“Open your drawers and wardrobe(s) and have a proper sort through.  Most likely, you’ll discover many clothes you haven’t worn in ages  - that’s a bit like wearing something brand new, right?” Today’s woman dreamer, Carola Kolbeck, is the creator of mental health/sustainable fashion blog, “Chameleon in High Heels”. Inspired by her own mental health journey and passion for sustainability, Carola shares 5 actionable and realistic ways to make your wardrobe more sustainable, and her summer wardrobe essentials! Enjoy Carola’s story!

1. You are a talented creator, with a focus on sustainable fashion and mental health. Tell us more about your journey? 

I grew up with a lot of traumatic events from my childhood, and those had a fundamental effect on my own mental health.  I was severely ill as a teenager and it took me nearly two decades to fully recover.  I still struggle at times and I sometimes feel anxious about life and the future, but I have done a lot of work on myself so I can handle those little voices in my head better.  Because of my own experience, I am passionate about all things mental health.  Many people are still very ignorant about it or don’t understand how important mental health care is. I want to educate people to understand that physical and mental health are deeply interlinked. One doesn’t thrive if the other suffers.  I have written extensively about mental health on my own blog but also for Indigo Blue Magazine, as well as co-authored a book called Love Thy Body (Vol 2).

Without it sounding like a cliché, I have always loved fashion but as an awkward and mentally ill teenager I didn’t have the capacity for creatively using clothes and playing with different outfits. That joy came to my life a lot later and I consequently own a lot of clothes that I have accumulated over the past 20+ years.  It wasn’t until last year that I started researching and reading about the impact of fast fashion and the amount of greenwashing that goes on and I felt incredibly ashamed and upset by my own contribution to the evil fast fashion mill.  Putting my shame aside, I chose to make a change - and stopped buying fast fashion for myself, my kids  and my partner. I try to extend this to other items, such as furniture, home decor, everyday essentials such as umbrellas, purses, and so on.  It’s not always the easiest option but it always makes me feel good about myself and my actions.

2. What are your top 3-5 tips to women looking to create a more sustainable wardrobe that you apply in your life? 

My own shift from buying fast fashion to turning to more sustainable options happened gradually at first - until I made a New Year’ resolution last year to stop buying fast fashion altogether.  If the thought of never ever entering a Walmart, TK Maxx, H&M or Zara gives you heart palpitations, then maybe start small and build it up.  As with everything, it’s about lots of people living more sustainably imperfectly rather than a handful of people doing it perfectly.  My own household is sadly not (yet) 100% plastic free, I don’t own an electric car (yet).  If people understand that every little change helps, they may feel more inclined to actually start their sustainable lifestyles.

My top 5 tips to start being a sustainable fashionista are totally achievable and realistic:

1. Delete those fast fashion apps from your phone. It’s too tempting to just scroll and order.  Swap those for Vinted or Depop or browse eBay instead.  It may take more time but you’ll shop more consciously and also save a load of money.

2. Open your drawers and wardrobe(s) and have a proper sort through.  Most likely, you’ll discover many clothes you haven’t worn in ages  - that’s a bit like wearing something brand new, right?  Anything you haven’t worn and can’t see yourself wearing again, either donate or sell.  It may sound like a paradox, but with a less cluttered wardrobe you’ll wear more of your existing clothes - because you immediately see all the clothes you own.

3. Hit charity and second hand shops.  They are actual treasure troves for much more than clothes, shoes and accessories.  Sometimes, you’ll find some designer items at a fraction of the original price.  The good news is that, not only do you save clothes from landfill and give them another lease of life, you also support charities or smaller, independent businesses.  Your money is better off there than in the fangs of the hyper-rich fast fashion industry.

4. Swap clothes with a friend.  Who ever said that your clothes should only be worn by you? Of course, if you think that your friend will spill their dinner on it and ruin it in a hot wash, then don’t go down that route. If you’re both reliable and sensible people and happen to be around the same size, why not do a swap once a month and refresh each others’ wardrobes.

5. Buy some funky iron on patches.  They don’t cost a lot, come in all different designs, shapes and sizes  and are so easy to apply to fabric.  Have a hole in your favourite jumper?  Pick a sparkly patch, iron it over the hole et voilà! This also works for stains or rips. Certain exceptions apply, of course, so please use common sense.

3. What is your favorite wardrobe piece for the summer right now? 

Can I have two favourites please? One has to be a floaty maxi dress, preferably made of cotton or linen.  They are perfect for when it’s a bit cooler but equally wonderful when it’s really hot. Throw over a woolly cardigan or denim jacket for a cool evening or wear by itself when the sun’s out.

The second has to be a pair of comfy sliders or sandals, such as Birkenstock.  They go with everything: maxi dresses, mini dresses, shorts and T-shirt, jeans, skirts, swim suit, etc.  

4. As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
My next big dream is to turn my part-time freelance work as a writer into a full-time venture.  I’ve been working hard on this over the last few years and I slowly start seeing results.  I also want to continue to make positive changes in the world; be it with my writing, by taking part in environmental projects or advocating for social change.  We’re all on this planet for a short time, so I want to make sure that I do as much good in that time as possible.

Thank you Carola for sharing your inspiring story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!