You, like they explain why they got their scores and like even if they do have like a recycled range, they'll explain they didn't provide enough information on what materials were recycled or how they were recycled. So you know. And then last but not least, Afends?
Sally McMullen
Four- five?
Alex Hourigan
Four.
Sally McMullen
Damn it! Should have gone on my instinct.
Alex Hourigan
So there you go. We also have like a whole series on our Instagram where we put like a directory from Good On You of like really popular brands, and show their sustainability scores. It's not us trying to read them for filth, it's just facts. Straight be de facts, dey be.
Sally McMullen
Well those are all of our tips for shopping more sustainably. We hope that you found them helpful. We'll make sure to pop a bunch of helpful resources like the Good On You directory and whatnot in our show notes. Before we wrap up the episode, what's your product recommendation of the week, Al?
Alex Hourigan
So my product recommendation of the week is a beauty product, and it is the Biossance Squalane Marine Algae Eye Cream. Biossance is a clean beauty brands, they're available at Sephora, and they're really cool. So they developed their own ingredient called 'Squalane', which is derived from plants, because originally squalene is derived from sharks and it would cause a lot of poaching and killing of sharks in order to get this skincare ingredient. And not only did they develop squalane, but then they lent it out. So they lent it out to other brands to be able to stop other brands needing to use squalene from sharks, and to use squalane from plants.
Sally McMullen
I love that! Not gatekeeping.
Alex Hourigan
Right? Gorgeous, gorgeous girls don't gatekeep. So it is pricey, it is $83. But let me tell you, I've been using it for a month and I can literally already see a difference and eye creams are one of those things that I'm like, "Okay". Like I've never really gotten around them, but it 1,000% brightens and like firms the area that like when I smile and my eyes used to be like really puffy and it would look like one eye was like having a moment and then the other one was like. I was like I feel like that doesn't happen anymore. And it feels really refreshing on your skin. I don't even think it's meant to be cooling but it does feel cooling on the skin. And you don't even have to believe me because it has 4.3 stars out of five on the Sephora website, and you can get it in a travel size.
Sally McMullen
Love that. So you can try before you invest in the Big Mama.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, because I had the travel size, and we get so many free beauty products and for us to repurchase like a large size is quite rare because we can just try something else that we've been sent but I was like, no!
Sally McMullen
My product recommendation of the week is also a cute little sustainable options. So I think it's pronounced Szade sunglasses. And it's an eco-friendly eyewear brand that uses recycled sunglasses frames that, you know, are either like faulty, or broken, or destined for landfill. So you can shop it at The Iconic, they range between like 80 bucks usually to $100. So not too shabby, especially for like a more sustainable eyewear brand, I would have expected to pay more. But the other really good thing that I love about the brand is that they have like an incredible range of styles from really classic shapes that you can wear forever and also more on trend styles. So at the moment, I'm loving the Menzies frames, which are a little bit more of that aviator, quite big frame, which is really on trend at the moment. So yeah, definitely back 'em. Well, that is a wrap for today's episode of Two Broke Chicks. Make sure to head to the shownotes for a bunch of resources that we mentioned in today's episode because there were a lot. You can also head to finder.com.au/twobrokechicks for a transcript and a bunch of other helpful links. And you know what? Show us some love. Give us a review or rating on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, wherever you listen to your pods, we're everywhere. And we do always read the reviews and stuff and we love them. We're still only a baby show so all of the feedback and reviews like really help. And as always, thank you to our executive producer Pariya Taherzadeh, and Bamby Media, and our studio Made In Katana for making today's episode possible. We love you. And thanks to y'all for having us in your ear holes, we just love to be here. Go shopping, chicks.
Alex Hourigan
Sustainably!
Sally McMullen
Yes, very important. Love y'all!
Alex Hourigan
See ya!
Sally McMullen
Bye!
Alex Hourigan
Bye!
Sally McMullen
Thanks again to eBay Australia for making this episode of Two Broke Chicks possible. Authenticity guarantee and to start shopping, check out the link in our show notes.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
