This Reformation dress is on fire! I literally do not want to take it off. Ever. But let’s take a few steps back.
I’ve been eyeing the ethical and sustainability-focused brand Reformation for a few years. Their designs are swoon-worthy (you’ve probably pinned a dress or two from them on Pinterest!) And although their designs are classic and super flattering, I wouldn’t be doing them justice if I didn’t mention just how much care, research and thought is put into ensuring they are a “do good” fashion company. Reformation sources their materials in thoughtful ways. Be it repurposing vintage and deadstock fabrics or manufacturing their own eucalyptus woven Tencel. They also use something called the RefScale to measure the environmental impact of each garment. Do you know how wasteful cotton production is? It’s a water-guzzler! And we are living in a time when we should be seriously considering the consequences of water shortages.
All of the garment manufacturing is done in California in a green-focused factory. And Reformation pays competitively and even offers health benefit plans to their workers. How many clothing manufacturers can boast that? (I’m looking at you, Burberry, Banana Republic, ZARA, H&M, LOFT, Club Monaco, Mango, GAP etc. etc. etc.) Putting a spotlight on mistreatment and even death of garment factory workers is something that needs to be done. Therefore, ensuring that the humans behind the label are treated well should be a top priority for everyone. With the rise of #fashionrevolutionweek, there’s no excuse to pretend like human abuse doesn’t happen in the fashion industry. It runs rampant.
So, you’ve made up your mind that there’s something wrong with the fast-fashion industry? Great! Now, where do you start? Well, the good news is that there are so many up-and-coming sustainable and ethically-made fashion brands! Reformation is one of my favourites because of their beautiful designs. Girlfriend Collective, Leave Nothing But Footprints, and Matt & Nat also hold a special place in my wardrobe. And don’t get me wrong! I don’t own a 100% sustainable, ethical wardrobe either! I have many pieces from ZARA, JCrew and Club Monaco in my closet. But my goal is to greatly reduce or eliminate them gradually. I’m approaching my new wardrobe the same way I did cruelty-free & vegan beauty products: piece by piece and with purpose.
My Reformation order arrived in time for spring. The Adele dress and other items in my order fit true to size and were not over-sized like some of the American brands I’ve purchased from in the past. I wear a size small in their tops and this dress is also a size small. Of course, the lovely thing about wrap dresses is that they are so forgiving! There is no true waist-width on dresses designed like this. So if you are curvey, or perhaps trying to look even curvier, a wrap-dress is your new best friend. I own a few already and knew what to expect as soon as I slipped it on. Yep. True perfection! Psst: watch Reformation unboxing and try-on video on YouTube!
With the cherry blossoms in bloom at High Park, it was the perfect day for a stroll in this breezy dress. A side note: the skirt is double-lined, so it’s not see-through at all. But I always wear an additional slip-skirt under dresses like this. I’ve had a few Marilyn Monroe moments in skirts like this, so I don’t take any chances. 🤦♀️ Plus, a slip skirt offers the same benefits of a full slip dress, with less fabric up top. No clinging fabric here. 💃
According to the RefScale on Reformation website, the beautiful Adele dress released 40 pounds of carbon dioxide during manufacturing, compared to the industry standard of 48 pounds. It also saved 3 gallons of water and 1.3 pounds of waste. Reformation also tries to offset carbon emissions by investing in forest planting, water cleaning, and landfill gas offsets. They are fully transparent from start to finish. You can read all about their sustainbility report and what they are doing to make an industry difference on their website.
Sadly, the fabric option that I purchased my Adele dress in is currently sold out! It does come in other fabric options. Also, Reformation does occasionally bring back customer favourites. So if it’s also your dream dress, be sure to sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock.