Our Mothership Earth

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Nothing is Black and White, There's Only Red

Indonesian Ethical Fashion Brands Index

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

As you know, I am an advocate for slow fashion. On this blog and social media, I often share tips on how to support slow fashion, how to thrift more effectively, how to love your clothes more, my decluttering experience and several slow fashion brands. However, it has been an awfully long time since I last shared some local ethical fashion brands here on the blog, so I thought today I'd create a master guide of all the brands that I've known thus far. Before we go on, I believe it's important to set a definition for what constitutes as "ethical" here. These brands take environmental and social impact into consideration, especially with the manufacturing process, which means their products are made of eco-friendly materials and their workers are paid fair wages—often they, too, strive to preserve local culture. Without further ado, here are some Indonesian slow fashion brands you can support.

My Favourite Swapped Clothes

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

Lately, with the raised awareness of problems within the fashion industry, the popularity and demand for less-polluting secondhand clothing has also risen. Activities like thrifting and swapping have become all the rage. While thrifting has become more common amongst fashion enthusiasts, swapping has been met still with a shred of doubt. How do we do it? Will we get great items through this method? Is it safe? Personally, I have joined a few swap parties myself and, frankly, would do it again in a heartbeat. Not only does it cost you nothing, swapping also allows you to declutter unused items in your wardrobe at the same time. It's a win-win solution for everyone involved, and may spark social interactions among the participants. Today I thought I'd share a few swapped items of mine that I absolutely love to this day.

Mini Getaway to Nowhere

The (Emotional) Art of Decluttering

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

Ah, decluttering—I'm sure you've heard of it. It's been all the rage these days, hasn't it? People are doing it left and right; some even call it Marie Kondo-ing their wardrobe. Whatever you call it, you know it: It is the act of going through your possessions—be it in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen or garden—and deciding what stays and what goes, depending on whether or not you still need and/or want the items. Sounds like such a simple, yet laborious task, no? Which is why I also haven't done it in ages—the last time was around 2014/2015. But, now that I've finally got time to spare, I thought I should give it a go once again, as 5-6 years is a long time to go without curating your wardrobe, wouldn't you agree? So last Sunday I got some boxes ready, poured a glass of iced coffee, put on some appropriate music and opened my wardrobe—it was time for some decluttering.

Freedom Is About Perspective

How to Successfully Keep Yourself from Shopping

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

Back in April 2017, I suddenly realised that I had stopped buying clothes for a whole year—without meaning to. For a girl who spent the years previously purchasing an average of 2 items of clothing a month, it was quite a revelation and groundbreaking revolution. I was surprised to find how easy it was to stop buying clothes completely and how little need I had for new items of clothing—and I guarantee, you will also feel the same. For the most part, it felt really effortless, because I wasn't planning on going on a long streak without shopping at all, but it might not feel the same for you, if you're interested in deliberately trying to do so. I believe, however, that there are a few things you can try to make it easier on yourself and successfully keep yourself from shopping. Here are a few tips I thought would be helpful, if this is your first time—or if you haven't been able to stick with it this whole time.

How I Feel When I Open My Wardrobe

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

My wardrobe isn't perfect; it is always a work in progress. One minute it can look all neat and everything's in place, the next it could be a complete chaos. But, when I open my wardrobe, I see something more than clothes. I see the history of how I built its contents into what it is now. I see the potential of what this wardrobe could eventually become. Most importantly, I see how it embodies me—how I present myself to the world, how I bare it all in private and how many memories each item tends to hold.

(In My Head) I Do Everything Right

Pandemic Aesthetics

Comfort First

Laut Kita: The Reality of Our Oceans

This year, for Eid, our family didn't go visit the Grandparents. My beloved Grandma just recently passed away—we made two trips to visit her when she was in the hospital and when she was freshly buried, which left us with barely enough money for Eid. Long story short, we ended up staying in Jakarta for the last week of Ramadan—except for my Stepmom who went to Semarang to visit her mother and son. Anyway, that left my sister and I with enough time to roam about the city while we're both off duty from work—specifically to visit the Laut Kita exhibition we've been wanting to visit for weeks. This exhibition is brought to you by Sejauh Mata Memandang, not unlike the installation they did last year, and it highlights the rising urgency for action in the wake of our waste crisis—particularly considering its impact on our oceans. The exhibition takes up a total of four rooms, each showing us exactly how our incessant need to produce trash has impacted sea life. In fact, it turns out microplastics can be found in our own poop too. If that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.

Madjani hijab (old) // swapped shirt + pants (via Tukar Baju) // thrifted loafers // hand-me-down bag // 

outfit photos by my sis

Do you know that, here in Indonesia, by 2018 we have reached overcapacity of our landfills? Do you know what happens to our waste since then? There's not much of a choice but to dump them into the sea, by way of rivers and canals. This plastic waste then goes on to terrorise our sea creatures, either killing them slowly or causing them unimaginable pain. The term, "put your trash where it belongs" no longer applies, because no matter where we discard our garbage, it will make its way to sea one way or another—I guarantee you. The best thing we can do, instead, is to really be conscious of the things we buy and cut down on our waste. Here are some tips on how you, too, can cut down on plastic and find substitutes for them. Because—you know what?—if we don't start now, by 2050 there will be more plastic waste than fishes in the sea. If you don't believe me, try swimming in the sea or walking along the beach yourself and see if you can't find a single trash. We need to get rid of the out-of-sight-out-of-mind attitude and really take responsibility for our waste—lest we should drown in them.

#TukarBaju: Swapping with Strangers pt. II

Last week my sister and I attended another clothes-swapping event—the previous one happening in 2017. It was held by Zero Waste Indonesia in collaboration with several awesome organisations, including National Geographics, Living Loving and Sadari Sedari. I was so stoked! Even though I wasn't on the lookout for new-to-me clothes, any non-landfill occasion to get rid of the clothes I no longer wear is a welcome concept for me. This is the third clothes-swapping party I've been to in total—the first one having been held in Kassel—and it's yet a whole other experience from what I've gone through before. This time the system goes like this: First, you've got to register by filling the digital form they provide on their Instagram. Second, you bring a maximum of 5 clothing items to the event. Your clothes will be checked thoroughly by the staff and you will be given tokens, depending on how many clothes are confirmed acceptable for the swap. These tokens are to be exchanged for 'new' pieces of clothing you'll swap for yours. Easy, right?

Old jacket + dress (worn as top) // hand-me-down skirt + bag // thrifted loafers // outfit photos by my sis

For me, a swap party can be a hit or miss. Every time I go to one, I'm met with different experiences. The first one was held at a campus and it felt quite cozy, with music blaring, candles and DIY clothing racks. There were plenty of interactions and not very systematic, but it was an almost private setting, so it worked out rather nicely. The second one was held at a busy, hyped restaurant and it felt quite detached/cold, with no refreshments, no guidance and too many people. There were awkward interactions and confusing systems, and I honestly felt a little uncomfortable. And then there's this one. It feels so warm, with upbeat music, refreshments and some retro vibe. The staff were very friendly to us and the process was explained very well. There was barely any need for the old owner to meet a potential new one—although can happen if they want to—so there was less social pressure and awkwardness. It was held at a relatively private setting, so everyone who went there definitely had the same goal. Highly recommend following their Instagram, to get updates on future swap parties.

How to Fall Back in Love with Your Clothes

I know it's no longer Fashion Revolution Week, so it might not be on the ball for me to talk about this. However, I do believe that issues of fast fashion (and the environment) is one that we should always discuss. People always say that fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world—after oil—but, apparently, that is not entirely correct—it's the fifth. That being said, it's still one of the top five, meaning we are still in dire need to make some real changes on the industry. Luckily, more and more people have seemed to become aware of this issue and changed their ways. There have been various challenges popping up here and there, like the 10x10 challenge, project 333 and shopping bans, which, with the affinity the internet has for challenges, may actually intrigue more people to wear what they already own. I myself have had a no-shopping year in 2016—which has roughly continued to this day. It's been very fun and fulfilling to wear what I have, using each item to their maximum potential. And you know what? You could do it too!

Declutter Your Wardrobe

I think one of the first steps you could take is to really have a wardrobe full only of items you would actually wear. Take everything out of your wardrobe and really look at them. Ask yourself, "Am I going to wear this again ever?"—or, if you're into Marie Kondo, you could ask, "Does this item still spark joy?" If you haven't worn the item in over a year or it no longer fits you, have the courage to get rid of it. Get some trash bags, boxes or any storage item of your choice and divide them into different categories—things you will sell, things you will donate and things you will hand down to someone you love. You can try these methods of discarding your clothes—without sending them to landfills.

Give Yourself a Style Challenge

One of my biggest prides in being a blogger is the ability to style a piece of clothing in many different ways—would've put it in my CV, if I could. Blogging has helped me unlock so many untapped potentials of my clothes and wear them in several unique ways. You can do it too! Give yourself a challenge for a certain amount of time or a number of stylings. You can always give 10x10 challenge a try or make a capsule wardrobe with items you already own. Not only will this give you a fresh outlook on your clothes, but it'll give a unique twist to your personal style. You'll be surprised how abundant you have it already. Feel free to check out my mixology for inspirations.

Make Alterations

Often we don't feel excited about our clothes, because we only love a certain element about the items. For instance, we may like the fabric of a certain dress, but not the length or the sleeves. Or maybe our clothes don't allow us to flaunt our best features. Before you go ahead and throw that item out, perhaps you can make changes to it, so you'll love it better. Take in that waistline, perhaps, or shorten the hem. These changes can be relatively easy to make—and they don't necessarily have to permanent, if you're scared to take the leap—but if you're not confident about your skills or feel lazy, you can always go to a tailor with your ideas. Here are some easy DIYs you can do, by the way.

Learn How to Care

Okay, I've got to admit: I'm not very good at this one either. However, I do believe that caring for your clothes properly can be a game changer. It can be as easy as figuring out which of your attire is dry-clean only or not iron-safe, but you can also take it a step further and find out exactly how to care for leather or what is the safest way to launder your bra. If you know how to appropriately care for your clothes (and accessories), they tend to stay pristine and last longer. Of course, when something keeps looking pretty much like they're brand new, we would be more excited to wear them out and about—a much better option than things that are literally falling apart.

Show It Off

Probably not the best advice—I don't think it's healthy to live for other people's approval—but, to a degree, it has worked for me. Here's the thing: everyone likes different things. It's possible that an item you find hard to style turns out to look good on you in the eyes of others. Even though you might find a t-shirt or a pair of pants to be rather mundane, others might disagree. Different items can invoke different reactions in people—and that may spark an old love in you. Of course, what I mean by this is, when you have an item you're unsure about, try wearing it when you meet up with friends or  show it on social media. Who knows? You may come to love the item.

Well, I hope that has been helpful and eye-opening for you guys. I've been living with pretty much the same wardrobe for the past 3 years or so—and I still can't get enough of my own clothes. Everyday I find a new way to style my clothes and unlock more of their potentials. In fact, a lot of you guys have said to me that, despite the fact that I barely add anything new to my wardrobe, you don't feel bored seeing the same items over and over again. You can do that with your clothes too! Of course, if you ever feel the need to shake things up, here are some alternatives to shopping fast fashion that you can do.

Let me know some other ways you've been rekindling old flames with your wardrobe!

An Oldie but Goodie

 Kedai Kopi Tenong

Yesterday I had a day off work—after staying up all night earlier this week for a corporate event—and decided to use the chance to catch up with one of my buddies. We decided to meet up at this coffee house in the midpoint between both our houses—just so you know, our houses are actually quite far apart. It was one of the first ones to come up when I searched a place to eat in the area, organising it in a ascending order of price range (lol). What I didn't expect was to find such an antique-laden, local-tasting coffee house and/or restaurant—with a pretty good price range too. Fun fact: It derives its name from tiffin boxes—tenong means tiffins in Javanese, apparently. It is adorned with tiffin boxes on pretty much every corner, it's immaculate. There were a lot of vintage motorbikes too—which are just bloody awesome! I absolutely love how they arrange the counter too, really cute and homey-like. I ordered their Nasi Goreng Shirataki Kampung—which consists of rice-substitute made out of tubers—and I think it was rather tasty. I'd like to return again someday.

Thrifted shirt + loafers // Book of Deer dress // outfit photos by Iqbal

Now, about my friend Iqbal. We haven't seen each other in months, so it was really nice to catch up. As is usually the case when I hang out one-on-one with someone, let me sing praises of them. He's starting a new project now and he thought I could probably help him out. In the end, however, he ended up teaching me more about things relating to it (lol). We always have a ton of laughter when we get together—his sense of humour is one of the few that I've always truly enjoyed. Often, however, with friends like this, you never get past the surface; with him, it's different—or maybe it's my age. It was very rejuvenating to be able to have a great balance between comedy and deep, stimulating topics. I feel like Iqbal is a really sincere guy—when he does something, he does it with meaning. It may not always last very long or work out very well, but he rarely half-asses anything. It always makes me want to root for him. So here's for you, buddy! I wish only good things for you.