Goodbye Fashion, Goodbye!

Following my epiphany on my career choice I started thinking about how I didn't want to go into the fashion industry after all. And if I did, I wouldn't do it the mainstream way. I'd do it the indie way.


Someone asked me how many striped tops I had. I told him I had two. I didn’t give much thought to it not until I started organizing and ironing my clothes. I think I should have said 2x6.  I used to like stripes when I was younger because of the nautical feel it gave. I began wearing it more because it seemed to go with anything. It was always my default lazy outfit aside from the hoodie. I’ve lost a lot of striped tops and gained some. Then suddenly I started reflecting. First I thought about my job at an expensive retail store then  I read an article about Vogue being racist. Then I thought about how much manipulation goes into the fashion world. Unfortunately, this is where my rant actually starts:

You know how a kid feels when she gets to the swing first then something distracts her and suddenly other kids are on her swing?! Well sometimes that’s how I feel when a certain trend comes to town. You think, hey wait a minute I’ve been wearing that since 1998… and now it’s… it’s fashown?! You know what I hate most? It’s when you used to have a hard time looking for a certain piece and when they start to become the trend they’re everywhere and they’re double the price of what they used to be. Then my ukay heaven is bombarded by the **** kids.

Then here’s the thing about brands. I worked for a store that always had its brand embossed on their clothes. It was so hard trying to find a jacket I could wear without the obvious brand name because I thought it looked cheap. I didn’t get why my customers would prefer having the brand spelled out on their clothes. That’s advertising, you’re advertising for the company. Shouldn’t you get paid by doing so rather than you paying a ridiculous amount for that product that’s made at the same place with the same material and cost of labor? Then there’s those ugly bags. I hate those ugly bags, you’ll pay 90 grand to show people you can afford it then you meet someone like me who will tell you what an ugly bag you have. Of course I’ll try keeping it to myself (hideous, horrific!) Anyway, I’ve decided not to put any brand when I post a photo on lookbook. That’s free advertising for them. 

Not everyone in the world knows Forever 21 or Zara or even Louis Vuitton and when you meet that person you will be humbled. I have. Half the world has no idea what we’re talking about. 

Then I thought about how you meet most of the superficial, uptight, bitchy and high strung people in that industry because, yes that’s mostly where those kinds of people will gravitate… Well no not really, they’re everywhere. But honestly, try observing when you go into retail stores (I will not name names!) and you get some sort of smug and snotty look from their sales associates, a look that often says “Oh I work here and you don’t!”

I got tired working for retail too, why do I need to be pushy with customers? Why can’t I just leave them alone until they need help? If I was shopping for my clothes I wouldn’t want anyone hovering around me. 

Why can’t I wear what I want without people having to judge me based on what I wear? Is this the kind of value I want to instill in myself and others? People lording over other people just because we wear nicer clothes than them? Because we have a better sense of style? Please don’t mistake sense of style with what’s in style. I think sense of style is knowing what looks good on you despite the trend.  

I know mama Coco Chanel wants us to be prepared for our date with destiny. The clothes help but it’s not the surefire way to snag him. How often have I paraded in my wonderful garments to entice the apple-of-my-eye. I’m sure he would have given me a nod of approval but good Lord if he’s gay, he’s gay.

I know I seem to sound like fashion is an evil evil evil place. No, I think fashion does a wonderful job at making the world a visual delight and at dressing human kind. I love clothes, I am absolutely fascinated by it and  I’m really into costume design. I’m sure there’s a science and art to it that I haven’t fully discovered.  I don’t want to start wearing a sack or anything but the hype! the hype is driving me nuts.

There is no point in this rant, no point at all save for me wanting to admit to myself that as much as I wanna look nice I don’t want you to keep bombarding me with your beautiful, overpriced clothes and telling me you are the ugh.. Saviour of mankind.  And by you I mean anyone taking advantage of poor little girls all over the world who will blindly follow the trend and torture their parents, even their own wallets to buy a silly piece of garment. 

I think I’m just frustrated by how superficial the world has become. I myself have the tendency to stray into the superficial but sometimes you wish you’d meet more sincere people, you know?