Frans Prins
Are you following, a fashion victim, a slave of trends, marketing and consumption habits, or is it you who decides? If you believe dressing up is innocent, think again. It’s all politics and choices. Style is about expression, about personality and culture, your lifestyle and your personal values. It’s you. Your desires, emotions, and opinions, your ethics and etiquette. Your beauty.
This is a Brand New Blog on Feelgood Style, and I’m one of your Editors, so let me introduce myself. I’m an outsider here on the Feelgood Style blog: male, non-American, style activist rather than fashionist. There’s fashionistas going green and there’s greenies going stylish. I’m from the last category, and there’s less difference than one would think.
Born in The Netherlands, I moved to Berlin, Germany three years ago. I was attracted by the vibrant creative atmosphere, the melting pot of styles and cultures, and the meanwhile legendary party scene. Berlin is a city of design and individual styles. There’s no uniform dress code, generally you can wear anything and feel independent. I don’t have to shave before I buy my croissant. A good beard is even better. In the area I live there’s yuppies, Arabs, gays, punks, hippies, freaks, students and creatives all living side by side. I see more fake than real brands on the streets. I see beggars and hummers. I see Swedish fashionist(a)s Nu-Rave the city. I see young kids spraying their pieces. Just outside my door there’s a park full of parties when the sun allows it. It’s hybrid, rough, edgy, and real. That’s my style.
Living a Conscious Lifestyle
Lifestyle is strictly personal, and in the end it’s you who creates the world you live in. Since I decided to consume my food, cosmetics and clothing more conscious, I feel a lot more energetic. I consume things that have value, quality, things I can relate with. The biggest change was in the wardrobe. Clothes create who you are and how you feel. With soft, organic cotton on my body, I just feel more relaxed and meanwhile stylish. It’s an invisible expression of style, but with a great difference and strong expression of my personal lifestyle and values.
I’ve been on organic cotton farms in Uganda and Turkey, and I’ve seen several fair trade and social aid projects. I’ve been collecting information on hundreds of sweatshop free, fair trade and sustainable fashion labels and designers. Green fashion is hot, natural cosmetics are a must, social entrepreneurship is the future standard, meanwhile in fashion it still is a small market. You really need to find your way to get the best, most stylish stuff to wear. I hope we will be a great stylist for you and help you to make your style choices feel good.
