One of the things I hate most about all the new outfits I see is just the gross over consumption. A ten minute scroll on Instagram will show up innumerable clothes that the people wearing them do not need.
More happiness
If ‘things’ make you happy then that’s cool. But there’s so much more to find happiness in than more new stuff. What’s more, how long does the dopamine hit of a fresh delivery really last? The first try on, when you wear it out, a couple of compliments later? If buying new clothes is so good for feeling good, why do you need to keep getting more? The answer, fairly obviously, is it’s the buying that grips you. The clothes are merely a by-product of a need to have the new, the next and the right now. That ego boost you get from buying the latest looks is very definitely addictive. But when the clothes that come with it are having a direct impact on the place you love (the earth guys, keep up), would it not be worthwhile seeking out the serotonin elsewhere?
More confidence
Perhaps, just perhaps, if we as women hadn’t spent years of our lives being playthings and titillation for men, if we hadn’t be taught to dress nicely and look pretty, if we’d only ever been valued for the brains in our head and not the shoes on our feet; then perhaps we wouldn’t be so used to finding our self esteem in a clothes shop. The patriarchy being to blame for our shopping habits is a whole other blog but the bones of it is, that gaining confidence from new clothes isn’t really that great for anyone long term. Your haul ain’t gonna keep you safe and dry when wildfires and tsunamis are ripping through the world. And your self worth isn’t worth that much if it only lasts as long as the buttons on a Primark pant suit.
Less ‘new’
So here’s a thought, if wearing new outfits yanks your chain, why not try pre-loved; you’re getting something no one has seen you in, it’s cheaper and it’s less hurtful to good ol’ Mother Earth. And while you’re at it, maybe have a gander at some other ways to boost your self esteem that don’t involve how you look, because if it’s what’s inside that counts, why are you so bothered about your outfit?
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