By: Tehila Soleimani
As people we are naturally inclined to wanting to be included. FOMO is something that has always existed. So it’s no surprise that influencing has become such a lucrative business.But social media has warped our perception in many ways. One such perception, and perhaps the worst idea that has been fed to us through social media is the perception of consumption. How much stuff we need, and how quickly we have to have it, and this leads to a great amount of overspending, and over consumption that isn’t healthy for our wallets, lives, or the environment.
Of course pre-social media there were trends that people bought into, but never to the extent that we have reached today. Seeing 20 people show you their expensive hundreds of dollar hauls from Shein and H&M, can be damaging to the perception of the average person, and make us want to buy into these trends so we can feel included. Today, not only have we lost the plot on how much to buy, but also who we are as individuals.
When a trend first pop’s up on social media, our immediate reaction might be to look up the cost of the item, or even add immediately to cart. Instead, we should be analyzing what we already have, and what is missing from our wardrobe before we purchase. Diana May (@ladydianamay) speaks about the concept of wardrobe gaps. What essential items from your wardrobe are you missing? These essentials don’t need to be “basic items”, but rather what fits into your wardrobe and personal style. If you wear a lot of color, then maybe a plain white button up doesn’t fit into your style, whereas a button up that matches what you already own will serve you much better.
But what if you’re not sure what your style is? You like different aesthetics and vibes depending on the day? This is okay! The best thing you can do to develop your personal style is to take a break from shopping, and create outfits with items you already have in your closet.
Figuring out what you wear all the time, will help you in two ways: the first, is to serve as cleanse for your closet. You might realize after doing a no-buy that there are certain pieces you are always wearing, and that you no longer want to wear the shirt from freshman year that you’ve been holding onto. The second way this may help is by putting time between yourself and the trend. After a week or two you may realize that you no longer want the item you thought was a necessity the week before, or even find a piece you already have, that fits into the trend just as well.
When you have a closet of pieces you love and actually wear, your confidence will skyrocket, and you will find that it is much easier to decide what to wear day to day. Most times being early to a trend doesn’t lead to a cohesive wardrobe, but to a donations bag next season.
Comments