Fashion, Beauty, Needs & Capitalism

-

 



Sunflower has put up a series of blog posts about fashion and beauty. Each one suggests that fashion is a medium of expression that affects our daily lives. But that wasn't always the case. We've never heard about the fashion trends in the Copper Age. Regardless, a cover of clothes and adorning ourselves with jewels was a practice that dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. Clothing & Accessories have always been a thing. They were a communicator of wealth and prosperity ( and still continue to be ), whereas now they are an outlet for creativity. 

However, what worries me is the current position of fashion in society. From being inspirational & exciting, the fashion world has become dark and scary. The "influencer" wave and the environmental impact bother me the most. That will be the main topic of discussion this Wednesday. 

It is not unknown that the fashion industry is generously adding to the degradation of the environment. Every t-shirt costs the earth gallons of water. The word "sustainable" is used without reason. I've often seen these so-called sustainable clothing items list polyester as one of the fabrics used. Brands that claim to be eco-friendly aren't keeping their promises. Reports even suggest that the climate change disaster can be controlled if brands begin the end of wasteful practices. 

Then comes the villain into the picture, Capitalism. Capitalism started with the advent of industries. A decrease in the efficiency of factories leads to a loss for businesses. So any effort towards sustainability by them seems impossible at present. The runways showcase, brands produce. When they sell, we purchase. It's a vicious cycle, and we fall for it every time. New trends, new styles and pressure to keep up. It becomes toxic at this point. 

Say YSL comes up with satin pants. As soon as it reaches a retail brand, this news is converted into products. Suddenly, a large variety of satin pants will be seen on every rack. The next day, you'll see everyone wearing them. Now, GUCCI thinks black and orange make a fun combination. And the cycle continues. 

Businesses continue to serve and trap customers with newer collections. We get bored a little too quickly. "Bhaiya isme dusra colour hain?". However, we are not the only ones to blame. 

The influencer culture profoundly shapes fashion. Fashion was never meant to fill up closets. For me, it always served a purpose. A simple white tee styled uniquely was much more fun than styling 20 t-shirts with 15 other trousers. Fashion went from being about creativity to hoarding clothes. Today boots are excellent, tomorrow ballerinas will be. And if these influencers don't keep up with it, they're considered boring. 

It's not about a walk-in closet. It's about having minimal items and using them in unimaginable ways. Re-think. 

I do not mean to say that trends shouldn't be followed. Trends bring out hidden gems from history and inspire the future. But there are chicer ways to make fashion a part of your life. Let it serve its functions along with making you feel your best self. We want you to realize, through this blog, that fashion doesn't have to be toxic. It can be a creative outlet, a lively space, and kinder to the environment. 

Our choices matter 

We simply cannot control the large multi-millionaire companies. We cannot change the entire culture of social media. What we can possibly do, is choose. Choose between shopping at fast fashion stores and thrift stores. Choose between polyester and hemp. Choose to hoard or consider our choices. We are listing some things you can do to improve the condition of your closer below. 

1. Needs: 

Every time I make a purchase, I think it through. Every centimetre of material I buy contributes to climate change. I urge my friends and ask them if they "reallllyyyyy" need it. While retail therapy brings joy, it doesn't last too long. Soon a happy shopping spree turns hazardous to earth. The need of the hour is to reflect on our priorities. 
The self-quarantine times have taught us this lesson well. Adequate food, comfortable shelter, and a healthy family became of utmost importance. Therefore, the impulsively bought green leather skirt can be termed unnecessary. 
Look into your life, and decide what you need. What's the use of swimwear in Alaska? Check out this blog to decode your personal style.

2) Upcycling :

You might have heard about made to measure clothes. Such pieces are the unstitched fabric that can be made according to your sizing and preferences. They are product specific. For example, the dress fabrics have a dress outline. However, you can play with the sleeves, length, shape etc. 
We can apply a similar principle to our existing closet. Let me explain with an example. Say you have a large number of skirts. Take them to boutiques or designers and create new items from them. This supplements your closet without creating much waste. 
Some might argue that it's cheaper to buy a new product. That brings me to my next point. 

3) Locals: 

When you move to local creators, you see more favourable prices. Several Instagram stores provide quality service for minimum fees. 
They are sustainable, affordable, and better the economy of the country. All it takes is a little research and a lot of patience. We shall be listing your suggestions, but for now, here's our favourite: @hulya_india. Whether it's your local tailor or a neighbour's small business, it's a step towards change. 

4) Thrifting: 

This is undoubtedly a terrific practice, one of my favourites. Thrifting shouldn't be frowned upon.  It's similar to borrowing clothes from your sister. Only the entire society becomes sisters :). Thrifting is the exchange of pre-owned clothes. Some are pre-loved, while some are untouched (if you're fortunate). I glorify it because it's the solution to all forms of wasteful fashion. 
  • It acts as a sustainable form of Retail Therapy.
  • Thrifting is better than dumping. 
  • You get access to unique & antique pieces. 
  • The earth is healthier, and you're happier! 
Here are some stores we love : 


Let's take a pledge to be fashionably eco-friendly! Consumerism shall come to an end <3 

Check out similar blogs : 

It's Gifting Season! Have you read this blog yet? 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Marks

-
Image
  Bad Morning. It’s time to dress up. Drag yourself to the bathroom. Wear that hideous and ill-fitting uniform. Pack your bag. Head out with Ma. It’s result day. Every atom of your body is nervous. Your mind is only revolving around the worst-case scenarios. “Did I perform well enough in History?” “What if I fail, and Neha passes? Or worse- she is the topper and I missed it by a mark?” “Why can’t my papers just disappear?”   Hello, and welcome to the nightmare of every Indian teenager ever! That was my situation on Saturday. Result Days are always nerve-racking experiences. It’s the same kind of anxiety you get on the day of the exam, except that this one has wilder fantasies. Why is that so? Because marks are a dominating factor in an Indian’s lifetime. The numbers determine your future. Your value is lies within those numbers.  Now, when you look at it from an Indian Aunty’s perspective, this system sounds quite fair. The able ones go ahead, get what they deserve, beca...
Click to continue

Bharatanatyam

-
Image
  Photo Credits There are many forms of art. Like drawing, painting, dancing, and many more. Talking about dancing, which also has many types, the one I most enjoy is Bharatanatyam. I began Bharatnatyam almost 5 years ago. When I started It was a brand new concept to me. I was really eager to learn it all and get it right. I love to attend dance classes. Even during the pandemic the dance academy, I have joined, is taking classes online. I once asked 2 or 3 schoolmates if they danced or not, 1 of them did but she told me she got bored after six months. There I was thinking about how could a person get bored of such a beautiful dance form. I mean everyone has their opinions, I agree, but I always used to question that. Anyway, the first 2-3 years of Bharatnatyam are spent learning the basic steps which are going to help build the steps for the dance items we learn (I don't know if this is true for all dance academies but this is how I am learning). Then after that, we learn the basi...
Click to continue

Ethnic Wear Part 2 (Desi Girl Era)

-
Image
The college season has officially settled in. We’re also expecting festivities to begin later next month. Thus, I thought this would be the perfect time to upload a part 2 to the desi wear blog . Furthermore, I absolutely love making these collections! This time, we’ll take a step ahead by applying the pieces we learned about previously to daily life. The last blog was concentrated on Indian wear. Now, we’re stepping into indo-western ideas. This involves mixing up closet basics with Indian wear. We would love to inspire college ootds, a date outfit or even a party look with the following suggestions. 1. White – Tee Obsessions: My white T-shirt is the most worn article in my closet. I could survive on nearly every occasion with a white T-shirt. For the outfits below, I have paired them with a comfortable pair of Indian pyjamas. They are breathable and easy-breezy. This particular pair of bottoms has been stolen from a kurta set. A pretty embroidered bag, a pair of kol...
Click to continue