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Lately, I’ve been trying to reconcile my love for fashion and my cynicism around overconsumption culture & its negative implications and detriments to our plant. I made a commitment to myself to drastically decrease how much I buy, and I ask myself these questions whenever I feel the urge to buy purchase items that are not considered needs: What void am I trying to fill? Is it a lack of purpose, a weak sense of identity? What about this item do I like and is there longevity in its qualities or is it fleeting? Is this just a short term dopamine hit? How can I be creative with what I currently have? Will I love this a year from now? How is this trend connected to our culture at large and am I just a victim to a broader marketing campaign?! Another thing I have found helpful is to gather my favorite pieces that I currently have, and think of what specifically I like about them and why I wear certain pieces so often: Comfortable to the touch, practicality, versatility with my everyday lifestyle, unique silhouettes and texture, and neutral colors Keeping these things in mind really help me to make more informed purchasing decisions. Some books I’m currently reading that relates to this topic are: Deluxe by Dana Thomas The Day the World Stops Shopping by J.B MacKinnon
Feb 13, 2024

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In the years of 2020-2023, I was in my early 20s and very much in between aesthetics. I hated the clothes I wore, and was looking for new ways to express myself through my fashion. With the seemingly never slowing down trend cycle that was going at the speed of light at that time, and my tiny paychecks, I basically solely relied on Shein to allow me some freedom and creativity with my style. For a few years, I was stuck in the repeated cycle of ordering 50+ cheap items, and then donating 10-20 of them within the same year, and repeating that again when I would get bored of what I had. I would go thrifting too to try and "balance out" my fast fashion endeavors, but would end up buying more things that I hated by the time I got home. I could not figure out how to make any of these items work with my wardrobe, regardless if they were new or used. This reckless consumerism taught me absolutely nothing about my sense of style. I had to figure out the hard way that style is not something you acquire overnight, and that you cannot always rely on trends to find items you will like for a lifetime. Fast fashion has done nothing but taught us to cycle through clothing at a rate where no one can keep up, and has left many of us in a place where we are only satisfied with how we dress for no longer than a few months at a time. Discovering your personal style is one of the things that should take time. I'm 25 now, and I find it very important to source good quality items that I know will be a staple in my wardrobe for a long long time. I've decided that if I want to buy new clothing, I will get most of my new clothes from thrift/vintage shops and boutiques (online or in person). I haven't completely shuttered out fast fashion, though. I only buy items that I am able to try on in person to make sure it is made with good material (aka: the plain $10 Walmart zip-up hoodies that feel like butter). By embracing a slower approach to finding my personal style, I've found quite a few key items that I really love to wear over the past two years, and in turn I have greatly reduced the amount of clothing that gets donated. I am still learning how to accessorize, and am trying my best to utilize as much of my existing closet as possible. It is a journey! I can't wait to see where my more sustainable approach to a style journey brings me! QUALITY > QUANTITY
Feb 12, 2025
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All of these points fall into the same category- it’s almost second nature to buy as a result of consumerism without recognizing the greater consequence. There is so much more reward when buying clothes with intention. 👎🏽 Following micro-trends. Get your own style. 👎🏽 Synthetic Fibers and poisonous dyes. Always good to check the tag first. 👎🏽 Ripping off small designers. self explanatory.
Jan 23, 2025
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I have thought about this at length, I fear. I want to look and feel at ease in my clothes and I shop for clothing very intentionally. For me the rules of outfits are: - No single-designer looks - Steam/press rarely - No logos (sneakers are the exception) - Always wear at least 1 garment with visible wear or damage - Get dressed intentionally every day - It does not matter how conventionally flattering the look is. I care only about how it makes me feel in my body - Never clean Ur (my) shoes except to keep leather in condition I shop almost exclusively second hand and in person—I only buy if I would be heartbroken to come back for a garment to find it had passed me by forever. Most pieces I see are effectively one-offs because I treat them this way. I am attracted to Japanese workwear silhouettes, modular garments, and drama. “My” colour is the shade precisely between yellow and orange. All my jewelry is gifted. I aim to keep garments until the end of their lives.
May 5, 2024

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It seems like it’s become such a cultural norm at this point, especially amongst my generation, to tout the benefits of therapy. “They need to go to therapy” “I‘m going to therapy” “Go to therapy” While I’m a strong proponent of destigmatizing mental illness and getting the help we need, there’s been questions on this topic I’ve been mulling over the past couple weeks: How do therapists know when a client is just telling their skewed side of the story? What if they have a client who is manipulative and always paints themselves as the victim? How does a therapist see through that? And if they don’t, then wouldn’t that be enabling unhealthy behavioral patterns? I’m reminded of a story from my childhood, when my brother went to therapy and my mom had to be there with him for some reason, and she would end up dominating the conversation with the therapist and painting herself as the victim and he would leave the session defeated. Every time he would recount these stories to me, I would think to myself, why did the therapist not facilitate this better? I guess we all talk about going to therapy, but no one talks about what makes a good therapist, about how to find a competent therapist that fits your needs, and about being radically honest with yourself about the kind of help you really need. Anyway - if anyone reading this is a therapist or mental health professional who can answer my questions above, I would greatly appreciate it🎀
Feb 14, 2024
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