How to be a hot sexy vegan - a guide to cool vegan fashion

As a proud vegan who is usually spotted rocking skin tight vinyl and 6 inch pleather heels, Leah Ludlow is on a mission to turn being animal-friendly into a cool as well as compassionate stance.

1. Decide your personal style, then make it vegan

Too many people automatically think that by being vegan they are limiting what they wear. This shouldn't be the case. Whatever you're into, you should stay true to personal style, and work being vegan into it.

2. Don't assume wearing vegan clothing is going to be a chore

When I started out, I spent so much time thinking what I couldn't have, I forgot about all the cool stuff I could still wear. Denim hotpants? Lace minidress? Comfy cardie? As long as there's no fur, leather, wool, silk, or angora (rabbit fur) it's all good!

3. Try cheaper shops

Don't grimace. We're not about being label snobs on here after all, are we? Many cheap shops are cheaper precisely because they don't use animal products. Leather is frequently substituted for PU, wool for acrylic, and satin for silk, so chances are you can go to your favourite bargain hunting base and still buy what you like.

4. Accessorise creatively

Being animal products, feathers and pearls are also off the menu. But with so many fake feathers and pearls available, if you see something you like, try re-creating it using the ethical alternatives.

5. Shop alternative

Alternative shops are great for leather alternatives. Don't be put off by 'fetish wear' stores; lots of them have vinyl, PVC and pleather trousers that look great and are a good substitute for real leather. (Also, most of these type of stores stock plus-size in said garments.)

6. Not sure if they really are vegan shoes/clothing? Always read the label

Don't discard something before you've checked the label. I recently nearly missed some gorgeous fake leather boots because I thought they were real - but now I have a great pair of boots and got a bargain, too!

7. Pleather? Man-made? Know what the terms are

If you're shopping for vegan boots, shoes or fashion, look for descriptions like 'faux' (as in 'faux suede, faux fur'), pleather and man-made - this means they've got the animal look without animals being involved.

8. Don't be afraid to tell people you're (and your outfit is) vegan

Firstly, you should be proud to be making a compassionate ethical stance. Secondly, when people realise you can look so good whilst rocking some ethics, they will instantly be impressed. I've lost count of the number of people who have reconsidered their view of vegans when they've appreciated my outfit then found out that it's animal friendly!

If you have a personal style and want to go fully vegan (in what you wear as well as what you eat), give it a go. I bet your style will adapt to it just fine.

Vegan shoes, boots and fashion online

• Vegetarian Shoes UK - big vegan selection including fake Doc Martens (UK)
• FunkeFeet - Vegan shoes marked with cow symbol for easy identification. Creepers, Mary Janes, chunky platform boots - they've got it! (US)
• Beyond Skin - Designer vegan shoes (UK)
• Bourgeois Boheme - Vegan fashion, including shoes, handbags and jewellery (UK)
• Honesty Cosmeticas - Vegan makeup, hair colour, toothpaste and more (UK)
• Good Goth vegan goth fashion - yep. Vegan goth. (US)
• Ethical Wares - Vegan shoes, plus fair trade clothes and hemp products (UK)
• Freerangers vegan shoes (UK)
• My Vegan Shoes - fashionable vegan boots and shoes (UK)
• Alloy - good selection of non-leather shoes recommended by PETA (US)
• Chadwicks - Cool boots and shoes in man-made leather (US)
• Chinese Laundry - vegan section for gorgeous shoes (US)
• Crystalyn Kae - vegan handbags and belts (US)
• Delia's - Good selection of nonleather shoes (US)
• Dimarzio - Non-leather guitar straps (US)
• Alternative Outfitters - Vegan boutique (US)
• Moo Shoes - Expensive but rocking vegan boots and shoes. Do a lovely 14 eye fake DM. (US)
• Pennangalan - Alternative/goth footwear. Check, as they do leather too.
• Vixens and Angels - small but classy and cheap vegan shoes section (US)

Vegan online (general)

• Vegan Store - Huge choice of vegan products on offer (UK)
• Animal Aid - Vegan products from boots and shoes to booze and books (UK)

More Vegan and Vegetarian Health on Mookychick

More alternative style tips

• More: Alternative style | Health and beauty tips

Mission statement

Mookychick believes that climbing trees and riding giant turtles is more fun and girly than worrying about make-up. But if you want to worry about make-up instead of turtles? Fine by us. Be you feminist, kitten, punk, emo, indie, goth, witch, vegan, horror junky, intellectual, christian goth, corset queen, geek, unicorn, sea monkey... be you into alternative style, alternative health, spirituality, comics, manga, j-pop, harajuku or jock culture... we will always love you.