The fashion fix is a beautifully bright activity book aimed at helping you create a more unique style that won’t cost the earth at the same time. I loved going through this activity book with my daughter and we picked out some fun things to try and help her understand that people make the clothes we wear and how to make the most out of what we already have. As somebody who already takes a lot of effort to make smart choices with second hand (or as I like to call it new to me) fashion and re wearing of items at least 30 times to get the true value of pieces before buying more items this book was righty up my street. A fact from the book that I wasn’t aware of is that we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time, which is shocking also on average most items are worn 3 times before being discarded. I am really un cool and keep a spreadsheet of my new to me items to work out how many times I wear a piece and cost per wear as I became slightly obsessed with slow fashion a couple of years ago and have been trying really hard to only buy pieces that I can put into at least 2 outfits I already own and that I don’t have a version of already. My top tips are shop on vented, charity shops or swap with friends and family. Back to the book my daughter and I really loved it and I have lost it to her as she plans our activities with charms, pom poms and shrink dink key rings. I have included some tie dye we did last summer that the kids loved doing and still wear all the time.
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*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.* Minishine fancies herself a little bit of a fashionista and is always designing outfits and mix ‘n’ matching her clothes to create some unusual combos, so when I spotted this latest children’s activity book from Lexi Rees I knew it would be just her style! This is a fashion book with a difference though, as the focus is on making the most of the clothes you already have, in fun and creative ways. The book starts with some information about ways in which our clothing choices can affect the environment adversely, before educating on steps we can take to limit that impact and make more sustainable clothing choices (while still looking great!) Alongside the theme of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, the author provides a whole load of fashion crafting activities that you can use to jazz up old items or create new accessories and Minishine immediately began listing all of the makes she wanted to try (basically all of them!). Meanwhile I immediately noted the ‘clothing pile technique’ page for tackling the neglected items in the children’s wardrobe – and my own! Everything is presented in a very child-friendly way, with bright, funky illustrations and accessible language, so we could chat through it together, but Minishine could also take it away to dip in and out of on her own. Here are the children’s thoughts: Minishine (9): I really like the activities and quizzes! Babybows (6): Like the word search. I like the word search best. I didn’t like some of the quizzes because I haven’t got a floaty dress or things. Minishine: You haven’t got ANY dresses, but I have! I really want to make ALL the things in there! Can we make something right now? Me: I think the idea is to get rid of some of your old stuff before you start adding new stuff… Minishine: Hmmm, yes. Because it’s important to think about where it all comes from. I never knew that. It’s really sad that people get treated badly to make clothes, especially children. When I’m older and buy my own clothes I’m going to check all the shops to make sure that the people that make their clothes are treated fairly. Babybows: I don’t like clothes shopping, but I do like sewing, so I think I’ll just fix the things I have and keep them instead! Me: Okay. But you still both have to sort out your wardrobe now. The book says so! So, educational and entertaining, and might just help you get your kids’ clothes under control! Lexi Rees’ books are always great for getting children engaged and interested, and there is lots of food for thought here about the ethics of our day-to-day styles and practical activities for improving our environmental and ethical impact through fashion. I was wrong in my original assessment, for while this is definitely ideal for any budding fashionistas out there, it is also essential reading for anyone who wears clothes! Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
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I’m not really into fashion and I have never been a girly girl. Open the wardrobe and find something nice that fits my mood and that’s me for the day! So, I wasn’t sure how to approach this book. The cover is colourful and inviting for children and my first impression was that the book is mostly aimed at young girls, maybe around the ages of 7 - 14. First of all we have an introduction that explains the book is a smart, savvy and practical guide that will inspire you to dress sustainably without sacrificing your personal style. We begin with a small section with some facts and figures about clothing which was quite interesting. There are little puzzles and instructions on how to turn your old clothes into something different, how to make your own earrings and other accessories. There is a huge focus on recycling. I particularly liked the section titled ‘find your style’. The book is written, put together and illustrated beautifully but I honestly can’t imagine youngsters going through the trouble of checking the sustainability of the clothing they buy or pick out for birthdays and christmases, maybe I’m missing the point here? The crafting stuff would likely be of interest for girls of 7 - 12 years of age. The book wasn’t for me personally but I can see it being appealing to certain types of people young and old. I’m giving this 4 stars on the basis of it being so well put together and the wonderful creativity that was within the pages.
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