Week Of Outfits Series: A Week Of Vegan Outfits With Christina Pippin Of Eco Voyage
A Week Of Outfits With Christina Pippin From Eco Voyage
The Good Trade’s Week of Outfits Series highlights women that have personally inspired us to shop and live with intention! Each woman takes her own unique approach to slow fashion and demonstrates how beautifully sustainable fashion can come to life. Today we’re excited to share a week of outfits from Christina Pippin, the conscious blogger behind Eco Voyage!
// ABOUT CHRISTINA //
Location | Paris + Chicago
Job | English + Art Educator, Freelance Writer + Photographer
Where To Find Her | Her blog Eco Voyage and Instagram
Favorite Eco Boutique | France: Manifest011 + Aujourd’hui Demain / USA: Kaight + Petit Vour
I love language and art; I studied both Secondary Education and English Language and Literature at university, and I minored in Art. As an exceptionally shy person, I have always considered fashion a language I use to communicate who I am to the world sans words. And as an artist, piecing together an ensemble in the morning is a way to express myself creatively. Getting dressed is both a creative outlet and an emotional experience for me: sometimes I’m feeling playful, sometimes pensive and always active, ready for life’s adventures. I like to say I speak ethical fashion: I wear clothes made by companies that protect and prioritize people, the planet and animals.
“Getting dressed is both a creative outlet and an emotional experience for me: sometimes I’m feeling playful, sometimes pensive and always active, ready for life’s adventures.”
I started blogging about slow fashion five years ago after learning that clothing is one of the only commodities that gets cheaper every year, creating a cycle of poverty for the workers who produce them, and seeing an image of a polluted river, peculiarly red from the effluent of a local textile factory. I learned then of the connection between our health and the toxic chemicals used to produce our everyday clothing. My approach to sustainability is a holistic one because what we put on our bodies is as important as what we put in our bodies. I write about sustainable style, natural beauty and healthy food (well, cafes serving up nutritious and delicious cuisine, because cooking is not my forte). I wanted to create a platform that showcased eco brands and boutiques and to introduce readers to the world of ethical, vintage and vegan fashion, which can be fun, affordable and accessible.
“I truly believe that the way we choose to spend our dollars is a political act.”
Before becoming an ethical fashion blogger, I worked with immigrants, refugees and inner-city youth for ten years as an educator in Chicago. Issues of economic and social justice are close to my heart. I truly believe that the way we choose to spend our dollars is a political act. My affinity for nature and animals also galvanizes me to protect the environment and communities where textile and apparel production takes place, hence I choose to showcase eco labels that respect garment workers and the ecosystems where products are manufactured.
One of my eco heroes in the world of sustainable fashion, author and slow fashion activist Lucy Siegle, once said that she is “defiantly off-trend”; my own style can be described as wildly divergent. Design-led, ethically-produced pieces are always welcome in my wardrobe. When I’m asked what I write about, I say my blog is about choices: about the delicate balance between the expression of personal style and our purchasing power as conscientious citizens. The choice to invest in ethically-produced, cruelty-free and quality pieces has given my life a newfound shine and freedom and I hope to share that journey with anyone interested in leading a healthier, more compassionate life.
Find Christina Online
Website // Instagram // Facebook // Pinterest
Photography by Cats Like Scotch + A. Smith
Monday
I became besotted by fashion at a young age. Being tall and slender (I’ve stood at 5’10” since the age of 14) meant learning how to sew clothing to fit my willowy body. Some pieces fit me like a glove, like this vintage dress with a noisy graphic print paired with my trusty vegan moto jacket, an animal-friendly crossbody and a handmade druzy earring, an organic shape to bring balance to this outfit. I popped my secondhand red velvet flats into the mix.
Today’s Pieces:
Vintage Dress from Mad Vintage Paris | Ring from 48 & Sea
Gem Druzy Earrings | Angela Roi Vegan Crossbody Bag
Secondhand Velvet Flats from Crossroads
Thrifted Vegan Moto Jacket from The Economy Shop
Tuesday
Turtlenecks, I can’t get enough of them. This is the most versatile piece in my wardrobe; I wear this gem with high-waisted jeans, vintage skirts and on this particularly leaky day in Paris, I’ve paired it with a thrifted pencil skirt. My favorite accessory has always been a vintage book. I believe every day is a day to dress up. No holidays required.
Today’s Pieces:
Prairie Underground Top | Thrifted Pencil Skirt from Buffalo Exchange
Soko studs | Secondhand Flats from Crossroads
Wednesday
Sometimes I find a fun vintage piece that I like to present as the center of my ensemble, like glittery costume jewelry or a woven tapestry bag. Having a capsule wardrobe means mixing and matching everything in my closet in surprising and eccentric ways. On this day I vie for a quiet, all-black canvas via a vintage midi skirt and ethical top, making this thrifted gold belt the centerpiece.
Today’s Pieces:
Prairie Underground Top | Vintage Skirt from St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Shop
Vintage Gold and Rhinestone Belt from The Brown Elephant
Secondhand Flats from Crossroads
Thursday
Museum days are my favorite. I was gifted a pre-loved, oversized tee by my bf that reads “SOLEIL” across it, and since I love to say I’m solar-powered, it was a perfect match. As with most of the vintage or secondhand pieces in my wardrobe, it needed a little TLC in the form of the mending of small holes. I’m wearing a denim jacket that I picked up over 20 years ago: it has threadbare elbows and a little extra ventilation across my back; I call it character. The sneakers were actually owned by a little boy who was selling them at a Paris flea market; where I became the proud new owner for only one euro!
Today’s Pieces:
Vegan Knit Hat from Beet x Beet | Upcycled Hand-Me-Down Tee FROM BOYFRIEND
25-year-old Vintage Denim Jacket | Lindsay Lewis Cuffs
Vintage Skirt from St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Shop
Thrifted Sneakers from Paris flea market for $1 | Angela Roi Vegan Handbag
Friday
I wander over to the boys’ side when shopping for clothes. After all, who doesn’t love a jumbo boyfriend sweater? This cozy pullover is the warmest and comfiest. I’ve tucked it into a vintage pleated skirt and since I’m a gal who believes in layers, I’m wearing an artisan made scarf and vintage Levis jacket from the girls section which I can peel on and off depending on the weather. I add a little jazz with some shiny vintage costume jewelry because boy-meets-girl is a look I love.
Today’s Pieces:
Baserange Pullover | Vintage Skirt from Chine Machine
Vintage Jewelry from Shangri-La Vintage | Scarf from Kaight Shop
Vintage Jean Jacket from Kilo Shop Paris | Secondhand Flats
Saturday
I wear heels almost every day, even when i’m walking long distances (yes, comfortable heels exist), most days I like less fussy and relaxed pieces, but comfort is key because I’m quite mobile and fantastically clumsy. This is an entirely vintage and thrifted outfit except for those fab shoes made by one of my fave cruelty-free footwear labels.
Today’s Pieces:
Vintage Blouse from Free ‘P’ Star | vintage midi skirt from Chine Machine
Rings from Bead and Reel | Vintage Levi’s denim jacket from Mad vintage
thrifted vegan moto jacket from the Economy Shop
Bhava Studio Vegan Booties
Sunday
Forming a relationship with my clothes involves caring for them when they’re worn or torn to extend the longevity of each piece. This diaphanous vintage skirt has been under the needle more than once. This vintage top is actually from the 1950s. I wear the top with jeans and sneakers sometimes for a casual look. I wear the skirt the way some wear jeans, as a staple that gets along with every other piece in my wardrobe.
