I'm not the same person I was 5 or even 10 years ago. Believe it or not, I have become a lot more aware of how I spend my money and what I spend it on. YouTube has made a huge impact on me as a consumer, and while I've touched on this subject a little in a previous post, I feel like it's time that I go into more detail about this.
A lot of my early 20's was spent on habits that were excessive, whether if it was with social media or with shopping. I thought as if I had to keep up with what everyone else was wearing so that I could feel like those other "cool people" you see on YouTube. In a nutshell, these fashion bloggers make a living off of either spending hundreds of dollars at a time or just promoting brands that send stuff to them. There is some marketing involved as they're getting paid to promote brands, whether if that would be a fast-fashion company or even a high luxury brand that promises better quality. Somewhere in between all of that however, you end up with thousands of dollars wasted because half the stuff they're promoting doesn't get used.
Companies like Forever 21, H&M or Charlotte Russe only care about selling to the masses and making money. If you've noticed how often they trade out their clothing to keep up with the latest trends, then could you imagine how much waste they're causing by sticking to that kind of system? Could you imagine the secrets they keep about how or where that clothing is made and what kind of working conditions they put onto those who put in the labor? I've done the research myself with the help of YouTube, but there are also documentaries that go into detail with what goes on behind the curtains of the fast fashion business. I haven't watched it myself yet, but I know there's one documentary on Netflix called The True Cost. I feel like a lot of people could benefit from watching that or even by just looking up information on the internet. Plenty of people out there have written or made videos about this subject.
So how does this tie in with my personal style evolution? The answer is simple; I fell into that trap. I fell into that mindset of spending a lot of my money on things that were of cheap quality for cheap prices. Somehow, I was content with my ignorance because all I wanted was to continue wearing clothes that seemed cool to me at the time, then discard it after wearing it for two or three months. I didn't have any clue as to what my style was at that time either. However, the only thing I knew is that pink was my favorite color (and it still is). I think back then, I had too many colorful, trendy pieces and not enough basic pieces in my wardrobe. I was also someone who was loyal to certain fast fashion companies- especially Forever 21 and Charming Charlie. All that time I spent shopping for cheap, quality clothes that would eventually get tossed out could have been spent on something more productive during my free time.
Knowing what I know now, I've made it a goal of mine to not only shop for things of better quality, but to also take better care of what I already have in my wardrobe. Be it, I do still have a small handful of items from fast fashion retailers, but I've also been incorporating pieces from more sustainable places like Goodwill or ThredUp. I've learned through my experiences that style and function is more practical than going for passing trends all the time or supporting brands or companies that aren't sustainable. Be it, I still make mistakes sometimes- I'm not perfect by any means, but at least I'm making an effort. Now of course, everything that I have learned on this subject has to be credited by three amazing women I follow on YouTube: Signe Hansen (from the channel Use Less), Audrey Coyne and Erin Elizabeth. They're the ones who have made the biggest impact on me personally.
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