Reframing Fast Fashion Guilt
How to make use of the feeling.
While writing about fashion and how it can be highly problematic, I've learned that people tend to respond emotionally when they learn about the issues. Some get motivated to make a change, wondering how to change their habits immediately. Others get angry and defensive about ethical consumption and being part of a system. Most, however, tend to let this new information sit on their shoulders, weighing heavily as they think about all the clothes they have in their closet (and the ones they will inevitably continue to buy).
Often the sentiment is something like this: "My outfit is from [insert brand], and I know it's bad, but it's not like I shop there a ton." Then it happens again because the next shopping/dressing occasion pops up, and the shame rears its calculated little head. I grew up Catholic, I know a classic case of guilt when I see it, and that's precisely what is happening here: fast fashion guilt.
If this resonates with you, it might be valuable to reframe the feeling so you can change your relationship with the clothes you have now and the ones you'll get in the future. Recognizing the impact of individual purchases is undoubtedly essential, but moralizing every past purchase will not do anything if the guilt doesn't lead to future action (which it so often does not), then what is the point)? We all have fast fashion in our closets, and absolving yourself by saying you know it's bad isn't helping anyone. However, here are some things that do help.
#1. Recognize that fast fashion is a problem that was created by corporations.
The cycle is perpetuated because the brands are going to do what makes them money. They won't change until they are made to, and so that means speaking up about it and supporting unions and legislation that seeks to regulate it.
#2. Wear the fast fashion that is already in your closet.
Don’t let your fast fashion guilt lead you to hesitate about wearing what you already have. You already have it, so just wear it proudly, because someone made that garment. It's more than just the $10 thing in your closet, so respect the people who created your clothes by making sure that garment is loved.
#3. Stop being so rigid when you shop.
New fast fashion isn't the only affordable and quick choice - secondhand clothing is so massive right now that you can find the same prices on several websites. When you need a new outfit , and you want to buy something, don't be so rigid in your search. If you are looking for an exact style, you won't find it secondhand or with an ethical brand. You will find it on Shein. But, for example, if you need a black skirt, look at some outside inspiration to see how you can interpret that through a style you find elsewhere.
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Thank you for reading!!
This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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