Meet Jazmine Rogers, Sustainable Fashion It Girl & Creator of #ReWearThat
Green Bustier Top - Swayed Stature , Flower Pants - Zig Zag Goods, Multicolor rainbow earrings - Cled, & Orange Flip Flops - Jazmine's own
Fashion over the years has evolved multiple times. From practical garments for everyday usage, to socio-political outfits that forced women and femme to dress a certain way before blossoming into more expressive beings to what we all know today. Of course, the production also has changed as well, from very custom made clothing pre-industrial revolution to fast fashion due to colonization and now in the past 20+ years or so, sustainable fashion has made its debut into an everyday buzzword.
Sustainable fashion doesn’t mean the same for everyone. Eco-friendly fashion and lifestyle content creator and YouTuber, Jazmine Rogers (she/her), walks us through how sustainable fashion doesn’t need to be granola or expensive. In fact, it can be colorful and secondhand, allowing us to express exactly what we want to.
The 25-year old currently lives in San Diego, California where she shares with us very fun and joyful videos whether it’s in a vlog for YouTube or a short form TikTok with some singing and dancing.
For Jazmine, she grew up in a low income community. And with that she felt there were a lot of inherently sustainable practices that she adopted, both culturally and not being able to have finances to buy anything. From DIY projects to wearing pieces over and over, it sparked Jazmine’s creativity and excitement for fashion. “When I got older I really wanted to start the next Forever 21 because in my mind that was what fashion was,” said Jazmine. “It wasn’t until I went into college that I joined an anti-human trafficking group and they taught me about labor trafficking and how the fast fashion industry was a huge part of that.”
When she was in college, she took an Ecology and Conservation course where she fell in love with the environment for the first time and on a more academic level. She was able to process and learn about ecosystems and how we are all involved with one another and connected. That’s when it all clicked for her. “If I want to be part of the fashion industry, I want to be part of changing what that means and how it’s connected to both the planet and people,” she said.
Orange Bustier Top - Swayed Stature, White Painted Jeans - Stephanie Libanati, & Necklace /earrings- Cled
Now if you take a quick look at Jazmine’s Instagram page you will see it filled with amazing, colorful Y2K fashion styles and some outfit repeating (*cough* not that it matters). That is where the idea of #ReWearThat started. “I started the hashtag last year, out of frustration just seeing the stigma around influencers having to wear new things all the time. Therefore putting pressure on other people to do the same.”
The exact stigma she talks about is that in order to be fashionable you need to buy or wear the next new thing. She even saw this type of pressure in the sustainable fashion space.
“The basis of sustainable fashion is loving what you have and the hashtag in itself is not to say that I am perfect, but I think it creates a safe space for those that do wear the same shirt three days in a row, because that’s what you’re supposed to do with clothing.”
Jazmine wants us to not see clothes as disposable, but seeing it as a part of who we are and treating it with more respect. It’s about investing in pieces that will last a long time and that you can wear over and over again. The hashtag not only helps Jazmine slow down her consumption more, but encourages others to repeat outfits in their closets.
Gold Knit Top - Sabby Lou Knit, Painted Leather Mini Skirt - Zig Zag Goods , Socks - Brother Vellies, Purple Flower Earrings - Mindflowers c/o Shop Myrgle, & Shoes - Teva (Jazmine's own).
Thrifting and secondhand fashion has been a huge point of interest in Jazmine’s content, she has been all about her #Rewearthat hashtag, but also she looks to break the connotation of getting rid of fast fashion clothes in order to be sustainable. Because in the end you don’t need to buy sustainable clothing in order to be part of the movement.
“Recently, I really have been into my sheer puff sleeve top,” said Jazmine. “I’ve been wearing that a lot on and off camera, also a one-shoulder number that’s really fun.”
Both of these pieces she mentioned are from fast fashion brands that she has thrifted and wants to share with people so that you can give fast fashion brands a new home rather than discarding them. “There is a sense of elitism within fashion, where you have to know the designers, who the vintage labels are or what year they are made.” But what attracted Jazmine to this industry are the colors, the fit and how it makes her feel, and how you don’t need to know everything to engage with it.
As for new sustainable pieces, a few of Jazmine’s favorite brands are Back Beat Co., LACAUSA and Tradlands. She can also be seen wearing another of her favorite independent designers, Zig Zag Goods, in this digital cover photoshoot.
Blue Knit Top/Shorts - Bailey Prado , Sunglasses - Zig Zag Goods, Earrings/Necklace /Bracelet - Cled, Blue and Pink Bangles - Zig Zag Goods
When she is not advocating for the people and the planet, she disconnects by indoor gardening and learning more about her plants as well as cuddling with her cat. “I also love simulation games like Sims and Animal Crossing,” said Jazmine.”There is no crisis happening to Sims.”
Of course, books and podcasts are a big part of how we learn more about the eco-space, one book Jazmine recommends that she just got her hands on is All We Can Save edited by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson. Another favorite book is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which both happens to be a SUSTAIN team book favorite of the year. She also recommends the health and wellness podcast called Sea Moss Girlies by Kate Galvan and Emma Frances.
So when Jazmine is not creating eccentric content and playing Sims or Animal Crossing, she wants to be sure to have a safe space for those who may be figuring out their own sustainable fashion journey, and to know that it’s okay to not do things perfectly since we are all learning.
Check Out Jazmine’s Other Recommendations: Intersectional Environmentalist (see our previous cover with them on SUSTAIN here).
A few local spots in San Diego she shops at is Shop Howdy Angel, Shop Good and Earthwell Refill.
Back Beat Co.: 15% off with code jazmine15
LACAUSA: 20% off with code Jazmine20
Tradlands: 15% off with code THATCURLYTOP15