Photography: Vince Oyolo

Sustainable fashion is thus partly about producing clothes, shoes, and accessories in environmentally and socio-economically sustainable manners, but also about more sustainable patterns of consumption and use, which necessitate shifts in individual attitudes and behavior.

As a nation, at least 30% of it has thrifted an item once in there life not knowing that they are saving the planet one piece at a time. In this day and age with depleted resources and the impact human life has had thus far on the environment, sustainability isn’t just a fad or trending hashtag.

The main responsibility of fashion companies is obviously to change their production, distribution, and marketing practices and strategies towards greater sustainability. 

It also means considering fashion from the perspective of many stakeholders – users and producers, all living species, contemporary and future dwellers on earth. Sustainable fashion, therefore, belongs to and is the responsibility of citizens, the public sector, and the private sector. 

To help you incorporate more sustainable options in your shopping, other than thrifting, I’m sharing about a sustainable fashion brand I have stumbled upon in Kenya.

Introducing my Lilabare, more specifically, my Kimono.

Each Lilabare piece stems from there mission of zero-waste & preserving handcraft. Sourcing post-production industry excess that is borne of ancient spinning & dyeing techniques, they bring each piece to life in Kenya alongside small scale artisans in there atelier in Nairobi.

You should definitely check them out.

To be considered sustainable, brands must work to improve every single aspect of a product’s life cycle. They must use sustainable raw materials, store and transport clothing responsibly, and do their best to ensure that items can be repaired and recycled.

Fast Fashion has been the longest trend and because of it, many of today’s inexpensive fashion items are being discarded only after being worn just a handful of times. In fact, thanks to such practices, fashion has been introduced as one of the most polluter sectors.

Did you know that producing just one kilogram of cotton takes 20 thousand liters of water, for example?

Outfit Details

Neckpiece: Kadenyi Pop Up
Kimono: Lilabare
Watch: Guess

Belt and Pants: Thrifted

Shoes: Dumond

One specific issue that affects us all is the water usage in the manufacturing process. This depletes the amount of safe drinking water in the world which is already impacted by other industries and human waste. 

In an ecological context, sustainability would be achieved when all that is taken from the environment can be renewed.

Small steps make a big difference

Where’d you get those shoes?! I absolutely adore them!

Oh, you know. . . they’re vintage.

There’s a special rush that comes with knowing your fresh new thrift goods that are one of a kind, and even more so when they’re retrieved from the long-gone time of decades past.

Buying secondhand is not only a great way to discover some buried treasure and make it uniquely your own but also a meaningful stand against the damaging fast fashion industry.

As professional women, we need to take responsibility for our daily choices. Commit to buying less, limit your outfits per day, and invest in pieces that last longer.

Next time you’re shopping, do your research. Pay close attention to how brands use the term “transparency.” Do they really mean it and prove it? Does the brand take initiatives with the fabrics used? Are they committed to ethical/sustainable practices?

It’s easy to forget the impact of purchase or the power you have as a consumer. There are small steps we can take each day to pave the path toward a more sustainable fashion future.

Fashion has always been a way to indicate who you are to the world – so now is the time to think about what you want your clothes to say about the kind of world and future that we should aim for.

Stay stylish,
Kadenyi.

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Photography: Pata Pic Kenya 

The term modest fashion can be interpreted in a number of different ways. However, it is typically used to describe clothing that conceals rather than accentuates the shape of the body.

The clothing can include hijabs and burqas, as well as tops, trousers, jackets, and dresses that feature a modest cut. While the decision to wear this type of clothing can be due to religious or cultural reasons, it can also be worn to attain a more modest aesthetic (e.g this post).

The modest fashion movement has become prominent in the Kenyan fashion scene where fashion bloggers and designers offer examples of appropriate clothing that allows for self-expression without sacrificing one’s religious beliefs with the inclusion of long-sleeved dresses, high necklines, midi dresses, and maxi skirts.

This blog post is my rendition of the modest style with the incorporation of pleated skirts which is one of my favorite pieces to wear to work. Sometimes separates can seem like they’re more difficult to put together, but you can wear a pleated skirt with anything. I love to pair pleated skirts with everything from tees and moto jackets to sweaters, button-ups, and even off the shoulder tops.

They’re also versatile enough to wear round. You can pair a pleated skirt with boots and a sweater during the colder months, and in the hot Nairobi days, I love the look with cute sandals. It’s also an easy piece to dress up or down.

Team a pleated skirt with a graphic tee and sneakers for a more casual vibe, or wear a pleated skirt with a button-up and pumps for a classic work look.

This right here is next level fashion genius — and a cute going out outfit, when you want to show up in something a bit unexpected.

How many of us dreamed of being an astronaut at some point when we were younger? NASA fits into the mold where it not only has broad appeal, but there is almost nothing to dislike about it. Just for this reason, I am obsessed with this shirt. In order to snatch my waist, I tucked it in and paired it with this is a lovely belt: well made, with a quality Western-style buckle, definitely a keeper.

For eye-wear, I went for the pointy V-shape cat-eye frames sunglasses that have become another favorite of mine. It makes everyone’s face look wider, so if you’re self-conscious about having a wide face (which some people are!) then they might not be for you. But in general, they’re probably the most approachable, universally flattering sunglasses you could own.

Plaid jackets are my new obsession, they double as a really trendy top when you button it up! When shopping for one, make sure the blazer is just a little oversized, you’re going to want to get your hands on one you can wear to any occasion. I am borrowing the plaid menswear button-up from Sherlock Holmes and making it my own. Mark my words — a plaid blazer is the “it” fashion item of the season

Outfit Details

Sunglasses: Kadenyi Pop Up

Jacket: Zara

Necklace: Forever 21

T-shirt: NASA

Belt: H&M, sold out but found one on Amazon

Skirt: Gifted

Bag: DKNY

Watch: Movement

Rings and Bangles: Maasai Market

Boots: Mango

I am loving the modest fashion look within the industry because it’s also shone a light on the (obvious) facts that women of different shapes, faiths, colors, sizes, and backgrounds can be just as stylish and can be equally valuable customers.

So why not skip the little black dress for your next evening out, and put together a fresh, fashionable outfit in a colorful pleated skirt and a matching top, or even better, a classic modest fashion look, with a long striped jacket or cardigan layered over top. Venturing out from your personal style to try other silhouettes and trends is how we evolve our personal style.

Thank you so much for reading this, and see you in the next one…

Stay stylish,

Kadenyi.

The post Modest Fashion: Kadenyi’s Rendition appeared first on Kadenyi.

Photographer: Yimbiha

Editor: Vince Oyolo

There are a million ways to wear a little white dress , but as mentioned before, I am loving the dress and sneaker combo lately and on this particular day this white sneakers and brown cross body bag were the perfect accessories!

This dress is super comfortable, light but perfectly lined, and has the right amount of lace trim. I’m wearing a size small for reference and it fits like a glove!

Being comfortable, along with looking absolutely adorable, is really important for me. I wore this really cute dress a few months while in Dubai. It kept me cool in the hot weather as well as stylish.

I am a sucker for the new footwear trend that’s equally versatile and comfortable. Whether you’re wearing old school Adidas, modern Nikes, classic Supergas or trusty Converse sneakers, there’s no doubt that you can wear white sneakers in so many different ways.

I love an all white outfit; it looks so fresh and modern. This particular look is  ideal to wear for a busy weekend spent out and about or a casual lunch with the girls.

Outfit Details

Dress: Next

Sunglasses: Kadenyi Pop Up Shop

Watch: Casio

Bag: DKNY

Shoes: Adidas Neo

On accesories, I kept it very minimal by only wearing hints of black gold and grey  with my sunglasses, choker, the vintage watch and rings.

You want to enjoy your day with your friends and family, so make sure the dress doesn’t get in the way of that!

Stay Stylish,

Kadenyi.

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