I’ve reached a point in my life where IDGAF about fashion or trends. It also helps that I am located in a place where people generally, as a collective, don’t give a F about fashion. Practical clothes for survival and comfort is the fashion in a small town. It is not to say I am not concerned with style, but the concern is more along the lines of is it useful, is it well made, and is it clean. The actual style is not giving a shit, DIY, and punk rock. I base my clothing style on whatever I can get for free, from thrift, or trash – with the thought of a dystopian (utopian?) future of no new products available. Fashion these days is so beyond post modern that as long as stuff is cohesive (at least matching) and fits (for the most part) it can be considered a style.
With more options to work from home, utility and comfort have become a priority in a new wardrobe. This opens the doors for more free fashion. Free Swag from a sponsor, a corp, an organization or even a dump might be OK to wear around a home office, but might not be OK at a worksite, in the service industry or a downtown office. There are still many people bound by work dress codes. The free options are still there for work with dress codes though. There are still new items thrown out every day in the name of fashion. Things that are work wear, dress wear and jaunty hats. Things that you find when you keep your eyes open and know what you want. Go to a thrift shop in a rich part of town with bad taste and trend followers. They are usually the ones who buy shit and toss it on the next trend. Find the shit that is timeless or find ugly clothes that are suited to you alone.
Some of the most practical, well made stuff that I have found has been from thrift stores in good neighbourhoods. With growing suburban sprawl, new neighbourhoods are springing up by dumps. If there are McMansions nearby, there will be plenty of waste! Stay away from soon to be gentrified areas. They are picked over.
Fashion people always talk about having an anchor piece (I read it somewhere). Maybe that special item is bought (as merch, supporting an artist?) or it is an item that was thrown out – then found and fixed. Discards of any sort can either BE your own unique fashion centre piece or can be complimentary to your “statement” item. Sometimes that t-shirt that says “guns don’t kill people, I kill people” or “FBI – Federal Bootie Inspector” can be found discarded for some reason and then reused with a nice Gucci vest for night out on the town. It could be argued that none of this shit should have been made in the first place…but it is out there to be worn!
Rant Warning and the Point to a Fluffy Fashion Piece
Either way, Do what is comfortable for you with a realistic view of the damage each bit of consumption is to your own personal health. Sooth your climate related guilt by creating a points system counter to our monetary system.
The equation being :
Environment – AmountConsumption = LevelofHealthEnvironment.
LevelofHealthEnvironment is approximately equal to HealthofYouandMe.
Gamify the system. Give yourself some credits or points for getting shit for free, for not consuming.
Things that add value to your HealthPoints are:
+ FreeShitValue = points to relieve your Climate Guilt. Also…
+ BoughtLocal
+MadeBuiltDIY
Things that take away value from HealthPoints are
-BoughtFromAmazon
-BoughtFromApple
-anything shipped and not particularly useful
On the other hand forgive yourself some vices, but be aware of the consequence of those vices.
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