Slow Fashion Basics: True Materialism

In Matt D'Avella's documentary entitled Minimalism, the subject of slow fashion is touched on slightly. One of the people that he featured in this film talks about how materialism could be better approached when taking away the negative stigma of how it's is perceived through social media. People with privilege or high-income salaries become an easy target for being "too materialistic" in a negative sense as they tend to show off their luxury or high-designer purchases. Those people may give materialism a negative perception, but that's nothing compared to how us Americans (regardless of how big or small our paychecks are) treat the items we have with care.

Fast fashion at its very core is something that promotes wasteful habits. We buy, we wear, then we toss it after a couple months. The kinds of materials that are in fast fashion clothing aren't meant to last forever, so that's a partial reason for why this planet has suffered from a lot of waste over the years. Slow fashion, on the other hand, works towards finding more sustainable and eco-friendly materials to put into each piece of clothing. Not only that, but when combining the minimalist lifestyle with the topic of fashion in general, we as a human population could learn more about how to care for what we already have and work towards becoming more aware of our shopping habits. 

Back when my wardrobe was in an almost constant state of change, it never really occurred to me that I could wear one shirt more than once, or that the shoes or accessories I had could be used in more than one outfit. This is a misconception that can be easy to fall into, but once I found and applied minimalism to my life, I became a lot less stressed and felt a lot more freedom with what I can wear. 

Now with as much knowledge as I have about this subject, I'll admit that I still have a handful of clothing items from fast-fashion retailers. I'll also admit that I still occasionally shop in places that may or may not be ethical. However, I am a lot more mindful of how I care for the clothes I have, and I enjoy every piece of clothing I have in my wardrobe. I personally think that one of the biggest ways to increase the longevity of your clothing is to wash it less, especially if it's delicate or doesn't have any odors or stains. I'd also recommend folding any heavier clothing items, like sweaters or cardigans. 

I think that the term "true materialism" is something that we could all strive for no matter what category of items we focus on. This information may not be new, but I do hope that the information I provided you with has helped to bring some insight or inspiration. I know that I've definitely learned a lot in the last year or so when it comes to this topic in particular.