This blog is mainly informative, but this week, I want to share my opinion. The truth is that I am working on a series of informative articles on the different materials used to produce clothing and the ultimate goal is to determine which material is the best from a sustainable development point of view. Yup. It’s a big job that will last several weeks. I may not publish every week for this reason. Believe me, it’ll be worth it!
So back to my opinion of the week. Many people who know me well, when I went to study fashion, asked why I was interested in such a superficial and even harmful field. It is true that a part of fashion, I would say the first degree of fashion, is very superficial. “I follow fashion to look good.” Yet, fashion hides something deeper. You have probably heard “I like fashion because it allows me to express myself.” If a person’s outfit allows them to express themselves, what can we learn from our society through the current fashion?
Fashion as a sociological tool
What has always fascinated me about fashion is how closely it relates to History and traditions. When you read a book on the History of fashion, you always learn about the way of life of people, the different social classes, the religious and spiritual beliefs, the modes of seduction, the environmental and military climate in which the society evolves etc.
For example, the religious beliefs of the Egyptians of ancient Egypt, according to which it was necessary to preserve the body of the dead so that he could reach paradise, led to the development of perfume and made Egypt one of the greatest exporters of perfumes from the ancient world. In the Middle Ages, the costume became more and more colorful after the big international fairs that allowed dyes to be exanged. In the seventeenth century, scientists study medicine and discover the blood circulation, corsets then become less tight. Before the French revolution, the members of the court were competing with decorations, to show their social status. Then, one no longer wanted to be associated with royalty, so the fashion followed a naturalist current.
Each of these examples allows us to realize that fashion is more than a common way of dressing, it is modulated by the different doctrines that regulate society, and understanding fashion makes it possible to understand how a given society works.
Fashion and social distinction
There are many examples that show that fashion is intrinsically linked to ideologies. Even in the more recent past, the punk, yuppi, preppy, hippie, disco, grunge waves, and so on, were all related to both common ideologies and a particular style that allowed everyone to recognize each other.
From ancient Egypt, clothes allowed people to display the social class to which they belong. Often, fashionable clothing and accessories for high society are cumbersome and restrictive. For example, during the Rococo period, synonymous with the extreme opulence of the royal court, women wore huge baskets under their petticoats, which did not allow them to move easily. During the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution, it was well seen to be pale, because a dark complexion meant that we spent a lot of time in the fields and we were a countryman. Nowadays, the working class works inside and the rich have time to get a tan, so it is better to have a darker complexion.
Thus, fashion is a way to recognize our fellow men from both an ideological and a social point of view.
What fast fashion says about our society
Since the 2000s, it has been difficult to determine a general trend in fashion. Indeed, there is a new trend every month or so. What is the new color? What is the new pants? I NEED this new piece from Topshop! This fast fashion is created by fashion companies who want to sell as many products as possible, throughout the year. We can blame them, and stop thinking here. However, I think it’s important to ask why fast fashion companies are doing so well.
I think our society is trying to eradicate social classes. We all want to be equal. Fast fashion, because it is sold at a ridiculous price, allows to “democratize fashion”. It’s good. We can no longer differentiate the rich from the poor, because everyone dresses the same. I agree that fashion should not be used to separate individuals according to their social class.
The main problem is that we do not want to be all equal at the level of the peasant. We all want to be equal at the level of Bella and Gigi and the other Instagram sensations of the moment (who’s the IT girl now?). These people change outfit two to three times a day, and almost never wear the same one in public. Thanks to the fast and cheap fashion, we all feel that our wardrobe is packed and we could, too, neverwear the same dress to two distinct events (god forbid we should look poor!). After all, why buy a $ 40 jersey t-shirt when I could have 4 for the same price? And anyway, is there really a difference? (SPOILER ALERT: YES)
The other problem is that this “democratic fashion” is not for everyone. To produce these clothes at the lowest possible price, while maintaining a profit margin of up to 5 times the price of the cost, fast fashion companies are “forced” to work with subcontractors from less fortunate countries. These countries can offer inexpensive production, as they do not have laws governing the safety and security of workplaces, the minimum wage of workers, and the chemicals used in production and released into wastewater. Thus, the fast fashion, in addition to not being accessible for the people who produce it, has a harmful impact on the health and the quality of life of the inhabitants where it is produced.
What the success of fast fashion says about our society, therefore, is that we want to abolish social classes, but we do not want to feel like part of a low society! Not only that, but we do not care much about other human beings who might suffer from our behavior, as long as we can wear the latest trendy color and at the very least not look like we live in Bangladesh!
*Inhale Exhale*
I honestly wanted to finish my article like that, to finish with a thought-provoking impact. Afterwards, I thought that maybe it was a little too moralistic and not at all constructive, so there is a continuation.
Ok, but I have no money and I still have to get dressed, so what do I do?
The good news is that we could also be the generation that had the environment and ethics at heart to recognize our bad habits and fix them. When you do not have a lot of money, but you do not want to go to the nudist camp on Highway 20, you have several options.
Buy less. It seems so simple, and it is so simple! The most difficult thing is to change your behavior and stop thinking that you have nothing to wear while you have a full wardrobe. I like to spend a few moments once in a while to look at each piece I own. I often find something I forgot I had in my own selection!
Buy in thrift stores. When I go to Renaissance, I often go out with a pair of shoes, a skirt, pants, two tops and two jackets for about $ 50. The good side of a trend that comes back every 3 years is that there is a lot of chances to find items trendy enough, even if we are theoretically in an old stock store.
Buy your basics from sustainable fashion producers. Some companies, like Everlane, aim to produce clothing ethically and environmentally responsible, while having affordable prices. It’s possible! These clothes will last longer than their quick version, and as they are basics, they will not go out of style, so it will be worthwhile to spend a little more!
Make swap parties. Each invited person does a wardrobe cleaning and brings the pieces that he/she wants to get rid of, but which are still in good condition. The rest is in your hands, but the most common way to do the actual exchange is that if several people want the same piece, they must all try it and the one who wears it best wins! This is decided by the public, obviously, and if that is not democratic fashion, I do not know what is!
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