Fight Consumerism and Be Green 101: Are you really going to wear that?!

Today, anything and everything can be fashion. Fashion is no longer coming out from Paris, but all around the world. Fashion can now be enjoyed by almost everyone at every social level due to democratization and mass production. With the availability of fashion to everyone, it allows merge of social status. According to Kawamura, fashion-ology deals not only with individuals but with the social institutions of the fashion world. Thus, social and economic status of many individuals in fashion is used as a symbolic strategy and status symbol.

On the other hand, if anything and everything can be fashion why are there still fashion no-nos? Often times, we see online gossip websites and tabloids exploiting celebrities of their not-so-cute outfits. So, who decides what is fashionable? Certainly there are hideous things out there on the catwalks. Who are the “actual” fashions police? While “what was worn as underwear could be worn as outerwear…[and] what used to be a hole for the neck could be worn as an armhole” (Kawamura 105), it doesn’t mean it is fashionable. So, new and old designers alike must constantly seek new ideas and sustain various institutions of fashion.

Accordingly, it’s not that easy to enter in the fashion industry. Stephen Gaskell follows the story of Robert-Jay Wharmby in “Fashion Victim.” While Wharmby wanted to take over the fashion world, not everyone can get in. The materials Wharmby chose for his fashion house’s summer collection would force “a 12-year-old-boy to more than perspire” (Gaskell “Fashion Victim”). There, it shows that not everything created by fashion designers (or wannabes) become fashionable. It’s a hard world out there, and there’s not telling what’s hot next.

Can anyone guess where these parts are from to make these earrings?

Wow, this quarter went by so fast! This is the last week of blogging and compact challenge! As you can see with all the exclamation marks I can’t say that I’m not super excited! I think I’m going to treat myself out to a very nice shopping spree! Just kidding, or am I? Well, the compact challenge certainly has helped me be more conscience of what I’m buying. Now, I ask myself if I REALLY need an item before I buy it versus before I would just take out the plastic. While the challenge have not totally change my shopaholic ways, I have definitely cut back.

I tried not to buy anything over the past week but really could not resist. My car was broken into earlier in the week and they stole my make-up bag. In having to “replace” my items I never realized how expensive make-up was. Our society is so self-conscious that people are just willing to shell out all types of money to look presentable. Damn you beauty industry, damn you!

Dear missing make-up, where can you be?