Vanguard: Shopping

Shopping is something that is obviously related to the overall vision of Vanguard (articles of clothing have to come from somewhere) but so far has not been brought up. This is because fashion battles the issue of promoting unsustainable consumerism. Obviously this then also creates a battle for a blog promoting individual expression through the use of fashion. We do try to assist the lifestyle that many intelligent and socially responsible citizens are actively pursuing. Much of the street fashion shown on Vanguard is purchased second hand; this makes it not only sustainable but also affordable. Much of the runway wear is constructed to last more than one lifetime, requiring clothing to be purchased less often, and thus also being sustainable in certain viewpoints. However, the everyday person probably doesn’t have time to rummage through Goodwill and may not have the money to invest in something off the runway. This leaves them in the large world of unsustainable consumers. Although environmentally smart clothing is being designed more and more every day it is still only a small fraction of the retail environment.

Vanguard recognizes the importance of responsible consumption, and plans to integrate socially conscious fashion where applicable, but must make the exploration of expression for every man our primary mission. Thus, online shopping recommendations will be integrated into Vanguard but we encourage readers to consume wisely.

Our first recommendation would be the well-known New York boutique, Oak. Although most of the prices may be a bit steep for people living outside inflated urban centers and although their most recent collection doesn’t seem to quite live up to the cutting-edge reputation Oak has created for themselves, it is still an excellent source to find unique and expressive items. Meanwhile, their frequently updated and stylish website makes their product easily accessible to anyone.

The following is Vanguard’s recommendations for Oak’s current online merchandise: