An advocate of conscious living, Olivia began Simply Liv and Co founded on the values of slow. We caught up with her as she shared about what motherhood means to her, and offered her 5 tips for those who want to start curating a more sustainable closet.
What does conscious living mean to you?
Conscious living is an all-encompassing lifestyle choice that, whether you intend it to or not, will eventually trickle into each area of your life. It’s thinking about how each action, purchase, meal, and conversation impacts yourself, the people around you (and around the world,) and the planet. More than anything, I’ve learned that conscious living is a journey — not a destination that you arrive at overnight.
5 tips for those who want to move towards slow fashion?
(1) Take it slow. I believe that it’s called “slow fashion” for a reason. Not just because the garments are made with sustainability and care, but because consumption isn’t the main goal. It’s ok if you don’t add many actually ethically made garments to your closet right away. Simply slowing down your buying process (or maybe even stopping your shopping altogether for a time) and considering the ethics behind each new piece you do buy is the perfect place to start.
(2) Start with your own closet. Sort through the pieces you love and the ones you haven’t worn in a while. See if there is a way you can give new life to the pieces in your closet before you add new pieces.
(3) Do your research. All too often, brands label things with words like “all natural,” “fair wage”, or “sustainable” but with a little bit more research, you can tell that the brand can’t trace their supply chains and don’t truly know where or who made their clothes. In my experience, truly ethical brands make it easy for customers to find the necessary info about where their clothes are made and who makes them. If you aren’t certain, email the brand via their contact page.
(4) Shift your mindset. One of the first things that happens when you begin to delve into slow fashion is a mindset shift from “fast” to “slow”. It sounds obvious, but in reality, the mental change is often the most difficult. If you’re anything like I was, you’re used to shopping to lift your mood, buying things you don’t really even need and wear rarely. Slow fashion means slowing your mindset and buying with intention.
(5) Embrace secondhand. Most people who dive into slow fashion head first are taken aback by the difference in price when it comes to ethically made items. Luckily, buying second hand is a great way to give new life to clothes that most likely would have ended up in a landfill. Combining thrifted finds with a selection of ethically made investment pieces (from brands like MATTER) is the perfect formula for a closet that will last you years.
What does motherhood mean to you?
It’s impossible to sum up motherhood in a sentence (or even a whole book,) but to me, being a mom means that my decision to live slowly is doubled in importance. Children need simplicity as much as adults do and the fact that as a mother I get to impart those values to my daughters early on is as sobering as it is exciting.
Another piece of motherhood that I always stress is that “mom” isn’t my only identity — I’m a writer, a wife, a coffee-enthusiast, and a slow fashion advocated too. But as a mom, those other roles take on an even more important and impacting place in my life, as I view them all through the lens of my girls and the impact my decisions will have on them later on.
What’s a quote you carry with you?
I’m a bit of a quote-nerd, but one that I always come back to that relates to my purposefully slow lifestyle is, “Live simply so that others may simply live.” by Elizabeth Ann Seton. No pun intended with “Simply Liv” but I truly believe that simplifying your life has even more benefits for the people around you and I try to keep that as my motivation for each decision I make.
How would you like to be remembered?
I hope to be remembered as someone who put thought into every aspect of my life, be it the way I dress, the way I decorate my house, the way I raise my daughters, or the things I say to strangers. I want to be someone who acts out of love and exhibits that in my everyday interaction.
We are inspired by Olivia’s intentional approach in her everyday and are proud to have her as Fieldtesters, a group of inspiring individuals that test MATTER products in their everyday journeys of passion, to help us improve durability and design. Olivia is using the Leharia Charcoal Pouch.