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13 Jan

How to Get the ‘Little Women’ Look, Sustainably

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If you haven’t seen Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of “Little Women” yet, we highly recommend you do, and fast! Not only does the movie feature our very own supporter (and girl crush), Emma Watson (playing Meg), it also talks about a very important topic: female empowerment. Centuries have passed since Louisa May Alcott’s book was first published, yet the topic of feminism is still very relevant today—especially in the fashion industry.

 

 

So, to celebrate the movie being out in cinemas worldwide, and because we absolutely fell in love with the costumes, we compiled this sweet and ethical guide to ‘Little Women’ inspired fashion.

Les Récupérables

Rated: Good

Kape My Lord – Ships internationally

Les Récupérables is a young responsible fashion brand, made in France. The driving force behind the business is not creating new waste, but rather reusing what has already been produced. Channel your inner Aunt March with this timeless cape.

See the rating.

Shop Les Récupérables.

Amour Vert

Rated: Good

Nisha Silk Blouse – Ships internationally

The Nisha Blouse is perfect to get the 19th century America look, but with a modern twist. Amour Vert creates beautiful more sustainable staples in San Francisco, California. Its final stage of production is done in the US and it works closely with suppliers in its whole supply chain. The brand also uses only responsible materials and promotes a zero-waste strategy!

See the rating.

Shop Amour Vert.

Mother of Pearl

Rated: Good
woman wearing pink mother of pearl dress

Olivia Dress – Ships internationally

Mother of Pearl is a more sustainable and ethical luxury womenswear and accessories designer brand from the UK that celebrates individuality and authenticity. The brand uses a high proportion of more responsible materials including organic cotton and ensures the payment of a living wage across some of its supply chain.

Find most products in UK sizes 6-16.

See the rating.

Shop Mother of Pearl.

Shop Mother of Pearl @ Rêve en Vert.

Shop Mother of Pearl Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Christy Dawn

Rated: Great

The Laurel Skirt – Ships internationally

Christy Dawn is a minimalist showroom for vintage-inspired women’s clothing and footwear, locally made with surplus fabric. The brand rates ‘Great’, making this skirt a fabulous prairie option for your wardrobe. Find the clothes in standard sizes XS-XL, or shop the Extended and Petite collections.

See the rating.

Shop Christy Dawn.

Maggie Marilyn

Rated: Good

Here To Stay Coat – Ships internationally

Need-to-know designer Maggie Marilyn’s clothes are defined by her strong sense of luxury and fresh point of view. Inspired to create collections that are more sustainable as well as beautiful, the New Zealand-based label utilizes organic cottons and ethically produced silks to craft effortlessly glamorous designs. Snuggly and oversized, the Here to Stay coat will be great for those cold 19th century nights.

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Shop Maggie Marilyn @ Farfetch.

Shop Maggie Marilyn Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Maggie Marilyn.

Mara Hoffman

Rated: Good

Edmonia Dress – Ships internationally

With a focus on mindful and conscious practices, Mara Hoffman uses lower-impact materials and has a gorgeous extended sizes collection, so you can be sure to find a new wardrobe addition no matter the bod you rock! The high neck is a classic feature of the prairie look, and we just love it.

See the rating.

Shop Mara Hoffman @ Reve en Vert.

Shop Mara Hoffman @ Farfetch.

Shop Mara Hoffman Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Mara Hoffman.

Kalaurie

Rated: Good

Widow Ruffle Shirt – Ships internationally

This Melbourne brand makes capsule collections, with an emphasis on signature shirt tailoring. There are so many reasons to love Kalaurie, one being this modern ruffle shirt, the other being its strong sustainability credentials, meaning we rated it ‘Great’.

See the rating.

Shop Kalaurie.

NAE

Rated: Good

Victorian Boots – Ships internationally

You do need a good pair of boots to wander around in the prairie, and these are your best bet! NAE is a Portuguese footwear brand using innovative materials to create shoes with “No Animal Exploitation”. Their lower-impact shoe materials include recycled PET from bottles, OEKO-TEX® certified microfibres, recycled car tyres, natural cork, recycled thermoplastic and even pineapple leaf fibre!

See the rating.

Shop NAE.

Shop NAE @ Staiy.

Shop NAE @ Urbankissed.

Spell

Rated: Good

Zoe Gown – Ships internationally

Spell is a modern-bohemian fashion brand inspired by far-off places, vintage treasures and childhood memories, which is exactly what you need to look like the cast of Little Women.

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Shop Spell.

All The Wild Roses

Rated: Good

Mia Cotton Reversible Top – Ships internationally

All the Wild Roses offers bohemian fashion for the dreamers and change makers. The brand uses up to 50% deadstock fabric to create high quality and long-lasting products, such as this breezy reversible top. Find most items in sizes XS to 2 XL.

See the rating.

Shop All the Wild Roses.

Will’s Vegan Store

Rated: Good

Smart Chelsea Boots – Ships internationally

We thought we’d give another boot option for when you want to step up your prairie game. Will’s Vegan Store produces animal and human-friendly women’s and men’s footwear at affordable prices.

See the rating.

Shop Will’s Vegan Store.

Shop Will’s Vegan Store @ Immaculate Vegan.

Vintage

Gucci Pre-Owned Cropped Velvet Jacket – Shipping from Japan

We’ve shown you some of our favourite brands and new items to wear to achieve the Little Women look, but of course the best and most sustainable way to do it is to use what you already have in your wardrobe (or in your family or friends’ wardrobes).

We also recommend buying secondhand, either from your local vintage and charity shops (we love supporting local businesses) or from apps and websites, like Depop or Farfetch, who now has a “Pre-Owned” section, where you can find some amazing designer pieces in mint condition!

Editor's note

feature image via Mara Hoffman, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.

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