Hello, readers of The Hysteria Collective!

Welcome to a new series we will be doing titled: ‘100 Days of Changing My Habits: Fast Fashion with Lamis Captan.’ In this series I will be documenting what it is like not shopping from fast fashion stores, exposing the fast fashion industry through its detrimental effects on the environment, race, women, plus more; and hopefully, educating the audience of The Hysteria Collective on how you can live a life without fast fashion. Every 10 days, a new piece will be published uncovering an aspect of the fast fashion industry and how I am finding my journey. 

Today, I would like to introduce you to this series and honestly tell you how my relationship with fast fashion is. I am not a saint! In the last year, I HAVE ordered from PLT, ASOS, and MissGuided for club nights, Halloween, weddings, etc. But over the last six months, I massively reduced how much I shopped at fast-fashion chains due to the information I was exposed to. My aim for this challenge is to educate myself and others further and hopefully jolt me into the realisation that I do not need fast-fashion. 

Am I writing this series to infuse you with guilt? Honestly, partly – I want there to be some shift in mindset and responsibility after I reveal crucial information to you over the next 100 days. However, do I want you to feel like a terrible person and upset? Of course not. It is the responsibility of fast fashion companies to become more ethical and sustainable. As a society, we have been conditioned to change clothes frequently, or experience gratification after buying something new. Change is hard. The guilt and realisation of buying fast fashion is DIFFICULT to handle. But it is processing, and working on those difficult feelings which will not only empower yourself but all the victims of the fast-fashion industry across the globe.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. I’ll see everyone in 10 days when we’ll be looking at the environmental effects of fast fashion!

Much love – stay safe ♥

Lamis