Online, it seems like everyone has made the same promise. We’re trading SHEIN for Goodwill, shopping sustainably secondhand, and swearing off the fast fashion brands that are constantly pushing out microtrends at alarming speeds. Sustainability is in, overconsumption is out.
Except for that new cut of linen pants, or that pair of flats you so desperately need and keep re-pinning on Pinterest. You tell yourself you’ll just find it at a thrift store, just like last month’s “must-have” item, but at what point is your closet going to tap out? The truth is that fast fashion didn’t disappear — it only rebranded.
a new era of fast fashion
Many consumers are very aware of the unethical labor practices and environmental harm that the cycle of fast fashion holds, but they’re still consuming at rapidly growing levels, myself included. Hauls and impulse purchases have rebranded to “thrift flips” and “sustainable finds,” softening the idea of shopping addictions by slapping a secondhand label on them.
Short-form content has also played a huge role in this contradiction. Different trends cycle through faster than before, with constant exposure changing even what was once just a vintage jacket into content and a symbol of individuality. This is great until our identity becomes tied to our consumption.
Making the thrifting movement even more complicated is understanding how sustainability isn’t purely about what and where you buy, but realizing why and how often should also be a part of the equation. A closet overflowing with second-hand clothes is still a closet overflowing.
combatting consumption
If fast fashion is truly out, what about our relationship with consumption itself? I’ve been assessing this in my own life recently and practicing different skills to combat it. As the registered thrifter of the friend group, it’s harder than you think, but learning to repeat an outfit without apology and choosing intention over impulse is the first step.
Many people are saying how “no-buy” goals are the way to fix it, but that’s just replacing one extreme trend with another. I’m not saying to never buy a new clothing item again, but limiting what you buy or even selling your own clothes could give your closet a little breathing space. Let some fresh air flow between those dresses hanging up. They could use it!
The most irreversible effect of overconsumption (beyond damage to our environment, of course) is the loss of time. When you walk into a thrift store, you see a physical representation of people’s time being discarded. You spent your time earning the money to buy the items that you proceeded to get rid of. While money will always come back, your time won’t.
When my mind starts drifting off to the thrift store before my hands can even grab my keys, I like to think about what I really need. Am I just bored and replacing my time with thrifting? Am I searching for a light-blue striped button-down just because it’s all over my Pinterest right now? The answer to that is yes, in case anyone is wondering, and I found it.
Ironing out the details of what I’m looking for before I go has been game changer in curating my own style. Obviously, I love Pinterest, but making sure you’re not a direct copy and your style reflects you will bring more longevity to the items in your closet.
By staring into my closet with no room to see what’s there, I’m learning that intentional shopping might be the most radical (and hardest) trend of them all. Someone please delete my Depop account!
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