The multiple downsides of fashion
I have never once woken up and been forced to wear dirty clothing from the day before, let alone anything I have worn in the past week.
Never has it been necessary to cram my sixteen year-old body into clothing my thirteen year-old self wore, unless of course it was a piece of clothing I decided I couldn’t live without.
I make an effort to remind myself just how privileged I am in the life I was born into, yet simple facts like the one above seem to slip my mind when I review the endless record of things I have to be grateful for.
Basically everyone I know has closets practically bursting, I rarely am reminded of the reality that apart from the blessed people I am surrounded by.
Appearances fuel the world we live in. We allocate a set of clothing and marginalize it for specific use. A set for working out, a set for leisure, a set for school, a set for going out, a set for work, the list goes on. I want to clarify my intent behind the term “set,” because by no means am I referring to a single duo of pants and a shirt you own for work; how many shirts similar to that one do you own? If that were the case—we all had one article of clothing for each unique aspect of our lives—the fashion industry wouldn’t be an issue at all. And yet, I am yet to even reference where said issue lies.
It is inherent we first discuss the dividing factor fashion acts as in our community. Using nothing more than the brand of shirt or shoes someone parades, I am able to assign some sort of placement to every person I encounter.
Are these judgments accurate in all cases? Absolutely not, because fashion is a choice, and with affluence, comes choice. Yet when people assume the immediate assessment of them will be taken based on looks, it is usually in your best interest to display yourself with the image you want to project.
I couldn’t imagine a life without this choice.
Now, for those of us who have the means to contribute to this consumer-based practice of buying for specific occasions, and collecting assortments of clothing that all serve the exact same purpose.
I know I am no exception to this.
I own a multitude of leggings—my collection of simply black leggings alone is excessive—multiple hoodies in every color, tank tops in any color or style; the list goes on.
Along with this—dare I say—need for excessive stuff, the environmental impacts this constant consumerism has is regularly disregarded.
Fashion accounts for 10% of global emissions and 20% of global wastewater. The constant cycle of buying and throwing away clothes, many of which people never end up wearing, is sickening; even more so when so many people could utilize the disposed of clothes.
In the spirit of the week’s theme, ‘Giving Up and Giving Back,’ I want to offer the FHC students and families an opportunity to put their no longer used clothes to use. Friday, September 30th, bring in any old clothing that is gently used and clean to the front of the school(near the office for those who get confused by the multitude of doors). Any and all donations will be taken to Bethany Christian Services and offered to the families of refugees to choose from. Do your best to pick out at least one piece that no longer fits your style, and put it to better use.