What did I just do? Did I just promise not to engage in consumerism for a year? Gasp. I wanted to melt into an Alex Mack puddle:
And listening to all of the Beyonce in the world didn’t make me feel like this:
I found several ways to cope (cue Rocky theme song):
- Live vicariously through YouTube haul videos until eyes are wide and bleary. Take a lap.
- Fill online shopping cart full of goodies, back away very, very slowly, and take a cold shower.
- Give up the internets, submit to an all flannel wardrobe, and live off the grid. ⬅ Most feasible option.
All jokes aside, I knew taking a clothing and shoe moratorium for a year, and choosing to be a conscious consumer in other parts of my life, would be instrumental in changing the way I lived. But how could I find the will power to do so? Thankfully, I stumbled across a documentary that helped me in this effort.
The True Cost, now on Netflix, is a documentary that explores the economic, environmental, and human rights implications of the fast fashion industry. The film delivers its message with alarming compassion; it reminded me that our wallets can speak truths that may be in conflict with our beliefs and that it’s our duty to think critically about consumption in this global economy. I highly recommend adding this movie to your Netflix queue.
If you’d like to find out more about the film, and the inspiring people in it, please visit their website: https://truecostmovie.com/. Granted, one person’s consumption choices may not be able to change an entire industry, but I think acknowledging and embracing our noblesse oblige will foster positive change.
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