Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style

Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style is a must-read for everyone. All sizes, colours, shapes, ages, races, everyone will be educated and energized to make a difference in our clothing choices.

Written in a conversational style, Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style tells the story of the impact of our choices on the environment and the people working in the clothing industries.

Author Raina Delisle uses examples of actions she and her children have taken as they have explored options in their own fashion choices while looking for ways to make their clothing choices more sustainable.

Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style is divided into four chapters: “Dressed to Impress”, “Fashion’s Footprint”, “Taking Action on Fashion”, and “Be a Fashion Hero”. Each chapter has many subheadings which are identified in the “Contents”, thereby making it easy to find relevant information. For example, the Chapter Two, “Fashion’s Footprint”, includes subheadings “Toxic Threads”, “Dumping Grounds”, “Labor Behind the Label”, “Kids At Work”, “Pink is for Girls and Blue is for Boys?”, among others.

In the Advance Copy used for this review, there are two pages for an Index which are blank at the moment but will be completed for the final printing. As well, there is a list of Print, Online, and Film/Television Resources, and a two-page Glossary included in the Advance Copy.

That pictures and images used to support the text are each credited to a specific source provides wonderful examples to young readers of how to properly acknowledge intellectual property. Bravo to the editors/creators.

The theme of Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style is the interconnectedness of our clothing decisions with both social and environmental issues. The final chapter, “Be a Fashion Hero”, summarizes ways that readers can use small actions to make a big difference. The subheading, “The Seven Rs of Ethical Fashion”, highlights Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Research, Repurpose, Repair, and Rent. Readers are also introduced to several initiatives by individuals and organizations that are taking steps, such as Second Hand September, Buy Nothing Day, and National Thrift Shop Day, to make a positive difference in the fashion industry.

National Thrift Shop Day: August 17 is a day to celebrate second-hand shopping. Some shops mark the occasion by holding special sales or events.

The excellent information in Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style is well-supported by photos showing all ages, ethnicities, sexes, and abilities. This book will inform and engage the middle school readers for whom it is written as well as younger and older readers looking for sustainable alternatives to fast fashion, and it will encourage all readers to make a difference by thinking critically before making clothing decisions.