Fashion - a ploy to get your money? - YouLookFab Forum

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Fashion - a ploy to get your money?

Makrame

Veteran

So while I was trying to solve my dilemma of whether or not to wear the same jacket and skirt two day in a row while traveling (which I did, based on my gut feeling and the advice from YLF, and felt great), I came across a web-forum discussion (on a frugal living forum) about a similar topic. I read a couple of posts that I thought were interesting, and was wondering what you think.

One basically asked a question "Why do women find it necessary to show that they are not wearing the same clothes all the time? Why the need to accessorize specifically with the goal of making it look like you are wearing a different outfit? Do men have the same pressure? Is it about looking good or about not looking poor?"

The other statement is quoted below.

"The best way to save money is not to spend it on every fad that the fashion industry shoves at you. Develop your own style and forget what some stick on a runway looks like. I refuse to buy clothes that require dry cleaning or ironing (saving money and time and the environment). I dress for comfort not seasonal style. I don't buy new clothes unless I need them (not because some idiot on a television show tells me chartreuse is the new black). Fashion is a business. They want you to buy, buy, buy so that they get money, money, money. Then they change the game in a couple of months so they get more money, money, money, and you're left with some ugly clothes that you can't wear because they are "out of season." The fashion industry doesn't care about you. It's too bad women don't wake up to that fact. Take an honest look at yourself. Don't let the clothes wear you. Dress classic, dress smart, dress for comfort, and be yourself instead of trying to chase after the nonsense of "Sex and the City" (remember, those women don't have real jobs or real lives). It's not that hard to save money on clothes if you use common sense."

I would say that my personal opinion is that I enjoy following some of the new ideas that fashion industry invents, simply because it's fun and provides variety, even though I realize that their goal is to sell clothes and to sell more. I also like to look appropriate and not out of place at work etc., and I think looking "dated" can make you look a bit out of place, too.

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from fern

ironkurtin

Veteran

We live in a commercial society. That's why we need to make informed and intelligent decisions. That applies not just to clothing but food, transit, housing... Yes, companies and "fashion" need to make money, but designers etc. also have passion and skill and craft. Vote with your wallet.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Makrame, my feeling on this is the same as yours. There are times I get frustrated by the fashion industry (I.e., now that we all have chunky platformed shoes, delicate styles will come back in style), but I like the idea of a balance somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, between jumping on every new trend and never changing style and sticking only to "classics."

Honestly, I'd get bored with the exact same stuff year after year, so I enjoy the introduction of new styles. I'm just learning to pick and choose which ones suit me, while not fearing trying new things.

bj1111

Veteran

this totally builds on ik's previous post on people looking the same.

Cilleena

Veteran

Interesting post, Makarame. My opinion follows the same lines as Janet's.

Queen Mum

Veteran

women want new shoes every year, men want new phones....

MsMary

Veteran

Interesting post.

I have spent a good amount of time on frugal living message boards, and in fact I will say there was a time some years ago when we were on a VERY tight budget and one of the things that got cut altogether for a while was buying clothes for the adults. It is absolutely possible and even easy to do what the second poster quoted above suggests, and just opt out of "fashion" and treat your clothing as something to cover your body and call it a day.

That said, I have two observations:

1. Why is that woman so angry? "Some stick on a runway?" "Some idiot on television?" Really? Who's contemptuous of whom here?

2. We all make choices about how to spend our money. As QM points out, a lot of men spend money on technology and like to have the newest, latest, and greatest (as I type this, Hubby is next to me playing with his brand new iPod Touch!). And for some women, fashion is a hobby on which we enjoy spending money. It's hard for me to see anything wrong with either of those hobbies as long as nobody is spending the grocery or college money.

christy

Veteran

This is interesting...I don't feel any need or expectation to make it look like I'm not wearing the same item of clothing. I try to find new and creative ways to wear different pieces to keep it fresh and new for me, not to make it appear that I have an endless wardrobe.

As IK mentioned, we live in a commercial society that is constantly bombarding us with messages that we can't live without the newest, latest thing. Cars, phones, technology, processed food, home decor - fashion certainly isn't the only industry that wants us to buy, buy, buy. It seems to me that enough garments remain classic enough that a person can choose to have a closet that allows her to remain appropriate without spending a great deal of time or money if that's her goal.

I think it's important to identify what's important to us, what we are trying to convey with our clothing choices and be realistic in our style choices. For instance, I've come to the conclusion that a faux fur vest is just not for me. I see women of all shapes, sizes and fashion goals rockin' them to no end on here and they look FABULOUS!!! It's made me consider adding one to my closet, but as I've looked and tried on and thought about it, I've come to realize that it's just not a trend I want to wear. So it's about being confident enough in your own style so that you can jump on the trend when you love it, stock up when a trend is perfect for your style, or just let it pass you by if that's what you decide works for your personal goals, wallet and convictions.

So while I understand what this poster is saying, it seems disingenuous to say that it applies to fashion alone as "fashion" can be replaced with any other advertising or lobbying campaign! And it also implies that we aren't able to think for ourselves and make informed decisions about how we spend our money! Wow...some heavy thinking when I've only had one cup of coffee...time for a refill!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

As in all things, moderation is key I think. None of us can really afford a brand new wardrobe every season. But not shopping at all for years on end can definitely make you end up looking like you got caught in a time warp. I think even the poster who was fed up with fashion would want to at least look somewhat relevant in today's world? Maybe not, but I think so.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LOVE IK's, Mary's and Christy's comments. I am with their thoughts 100%. Fashion is commercial - a multi billion dollar business each year. A fact.

However, fashion is also a very fun and psychological topic. It can be the foundation of a friendship, community or hobby. Unfortunately, some people forget about the very positive influences of fashion and style. So I have devoted my life to making people understand and enjoy this part of the fashion industry. It's something that I believe in with my soul.

ironkurtin

Veteran

Angie you totally need to write a book.

Anonymous

We don't make things ( or much physical things with our hands ) anymore. So the game today is show your tastes not by the art/music/crafs you do, but by your taste in what others created. That's why people follow trends, they want to be interesting and new. That's why there are PC/Mac flame on geek forums. People get attached to their tastes and accordingly with the products that prove it. In moderation fashion is a great hobby

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I can understand why some people want to opt out of fashion. It is a business, they do create a lot of churn and a lot of artificial 'needs' in order to sell their product, and it's not strictly necessary for the maintenance of life. And some people don't find it enjoyable to play with personal aesthetic choices, like most YLF members do - just like some people like some hobbies and some people like others.

But a lot of frugal living people seem to wish that we lived in a noncommercial society entirely. I empathize with them - it can get exhausting being bombarded with advertisements and trying to avoid internalizing all these wants and wishes. But we don't, and entirely opting out of a part of current cultural life on most of this planet is going to cause reactions from other people, unless you go off and create your own subgroup and ignore everyone else.

I wish we (the general we, not YLF in particular, 'cause look what we're doing right now) could have more productive conversations on consumerism, self-expression, and art without the other person's point of view being vilified.

A similar issue: I used be very anti-pro-sports, because I found it morally vacant and the money involved is obscene and out of proportion to any actual societal value (IMO). And that gave me difficulty with certain friends and coworkers because following sports was one of their hobbies, and it meant a lot to them, and it's one of the 'watercooler topics' that is everywhere. I personally would be OK with a world where no pro sports existed (well, I would miss hockey), but that's not the world that I live in, and I think it behooves me to learn how to be somewhat OK with that, rather than being the equivalent of the crusading vegan who goes around telling everyone she meets how disgusting animal flesh is. I do wonder sometimes, am I giving up on my convictions, or am I mindfully living in the culture where I find myself? Those are the same kind of questions I ask myself about the fashion industry and participating in it, in the tiny way I do.

Makrame

Veteran

I am really enjoying reading all the answers (and nod in agreement to most of them)! It seems that as long as we are mindful of the commercial side of fashion (and it is probably impossible for anyone to ignore that fashion is a business), it is possible to still have fun with the creative side of fashion.

fern

Veteran

Two thoughts on fashion:
Taking care/paying attention to my clothing & looks is part of self-care.
My own visual presentation is important for my career.
I get frustrated with frugal or minimalist bloggers who don't seem to understand those 2 aspects.

That said, I don't worry about "fashion" - I am here to learn to dress well, and present myself clearly.
Environmentally (and frugally), if I can live in well-made "classics" or find the clothes & shoes that will work well in my wardrobe in thrift stores and consignment shops, even better.
(Laura, I am anti pro sports too - but that is another discussion.)