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I did a shoot yesterday with a make-up artist who I’ve never worked with before. She was top notch, and we had a lot in common, and we spent ages talking. She remarked that I seem to know a lot of stuff. I do know a lot of stuff.

One of my old housemates (who I hate, because she’s a dumb bitch who owes me money) was an idiot vegetarian. I say idiot vegetarian not because I think vegetarianism is idiotic, but she would bang on about animal welfare, and how disgusting we all were, and how Eva Longoria wore a fur coat and she hates her now, and I’d ask her about animal by-products, such as the leather boots she owned. She said that’s ok, because other people eat beef. Yeah, I replied, but you don’t. You may not advocate meat eating but benefiting from their hides when other people are eating meat makes no sense at all. Also she’d bang on about lots of other shit which I never listened to her about, but also she’d make some comments about cotton and why couldn’t everyone just wear it and it didn’t hurt anyone. That’s even more bullshit.

I also wonder about brands who hand out cotton tote bags willy nilly. Plastic isn’t great for the environment, but nor are these bags. There is no accountability to how they are made. No-one seems to know how bad the cotton industry actually is for our environment. I’m the worse person to try sell stuff too, because I question everything. And when I question things, people, especially brands don’t seem to have answers.

The humble cotton t-shirt is cheap and plentiful. You can pick them up for very cheap, or for a hefty price (because it says Supreme on it). But these big brands – do they know/or care where their raw material is coming from and the conditions caused by manufacture or production

I’ve met quite a few two people t-shirt outfits before usually two guy friends with one really handsome one and the best friend who is usually my cup of tea (I like ‘em insecure). Valley Clothing is the first t-shirt brand I’ve seen who uses water based inks for screenprints, which I was quite interested in. Somerset based duo Elliot and Dryden produce a limited edition run of 30 t-shirts of each of their designs, which are certified by The Carbon Trust and audited by Fair Wear Foundation – it has been tested for harmful substances and has been awarded the Confidence in Textiles seal, and they design all their artwork themselves. Pretty impressive for a pair of 20 year olds.

I also really like their model. He has a tattoo of my band name also. 

And being an ex psychology student/lazy stylist – this Rorschach t-shirt ticks all my boxes. My daily uniform doesn’t fall far from the t-shirt and jeans tree.  I’ve stopped buying into cheap, disposable fashion, preferring independent designers and vintage.  Science of Style indeed.

You can read more about Valley Clothing in their interview with The Creative Book .