Edited by: Tara Doraiswamy
Shopping is about imagining yourself in all these cool, interesting, Pinterest-girl outfits as you look
through the various colours and styles of clothes. Pairing cute tops with pretty earrings and a mix of
tiny necklaces to add distinction to a look. Picking juxtaposing pants and matching shoes for a
cohesive outfit. Creating prospective ensembles for different days of the week with comfort as well
as creativity in mind. Mood boards and color swatches would be made on Pinterest with all the
dozen inspirations. It is almost a culmination of the imaginative aesthetic you think you have or at
least thrive to embody.
This is all done through hours of mindless scrolling through different e-commerce websites, apps or
even Instagram shops. Lounging on a couch at home or taking a break between tasks in a workplace,
you tap a heart to wishlist and deliberate upon the items before adding them to the cart. . However,
the journey from wishlist to cart, and further, to actually purchasing, is a long yet ardent one. It
requires pondering over many important considerations. Will the item work cohesively in your
wardrobe? Can it be paired with several items? Will the material be durable and long lasting? Is the
price worth the product? If not, should you wait for a sale to come along, or maybe even a bigger
sale to reduce prices further? And if you do wait, will your size run out, only for you to longingly visit
the item till it restocks?
This long deliberation is followed by days filled with yearning and erraticism as your fingers
constantly hover over the status of your arriving package, from order processing, dispatch and
shipping. A final hurdle must also be crossed in terms of sizing. Does the product fit perfectly? Most
probably not – it almost always requires alteraitons and if it’s irredeemable, it must be returned.
Furthermore, there are always the physical shops, where there is no wait time or fervent looks at the
shipping tracker. Instead, you give your senses a field trip as they wander through the different
aisles. . However, the collection may be limited, or your size may not be available. Of course, there is
the compulsion to be outside of the comfort of your home which may not be fun always. Finally, the
question of whether the clothes and accessories you buy fit your aesthetic, either imagined or
present, still remains.
Buying new things can also be frustrating. It reveals a more materialistic alter ego of you which the
environmental- friendly, tote-bag carrying, plant loving side disdains. It is a reminder that the cheap,
pocket-friendly, trendy tops will probably end up in a landfill with little chance of degradation as its
polyester essence copes in all weathers. How the origins of the clothing can be traced back to
underpaid workers of a young age. However, this is by no means to point blame at the consumer for
the practices of large corporations. On the other hand, buying from small businesses and ethically
run businesses feels more fulfilling but can be quite expensive. This leaves room for more justified
shopping- taking each purchase very seriously and cherishing each item, or r simply revamping old
items with customized embroidery by yours truly!