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| Wearing: Rainbow white tee and poofy hip pants Laceup boots from Underground Atlanta Cardigan from H&M (Suzhou) Shawl/scarf vintage, found in attic. |
Reading this Asian Cajuns post didn't help me want to gush about my clothes either. Boo! I hate it when the reality of a favorite indulgence confronts me. Lar basically points out the ugly truth I always know but never really think about when it comes to trendy cheap clothing stores like Forever 21 and H&M and probably my beloved ghettofabulous Rainbow, too. That for me to get that brief satisfaction of scoring a sequined top for $7, someone on the other end is sacrificing in some way. I like the way Lar puts it when she says, "at the back of my mind I did have that niggly sensation (aka guilty conscience) because I knew if I was buying a necklace for £1, someone on the other end wasn’t making very much money." I know exactly the sensation she means.
But what's an impoverished clothes-addict to do? Lar suggests shopping in thrift stores, but sometiems you just need your quick fix of a fleeting trend (you know, to set off all the frumpy oversized thriftstore garments you wear during the week). What do you think, my lovely fashionable ones?
12 comments:
such a fun look, love your braids :)
natalie
http://lucyandtherunaways.blogspot.com
I think it's just as easy to frequent resale places like Buffalo Exchange, Plato's Closet, etc if you have them. They're still cheap and it's still reuse and you're giving something that's not being worn a second chance. And you can find fitted stuff in thrift stores at times, especially if you don't expect to walk out with something every time you go. And there's always tailors.
I think, eventually, it comes down to what value is most important to you. I ended up having to "retrain" my brain to not shop as much and to pry myself away from instant gratification -- and I am by no means perfect in this area. Those are just my thought processes around ethical buying.
Good luck!
Hmm. Well. This does make you think, doesn't it? I agree that thrifting is a better option (and more unique with the choices) but how are you to know that some kid in China didn't make your thrift purchase for $0.20 an hour too?
Somebody probably DIDN'T make much money creating your poof-hip pants (which are fabulous btw) but you could always research the manufacturing standards of the cheap brands you like to buy. I doubt that every single one of them is unethical. Cheap on the salary, sure, but probably not all unethically so.
We can always vote with our pocketbooks, but there are far too many fans of places like F21 in America who don't give two shits who made their clothes to really turn around a company's business practice through boycott. I think it would be more effective for there to be strict regulation for work standards in factories used by American companies (and obviously companies in other countries too). Basically there needs to be a standard in poorer countries whose economies rely on manufacturing, set by their governments and the governments of countries they import to: if you don't employ ethical work standards, we don't want to do business with you.
Also don't you love when you post something like this, and get those thoughtful "nice outfit" comments?
You always bring a breath of fresh air to my life. I wish you posted more often, my gorgeous friend.
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looove this outfit, loooks so comfy but no conventional or boring at all!!!
These pictures are so cute! Especially the last one :)
I guess at the moment, being so broke, the decision on ethical shopping is being made for me ;) I'm not buying much at all! Although the last few items of clothing I have bought have been thrifted, I identify with you. In order to thrift well, you need time - which is a luxury for me, at the moment.
p.s. Thank you so much for all your sweet comments on blog - it means a lot to know someone likes what I post :D
mmm I think is good to don't get suck into the fashion bullshit of consumerism. I think is nothing wrong with buying a few bits from cheap places like f21 or primark but I think is better to support new designers for example and pay more money. We need to start to invest more in creativity and quality rather than quantity cheap fashion :)
I like your smile.
soooo pretty<3
You look soo cute dear!
Someone said this above me, but yeah- places like Plato's Closet are good- where they have more trendy pieces that might fit in a more modern way, but are still second-hand.
BUT, I once read that a lot of designers look to thrift stores for inspiration (perhaps one reason 90s silhouettes have been so predominant on the runway), so maybe frumpy thrift store items are really SO fashion-forward and trendy that people don't even realize they're trendy yet! ...right? haha, not sure, but regardless, something to think about.
I agree with Victoria! And i´d add shopping in vintage stores clothes that have history!
Love your scarf!
xxoo
MY LITTLE SUEDE SHOES
Katie, thanks so much for posting about my muddled posts!
I totally salute you for thinking about it because you know I know the pain/annoyance of having to think about all of this stuff when you really just want to pick up something cute and sparkly on the spur of the moment. It has been hard and I've slipped up a few times.
Saying all of that, I know that some people have told me banning stores like F21 and Primark isn't the best route because you don't want people to be out of a job. And that is true, at least there are jobs available. But it still seems incredibly wrong that a job that works you 80+ hours a week won't pay you enough to live on.
I did a bit more research into Primark specifically because their website says they have made efforts to make working conditions better and are sure that none of their factories employ children. It's true they have stopped employing children, but they haven't increased working wages since 2009, and the same workers still live in horrible conditions. By shopping at places that pay their workers a living wage and buying much less from our cheapie sources must send some message, right? Still in a muddle as you see!
I do think shopping second-hand and shopping less is the way to go as a temporary stop gap to the fast fashion epidemic. Of course a lot of second-hand stuff has been made in sweat shops too, but at least it's a step in the right direction of not adding to more stuff and newer trends faster and faster.
Sheesh! Sorry to leave such a long-winded comment, Katie! I just want to say: thank you for taking up this issue too! It inspires me to continue to think about this stuff even when I want to just run out and get something cute and sparkly.
When you visit me in Edinburgh we'll go thrifting together ;)
xoxox,
Lar
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