When I was younger my philosophy for consuming goods was, the more the merrier. At my ripe age of 22, that notion has been thrown out the window. The thought of having so many items in my possession is exhausting and I'm comfortable with only having the basics, plus a little more to suit my wants. Not to mention we are in the middle of an uncertain global recession.
Tip: Having this mindset saves you a lot of money!
Nonetheless, I am a sucker for a good ad! Thankfully I am more conscious of what ads I fall victim to and read the fine print more carefully. As I get smarter I realize that when a company sells a consumer product, it almost never comes as marketed. That's the power of psychology. There's always a catch.
I also hate generalization, but I'm not ashamed to say that Americans as a collective have a problem with overconsuming. Modern technology and ingenuity does a stellar job of capturing our attention with one phenomenon and then on to the next in what seems like no time. I think this is why I feel like my life has been so long. I've experienced so many trends and phases, especially because of the advent and growing popularity of social media.
Fast Fashion* is an example of instant gratification that has marketing gurus working overtime as well as taking a firm grip on the psyches of American consumers. Retailers like Shein, H&M, and my personal favorite, Zara, operate on business models that rotate entire inventories on sometimes a bi-weekly basis. But even though it may be saving you money (not really if you're shopping every week) it most definitely isn't saving the earth. A lot of those retailers named above, plus more, will dispose of any surplus in their inventory which leads to an increase in emissions into the atmosphere. It's the same thing that happens when you donate clothes to the Goodwill. I stopped donating to the Goodwill after I found out that a lot of their donations end up in a landfill because they can't sell as fast as they take in. This has in part to do with the business model of fast fashion. In short, new clothes are readily available to consumers, so they throw their not-so-old ones away or donate them to collection centers like the Goodwill. And the Goodwill will turn around and send them to the landfill.
In shorter, stop by your local waste collection facility the next time you want to refresh your wardrobe.
While 99% of advertising involves psychology and trying to influence you into buying something you probably don't need, the other 1% is up to you. As a consumer, you need to make sure that you are properly analyzing whether or not you need what is being presented to you. I even, still, will fold if I see an ad for something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy, especially if it's something I've been wanting for a while. And while Zara is a personal favorite of mine, I'm not sifting through their stores every week to replace my wardrobe.
I'm feeling aliterate today, so instead of succumbing to fast fashion, I implore you to start practicing consumer consciousness. Trust me when I tell you it not only will it save you money over time, but you will feel freedom like you've never felt before.
*Fast Fashion: an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers (Merriam-Webster)
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