Fashion

*This post was written by Christina DesVaux, a friend of Conscious Lifestyle. You can learn more about her year in Montevideo, at "cdesvaux.wordpress.com.""

I was recently invited to be a guest lecturer at the University of Montevideo, in a seminar entitled Communication and Fashion. I am living in Montevideo, Uruguay for the year as aRotary Ambassadorial Research Scholar. I am taking courses at the University of Montevideo, in their School of Business and Entrepreneurial Studies. My research project will focus on female Uruguayan artisans and the North American based fair-trade organizations that buy from them.

Using Conscious Lifestyle (and its President, Michael Del Ponte) as a resource, the class and I engaged in a cross-cultural discussion of Fashion and Culture, looking at its macro contexts of Politics and Ecology. I was encouraged by the high level of participation and the insight into Uruguayan culture. There were some differences of note, especially in regards to the use of fashion to affect political change. The women in the class did not think that in Uruguay messaging on T-shirts was as effective as actual participation. That is to say, buying a shirt with a socio-political message did not hold the weight that perhaps it does in the States. More different still was the current U.S obsession with limiting our "clothing footprint." It was decided that usually ideas like organic vs. synthetic, green vs. traditional lifestyles don´t hold the cultural clout here like the seem to do elsewhere. Buying from up-and-coming designers, neighborhood markets, and other non-corporate brands seemed to be a better expression of "purchasing power."

What we did share was the idea that fashion speaks to cultural values and is a way in which we can express our self and our context. In the upcoming weeks we will discuss how fashion can act as an effective and thoughtful tool of personal expression. A summary of future classes will be posted on the course's blog.

Photo from GOOD Magazine's article "(Not) Ironic T-Shirts."

Since March 2006 Chicago resident Lauri Apple has run FoundClothing, her online archive of clothing that she and others worldwide have found in dumpsters, trash cans, and abandoned in public places. Her Website has been prominently featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and on NBC's Today Show, among other places. Recently Apple started a FoundClothing flickr photo poolwhere you can also submit your photos of discarded and lost finds. Send Apple your pics and help spread the word about freegan fashion!

Amethyst Strickland made news last semester with her environmentally fashion show. Amethyst, who is a Conscious Lifestyle Social Innovator and founder of Minor Changes for Major Impact, assembled a team to transform $150 of clothes purchased at the Waterfront Rescue Mission into a line of trendy styles for teens.

The Pensacola Independent News writes, "Amethyst is teaching other teens how to transform thrift store finds into cutting-edge designs while promoting environmental sustainability."

Following the success of her fashion show, Amethyst is working hard to organize an environmental documentary showing on Valentine's Day. The name of the event is aptly titled "Love the Earth." Minor Changes for Major Impact members will be on hand to collect petition signatures for a campaign to increase eco-friendly purchasing at schools.

Congratulations Amethyst on your continued success!