Tuesday, February 12, 2008

dream shopping

While I have only gone shopping for clothes once this entire year (expect a post about my adventure at Goodwill soon), I have had three dreams about shopping. I don't consider myself a shop-aholic by any means, but the active decision not to shop has challenged my way of thinking.

In the first dream, I was at Target, idly looking at new shirts. Very naturally, I chose a few and proceeded to the check-out. End of dream. In real-life, I did go to Target to help my dude some jeans and pick up a diploma frame for myself. (HE bought himself the jeans, don't worry.) In my dream, I simply recreated our trip and bought myself something as well.

The second dream was fuzzy, but I remember trying on new clothes.

The third dream was from the same night as the second dream, but much more vivid. That night I was also running a fever, and typically I have odd dreams when I feel sick. In this dream, I was shopping with my mom who offered to by me a new coat. My mom likes to shop with me, in real life, and will often offer to buy things for me. I let her buy me this warm, gray winter coat with white detailing because it was only $16.00. After the purchase, I remembered my resolution and felt terrible. The dream fades into reality as I become lucid and realize that I did not, in fact, actually get a new coat.

Truthfully, I am happy that this was only a dream, but I do wish I had a new coat.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

not alone

I will keep the links on the side bar of this blog up-dated with others who are also trying to stop shopping, particularly for clothes this year. As I stated in my first blog, I am not unique in this resolution, and now I shall prove it!

These web-links are also my excuse to post something, as I have not had any time this year to go thrift-shopping. To be honest, I'm beginning to feel bored with this blog, so hopefully I can find some inspiration in other's writings.

Monday, January 7, 2008

holy clothes!

When I embarked on this mission, blogging my year of strict second-hand shopping, I had organized my future posts into two categories: thrift stores and consumerism. Only seven days into my 365-day goal, a third theme has surprised me: spirituality. This probably does not surprise those who know me well, but in my effort to take myself less seriously in this blog, I never intended on preaching a sermon. Nonetheless, a new perspective on shopping has inspired me to re-evaluate my faith.

To be perfectly honest, I cannot remember the last time I opened my Bible on my own. When I came across Colossians 3:12-17 out of context, I felt like reading more into it actually opening my Bible.

The chapter, 3:1-10, begins by talking about holy living, dying to old habits, and making new ones - even Paul believed that old habits were easier to break when replaced by positive actions. My tangible understanding of this is the replacement of first-hand with that of second-hand shopping. Verses 12-17 talk about putting on love and clothing one's self with compassion - now that's a priceless outfit! This may sound trite, but the references made to this "holy clothing" bridged my fashion blogging to my spiritual searching.

These clothes of compassion and love, however, do not fit without the preceding one-size-fits-all statement in verse 11. Paul states that all people, regardless of their race or social status, are equal in this compassion of Christ. I translated this verse differently as I read it, but the meaning does not change too radically:

Here there is no gay or straight, man or woman, atheist, religious, affluent or homeless, but Christ is all and is in all.

Rather than merely accepting or tolerating those who don't fit the "Christian" mold set out by fundamentalists, we, who claim to be spiritual, must actively love the "others" of society, until the "other" turns into "each other." This scripture suggests that rather than converting and forcing others to fit into what we perceive of as "holy clothing," we should recognize the sacredness in every person. In doing so, I find that it is myself struggling into these clothes of love, growing into them slowly, and occasionally, needing to sacrifice a few pounds.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

"green" clothes

Ads promoting "green" items inevitably appear everywhere I look: Facebook, You Tube, Billboards, radio commercials, you name it. Who isn't bombarded with it every day? While this heightened awareness of the earth is wonderfully progressive, and long over-due, I find myself feeling emotionally divided by some "green" ads. My empathetic side rejoices over the new earth-friendly alternatives, while my cynical side questions the hype and high price of "saving the earth."
So, when I read "A World Consumed by Guilt" in the NY Times, something resonated with me. This article discusses the irony of hemp bluejeans and soy underwear, which cost more money to buy and involve almost as much chemical processing as standard clothes. It's great that we can recycle objects, but we often forget how much processing goes into the recycling, depending on how far the original item is altered to create something new. Moreover, the hype surrounding "green" shopping has become so fashionable that to shop "green" is becoming a status symbol, in its own way. Only some can afford to buy all organically grown specialty foods and items, and those left shopping for non-recycled bargains are made to feel guilty by the media.

This article highlights the pros, cons, and ironies behind "green" fashion, concluding that the only truly green wardrobe is the one from your own closet, however, that may be so unfashionable as "not to be seen in public," (see slide 9 of the slide show). While this is a bit tongue-and-cheek, most of us know that what we already own is quite adequate for work, school, or going out.

Check out the article and the slide show:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/fashion/13green.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/12/13/fashion/20071213_GREEN_SLIDESHOW_index.html

I'll keep the blog updated with some fun thrift stores I find around Milwaukee, plus the chic fashions I find for those who are not content with their own closets! It's January 5th and so far I've avoided all the after Christmas sales with no remorse. Only 360 more days to go!

Sunday, December 30, 2007

my decadent closet

Do I really need more clothes? Should I need a new sweater this winter, thrift stores will by my supplier.

Why buy second-hand?

My resolution is to only buy second-hand clothes for one year. I will not buy anything "new" unless it has been previously owned, in which case the clothing is still "new" to me, but "used" as far as retail standards are concerned.

The benefits of reaching this one-year goal are twofold: first, I will save myself a lot of money that I would have otherwise wasted on so-called bargain buys at the mall, or full-priced purchases of vanity. Secondly, this will be my way of recycling and truly shopping "green."

This is not, however, a revolutionary idea. The economy will not suffer from my lack of purchases and retail fashion will carry on as if I never existed. In reality, I am a product of my own times, reacting to the media hype about the greenhouse effect and learning to live on a tighter budget.

Yet the environment and economy were not what initially sparked this eccentric idea within me. It began a few weeks ago while I was cleaning my room, sorting my clothes off the floor as I chastised myself for not taking more care of my possessions. I found skirts that I never wear anymore, plus favorite shirts that are staples in my wardrobe. I thought about the clothes that I had bought within the past year and started to wonder how much money I spent on these new acquisitions.

Again, this is not remarkable. Most people feel guilty about their comfort, at least momentarily. I would also venture that a majority Americans purchase their clothing new, whether they shop at Wal-Mart or Macy's. In a way, I am your typical 20-something female that the clothing market wants to attract. I want to save money, yet look "with it," and shop guilt-free; I am targeted by the sales, the eco-friendly fabrics, and the ads featuring emo chicks with designer hoodies.

This blog will be my journal, as I document alternatives to the "typical" and find my clothes second-hand around the Milwaukee area. From second-hand, hand-me-downs, and to home-made, follow my progress as I try to reach this personal goal, not buying first-hand.