WelcomE

These days I find abundance grows atop abundance. From mascaras to little black dresses, we have an excess of options to peruse and the ability to purchase nearly anything with the click of a button. I have found myself feeling overwhelmed by the constant encouragement to shop, shop, shop and buy, buy, buy. Consumption feels like the result of falling prey to an Instagram advertisement rather than filling a need.

Despite how my lifestyle may seem to outsiders, I have never really indulged in indulging. I pride myself on never having been a big shopper and must have been born with the ability to purchase only what I think I need. I remember numerous afternoons spent shopping with my mother who was eager to gift me with another pair of stilettos only to hear me say “but I don’t need them!”

Maybe it is my OCD side, but the less I have and the more organized what I have is the greater my peace of mind. The less “things” I have to take care of, the more freedom I feel. So perhaps I have always been a minimalist at heart, but now I am endeavoring to add ‘conscious’ minimalist to my title.

The reality is, times are changing. Global Warming. Landfill accumulation. Pollution. Chemical buildup. We have a responsibility to be conscious of how and what we choose to consume. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about treating myself. And I am definitely not perfect. I will still get caught using plastic straws, ordering from Amazon only to receive too many cardboard boxes, and forgetting my reusable coffee cup. But I try. I try to consume smart, thoughtfully, and veer away from the trends. Every little effort counts.

I am hoping that with this new journey I will be able to encourage a more essential lifestyle, while educating myself on how to be sustainable, conscious, and minimal yet still enjoying life’s pleasures. By interviewing game changers in the Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle industries, discovering and sharing new products, new experiences and travels, I hope to teach and learn how to think before we do. Plus, the less we have, the less time we must spend organizing, washing, cleaning and caring for (an easier life for you and me!)

In the end we don’t actually need that much ‘stuff.’ I plan to walk forward in this chapter of my life with sustainable, conscious and minimal at the forefront of my mind. Let us put import on quality over quantity and on experiences over “things,” because after all Less is More.

- Julia