Movie recommendation: Confessions of a Shopaholic

In the sea of Temu and Shein fast fashion, pile after pile are being demolished and trashed out at the landfills. Donated clothes and brand news are also residents of the Wasteland. These are caused by the overconsumption of our generation and how we exploit the word “sustainability”. 

As a fashion enthusiast, it is completely normal to participate in trends as it lies in your human nature to be relevant. To fit in. Understanding the struggle of those who may not have the capacity to partake but, what if you do? What if you have the power? What is the danger behind having that power over something? 

Although allegedly a shopaholic, I’ve always wanted to talk about the importance of budgeting, especially during our tax cut season when job axing is happening every other day, meaning (not jinxing) the next person might be you. Here at Nexus, I (as in we who make bad financial decisions) will teach you how to purchase less in case that happens. 

Serious environmental issues

You may have noticed a major change in the air this year compared to last year when autumn’s supposed to be autumn, not an extended summertime sadness (not that I’m complaining about the delay in my scheduled seasonal depression so I could commit a little to my retail therapy). According to an analysis by Business Insider, fashion production dries up water resources and contributes as a pollutant. THAT means not only the wasted clothes but also the selected ones play a role in water pollution in one way or another. And when you ask what its connection to global warming is, the answer is that by producing more clothes, the fashion industry is actively participating in carbon emissions which are reported to comprise 10% of the total global. 

But I’m thrifting!

Sorry to break it to you, but people are lying. They say thrifting is ethically purchasing clothes without participating in the mass production of fashion companies. WRONG. Donated clothes are often sectioned into profitable or go-to-waste. So you might want to check with your local op shop to see if they want to take your excess clothes or not. Moreover, overconsumption at the op shop not only causes a lack of resources from those who rely on it but also increases the inflation in the thrifting scene. Therefore, prices at second-hand shops and boutiques are nearly the same. So why fuss over prioritising high-quality second-hand clothing when its price matches brand-new items? 

A DILEMMA: Do you buy new clothes to retain their sustainability and novelty but contribute to mass production or buy secondhand clothes to be sustainable and mass production conscious but commit to the same cause – environmental pollution?   

The answer is… none of those! See? It is sooooo easy to stop doing something! Just overthink it!

JUST PLAYING (but not really) 

As social media users, we are under the influence of small little trends that influencers and influential people participate in. It is silly because most of these trends are repetitive, but every time it comes back, there’s a different word, categorising it to enhance the value of the items. Crazy how everyone was running to buy a soccer shirt or an oversized baseball jersey just because something called Blokecore was trending. Tie a bow on it and suddenly it’s Blokequette (blokecore and coquette). We are willing to buy clothes that will never be worn in a real-life setting just to film a cute little #ootd #fyp.

Practising buying less is embracing intentional doings. It is a profound mindset of quality over quantity with mindful consumption over impulsive purchases. To buy less means to use less. There have been multiple influencers and users who partake in de-influencing others. Minimal consumption leads to the building foundation of personal style and uniqueness. Imagine having a default outfit, a single item that says “Oh it’s them”. Those pieces refer not only to your fashion style but also to your personality and character. Many have done this with makeup, hair, or fashion. I, myself, have a favourite pair of pants that has become my character’s daily wear. The art of buying less pushes you to be more creative to participate in trends, using what you already have to create something new and exciting.

What do we do now:
Decluttering your closet (hard)

It is time to serve cvnt and put on that shirt you shoved in the corner. I used to do this every summer when I had to fly home. But you can do it during the break. Play some phonk music in the background, then go for it. Try on piece by piece or create an outfit with them. Section them into 3 different piles depending on how often you wear them (can do more if you want to lol):

  • Daily Wear (every 1-4 days) 
  • Occasional Wear (pieces that are reserved exclusively for events or those that only got a few wears before) 
  • Never Wear (have never been put on your body except for try-ons)

You can section ‘Occasional Wear’ into wear-again or not-my-thing. Those that aren’t your cup of tea and ‘Never Wear’ deserve to be loved….by another person. I suggest having a nice group of friends come over to trade clothes before giving up selling or donating. 

Repurpose/DIY old clothes (medium)

Many DIY trends on TikTok by creatives amazed me by how practical they were when I tried them myself. @itsjakeflemme has a video on how he would try different ways to style a boring button-up shirt, and @lilrotini buttoned the two shirts into a cvnty maxi skirt (they ate I fear). 

Or do you own a sewing machine? @transformationbytracy does and she often posts her project online. My favourite one is where she changed a scarf into a prom dress (had me gagged when I saw the result ngl). You can alter your clothes by cropping, or cutting the neckline for an off-shoulder lewk (these tasks only require scissors anyway). Allow your creativity to explore and experiment with different techniques and creations (but don’t ruin everything in your closet tho).

Before buying new clothes (easy)
  1. Rationalise how much you want it and let that sink in (please Nexus put a sink and a door here)
  2. Create a Pinterest (optional) Board 
  3. Scout for the common item and the overall vibe you WILL wear 
  4. Write it down from most desired to least wanted (or screw it and stop at step 2) 
At the store (easy)
  1. REMOVE YOUR APPLE PAY/ECARD
  2. REMOVE YOUR APPLE PAY/ECARD
  3. REMOVE YOUR APPLE PAY/ECARD
  4. Take a deep breath and dig into it 
  5. Touch the material to feel the quality 
  6. Search for errors (in case you’re at an op shop)
  7. Hold onto the item for AT LEAST 15 minutes if you want it
  8. Still want it but have more than 2 on hand? Choose one. 
  9. Cave in and pay using your CARD 
  10.  Go straight home if you have acquired your desired item.
Anyway, at the end of the day, who am I to say anything when I’m also just a girl <3.