At first, I found the whole burning-our-own-home down to the ground thing too terrifying to approach full-on. I began blogging about sustainable style in about 2016. I describe sustainable style as my gateway drug to what is happening to the environment and what we're doing to the climate. I learned about sustainability in the fashion world, and how it ties in a myriad ways with sustainability in general. As I learned more and was able to hold a dialogue with my scientist sister, an effluvial geomorphologist, and other climate activists, I began to make more sustainable changes in my life—I experienced how none of the changes were particularly hard and all of them increased the quality of my life. Making conscious choices imbued my daily tasks with grace and have helped me take a deeper pleasure in living.

We think living more sustainably will mean living more sparingly, but in fact we might learn to live more expansively. My last flight was in 2013. I decided to formally make a pledge not to fly, and I've renewed that pledge every year since 2020. And again, just as with every sustainable action I’ve ever taken, I was rewarded: this summer we took our EV in one charge there and back from Philly to Cape May where we spotted an entire small pod of dolphins. Unlike flying, it was the smoothest, easiest trip. As you can see from my profile picture above, snapped minutes after I spotted the dolphins at sunset slicing through the darkening waves, it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

I think Paris is a state of mind that you can access anywhere in the world anyway: Treating yourself to flowers, eating a nice meal, having that cup of cocoa, reading a real physical book, taking the time to put on something simple but pretty that makes you feel good, looking like you’re not wearing much makeup (but really you got lash extensions. French girls are tricky that way 💁🏻‍♀️).

Isabella can be found on IG @IsabellaDavidVintage and Twitter @IsabellaMDavid.