Balzac Paris, Je T’aime

Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands

When: Jan. 26, 2020 // Weather: chilly // Real life: seeing Come From Away on tour!

Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands
Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands
Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands
Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands
Balzac Paris review, sustainable fashion brands

First – I wore this when I took Kristin to see the musical Come From Away for her birthday. It’s a fantastic show, so if the tour comes to your town and you have the opportunity to go, DO IT!

But why I’m really here is to give you a review of another sustainable brand I checked out recently – Balzac Paris. (BTW, I found out about this company through my own online research and paid for everything; this isn’t sponsored in any way.)

The company is based in…you guessed it…Paris. So the downside is that if you don’t speak French, you will have to rely on the poorly-translated English version of the website! But the upside is that all the clothes have that Parisian je ne sais quois vibe.

I give Balzac Paris 3.5 stars on a 5-star rating system that I made up just now based on absolutely nothing. I ordered several items, and I like some more than others. This bag is my absolute favorite piece, and I absolutely love it. Get ready to see it a lot over the course of the next…lifetime. The shape is pretty simple but I feel like it elevates any outfit (yes, I sound like a fashion magazine and I don’t care). I also got a couple tops that I really like, so you’ll be seeing those in the near future.

This sweater I think looked a little better online than it does in person, but as someone who’s sensitive to wool, I’m always happy to find a warm, cozy sweater that doesn’t make me itch. And 3D polka dots don’t hurt either!

Stay tuned for more Balzac, mes amies!

Sweater // Bag // Shoes // Earrings

Fast Fashion Phase-Out

When: January sometime // Weather: 40s // Real life: work

I feel like this outfit is the perfect meeting between the old me and new me. The shoes are Everlane, a sustainable brand. The top is Eileen Fischer, also a sustainable brand, and I got it used at a local consignment shop, so doubly sustainable.

Meanwhile, the cardigan was gifted from Shein, the quintessential fast fashion e-retailer. You’ve probably at least heard of Shein because they partner with (read: send free shit to) about a bazillion bloggers. I know because I used to be one of them. In 2018, they would send me 2 or 3 things at a time, and once I featured them on the blog, they would send more.

This went on for several months, and eventually I stopped answering their emails. Even before I was “officially” on my sustainable fashion journey, something just didn’t feel quite right about it. The clothes were of very questionable quality, and while I did in fact wear them, it was usually only once or twice before dumping them at Goodwill.

For a while I tried to justify this in my head – I wasn’t giving rave reviews or actively saying “you guys should try Shein!” BUT, we as bloggers/influencers have to recognize that when we feature a product and give you a link to buy it, paid or not, the subtext is: “I personally recommend this” and “I believe this business is worth supporting.” And the fact was, I did not really want to recommend anyone buy from Shein. I tried out their products because I had the chance to do so for free, but would I spend my own money on them? Probably not.

So, I stopped accepting free stuff from Shein, and now that I’ve learned more about what the fast fashion industry is doing to the planet, I feel extra good about that choice. Shein does claim to make efforts to be socially responsible, and if that’s true, great. But when brand new clothes are priced extremely cheaply (with quality to match the price), it tells the consumer: “This garment is disposable. Wear it once or twice, then toss it. You won’t feel bad because it was so cheap.” That’s not the kind of attitude toward clothes and shopping that I want to promote anymore, so I won’t. I will still try to link to some of the stuff I wear for anyone’s who’s interested, and I will do my very best to link to things that I think are worth your money.

Thank you all for being patient as I sort out how to best use my influence for good. I’m still a work in progress.