Sustainable Shorts That Actually Fit

The sun has finally been making an appearance in the UK and it has been great! Across the country people stare into the sky at disbelief, the tube becomes as hot as the centre of the earth*, Mr Blue Sky is on repeat (in my house at least) and, for the first time in what seems like decades, actual summer clothes are worn. It’s all so exciting.

Just in time for our undoubtedly short-lived summer, I’ve gotten my hands on my first ever pair of organic cotton shorts. I don’t own many shorts because not only do I live on a rainy, cold island, my proportions are pretty weird too. I’m very short with a small waist and wider hips, finding shorts that fit my waist, bum and thighs whilst being a good length is basically impossible. So much so, in fact, that this is the first pair of shorts I’ve added to my wardrobe in over three years.

Now this isn’t a bad thing, I’m glad to have a small selection (I have three pairs) of really durable shorts that I love; they’re all made from upcycled denim which has made them really good investments, but it’s nice to find something made of cotton to cool me down too. These shorts are made by Enchanted Rebels, an ethical and sustainable brand with a small collection of summer pieces made from GOTS organic cotton, manufactured in a fairwear factory in India and hand-printed with eco-friendly dyes. And they actually fit me.

Enchanted Rebels was started by a mother and daughter duo who love fashion and decided to quit the rat race. Inspired by everyday women, Enchanted Rebels catches the essence of music festivals and packages it in sustainable clothing and cute prints that makes you want to have fun, because that’s what life is for. Whilst still small, Enchanted Rebels have big dreams when it comes to sustainability. In the future they’d like to manufacture with fabrics made from recycled materials, as well as looking into zero waste design, and different upcycling options. To put it in their terms ‘all of our garments will be jazzy little numbers that you want to show off to your mates, whilst knowing that they have minimal impact on the environment and the people that made them’.

Enchanted Rebels are also serious about giving back, with £1 from every garment in their organic collection being donated to their Lend With Care account, which is used to fund budding entrepreneurs in developing countries.

I paired my shorts with the organic Tokyo tank from Les Sublimes on a particularly hot Sunday, and boy was it a good choice to crack them out, they kept me cool all day. Aesthetically I really like this pattern, it’s fun without being over the top and can easily be paired with any basic tee/tank, or with a matching top from Enchanted Rebels if you so please. These shorts also sit a little high waisted, so you could easily tuck in a tee and add some heels to take it from day to night with minimal effort. They’re versatile, well designed and cute to look at, without bringing harm to workers or the environment in the process.

And they even still fit when I’m sitting down!

You can see more of Enchanted Rebels organic collection here.

Until next time, stay magic y’all.

*The tube doesn’t actually get as hot as the Earth’s molten core. But it is SO HOT.

Photos by Gianna Scavo