When my mom bought me something new as a little girl, I had to stand on our front porch to “show the people.” As an adult, I spent years working in retail before becoming a costume buyer for film and television.

Although this was a dream job, the overconsumption and waste of the fashion and film industry was inescapable. I noticed a decline in the quality of products in the market during my time as a buyer and started making wiser choices with the fabrics and brands I brought into my closet. I made a conscious effort to stop impulse shopping and instead only bought items that were filling a wardrobe gap or that I truly loved.