I’ve been going through a bit of a crisis recently regarding clothes, fashion and materialism. Since middle school, I’ve been extremely conscious of my outfit and style choices, though they’ve definitely changed a lot over the years. The Fall Out Boy graphic tees, Doctor Who necklaces and neon green Converse of sixth grade have given way to baby tees, lockets and black Old Skool Vans. But as I’ve learned more about the terrors of the fast fashion industry and the detrimental effect it has on the environment, garment workers and self-image, I’ve had to reconsider everything I used to care about the most. When I used to go to the mall, looking at clothes and trying them on brought me immense amounts of joy. Expanding my wardrobe was genuinely one of my top priorities. I always wanted to have more options for my outfits and more ways to experiment with styles. Even now, I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with that. Fashion is still an art and a way to express your personal style. I always feel more put together and confident when I’m wearing an outfit I like, and I don’t think that will ever change. Caring so much about clothes only becomes an issue when you judge others based on what they wear, or feel worse about yourself just because you don’t have as many clothes as others do.
Fashion has become a huge part of forming group identity. People often end up associating with and befriending people who dress the same just because we tend to assume that style equals personality. Stereotyping people based on their style is so easy and normalized nowadays. There’s the art hoes, with their yellow Fjällräven Kånken backpacks and denim jackets. The Instagram baddies have Fashion Nova jeans and bodycon dresses. E-girls and their Unif crop tops and platform boots. It’s natural to find yourself falling into one of these categories, because everyone has a style they prefer. But, it feels so superficial, putting people into boxes just because of what they put on their bodies. When you start assuming people have certain personalities or interests based on their style, you start discarding everything else that makes up a person. Not everyone who has a Kånken is a soft and gentle painter! There are more important things in life than clothing. It’s okay to care about your appearance and to feel pride in your outfits, but it’s not okay to think that fashion is all that matters.
I’m definitely guilty of judging people’s outfits, but I’m trying my best to stop. If you care about clothes, great! If you don’t, also great! It is so shallow to view people as better or worse if all you’re looking at is how they dress. At the end of the day, clothes are just clothes. Fashion trends come and go, but some things never change. These things―passions, dreams, pet peeves―are what really define a person.