CAN YOUR OUTFIT CHANGE THE WORLD?

Not all activism starts with fundraising or marching. You can begin in small ways, like with your clothes.

Beginning with her story about making a prom dress from her math homework and then donating her prom-dress funds to charity (not as original as it sounds, as a simple Google search reveals), white author Paisley leads teens toward an activist approach to their clothing. Starting with the how and the who of clothing manufacturing, she asks readers to think about the impact of the clothes they wear on the environment and on the people who make them under exhausting conditions. Ethical clothing brands and stores are highlighted, with a Canadian slant. (Both author and publisher are Canadian.) After discussions of methods to reduce, reuse, and recycle, the latter third of the book focuses on the bigger picture, such as understanding messages in fashion and providing examples of how teens can speak out. Peppered with photos and “pop quiz” sidebars to inspire further thought, this slim volume gallops through fashion activism. Discussion of diversity and gender roles in fashion is a welcome inclusion in addition to this book’s solid information. Unfortunately, the glossy slickness of the presentation might keep this book out of the hands of those who might be interested.

A good introduction to issues within the fashion industry, but activist readers might need some encouragement to pick it up.