Like nearly every person on the planet recently, I have watched the Marie Kondo series on Netflix, Tidying up. I think it’s important to add that I haven’t read the books, so my understanding of her methods are move of a gist of it. I am going to be honest with you and say I actually enjoyed watching Consumed more. Anyway, somewhere between watching those two shows I started to look at my wardrobe more and started to think about what was sparking joy for me and what wasn’t. I did not take all my clothes and put them in one massive pile in a room. Even typing that makes me feel sick, there is no way I would be able to actually do that, it would end in one way, me unable to fit in the room having a panic attack.
What I ended up with was firstly, that I have to much in my wardrobe. When I look at it I don't feel joy, I feel stressed and overwhelmed. The most enlightening realisation I had was how much of a sentimental attachment I have to my clothes. I keep everything, like literally everything and that is why my wardrobe(s) are bursting at the seams. One of the reasons for this is I have a fear of getting rid of something and regretting it, as weird as it sounds I still regularly think about clothing I have lost, rip blondie jacket and Alexander Mcqueen singlet that got left on the bus. I also look at an item of clothing and remember doing a thing wearing it or spending time with a person and I hold that memory in that item of clothing. I don't know why realising I felt that way made me feel able to start getting rid of things. I looked at clothing and thought about whether I truly loved it or loved the memory associated with it, because if it is just the memory I still have that without the item of clothing. I made an instagram which you can check out here if you are interested in any of my second hand wares:
https://www.instagram.com/hbhbcloset/?hl=en
It's a slow process but it has been really quite refreshing and I must say it makes me super chuffed when someone else gets excited to find a treasure amongst my wardrobe to add to their own.
One of the things that I think is really disappointing about the hype of Marie Kondo, and I have said the hype because I think that this is people misconstruing the message, is people chucking away lots of stuff. Bags of clothes being dumped at second hand stores till they have to refuse to take anymore and worse still things being thrown directly into landfill.
It has made me think a bit more about fast fashion, "inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.". I think people are very quick to blame the fashion industry and perhaps should be taking a little more accountability as consumers. Go out and buy some fabric, sit down at a sewing machine and make a t.shirt and then try to work out how that could possibly be selling for $5. It doesn't add up and it doesn't make a lot of sense and this is where fast fashion is now at, out of control and unethical. I am not going to explore the ethical side of this here because I think it is a big topic and one that I don't feel I am educated enough on to provide a comprehensive enough opinion on - not to say I don't have an opinion on it. I don't know if this is where fast fashion started but this is where my knowledge of it began. Topshop. I am pretty sure there was a situation where Topshop brought out a copy of Balenciaga jacket and hand it in store before Balenciaga. Back then that seemed mind blown but as technology has progresses this has become the norm and Topshop has become an expensive fast fashion brand in the grand scheme.
Copying designers is not a new thing, this has been done in the fashion industry for as long as it has existed. Pre internet in its current state, buyers would head off overseas on buyers trip looking for things to buy, sketch, take photos of to bring home as inspiration. So obviously this was a much slower process than is today, there was actually seasons of fashion rather than what it is now, almost weekly new trends. Things tended to be more inspired by rather than direct copies. Fast forward to now everything is online, we can see designer shows virtually as they are happening. Mere moments after a fashion show has taken place we can view ever little detail of every garment and every accessory. Which means production of fast fashion copies can start instantly.
I think a lot if people have got this mind set where they think things should be sold for the exact make cost, but this make cost they are imagining is maybeeeee the cost of the fabric? Surely that is the only way you can rationalise a $5 t.shirt. I find it strange that a lot of people seem to feel like they don't need to pay for the design element. That innovation and creativity is seen as something with no value. I think that sometimes when we buy fast fashion that is such an obvious copy that is the clear message we are sending.
So where am I going with this. Am I committing to 100 percent never buying fast fashion? No I am not quite there yet but rather that I want to start being more thoughtful in my purchases. I have actually set my self a limit of how many non-essential items I am allowed to buy this year. It's kind of a fun challenge. I'll want to get something and rather than just heading to the shops I will try and scout it out second hand. It almost makes it feel more like a treasure when you do find it and sometimes you have to wait because no one is selling it at that moment so it challenges whether or not you actually really want something. When it comes to fashion purchases, if you are dressing in a way that is your style rather than a trend you will find your pieces are going to last because they don't "go out of fashion". Now is the time to be buying second hand because everyone is getting rid of all their things that no longer spark joy and there is copious amounts of second hand joy to be found.
Sorry If I have rambled and not really got to a point, I haven't slept well in well over a year haha. Let me know if there is anything you want to see me write about xxx
Baby Don't Cry back pack - Harajuku
Egg Circle Skirt - Lazy Oaf
Mint Croc Stan Smiths - Adidas (purchased in New York)
Ice Cream Socks - Modcloth
