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**A/N:: While Witch’s Brew Wednesdays contain an overarching theme that contributes directly to the Gosmic Grove brand, on Sundays I prefer to push content that explores a deeper side of the fast fashion industry or simply my mind. To put it simply, Sundays contain subjects of my own personal musings. ENJOY !!**
DEAR SHROOBER♥️,
Self-destruction: one of the most normalized forms of violence in the world. Due to the reign of fast fashion brands and the trends that circulate faster than you can refresh your feed, personal style has become a major casualty of mass consumerism. But what if the “key” to your personal style isn’t in your wallet, but in your closet ??
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::Oi, it’s GROVE::
& the rise of aesthetics and internet exposure has turned our wardrobes into a jumbled mess of FOMO and lack of self confidence. It’s all about what you have, when you got it, and where it’s from, but when will you realize that you can never be yourself by religiously following trends ?? No audio or aesthetic will ever fully represent your quirks, your strengths, or your personality.
Now while I do believe aesthetics allow you to find fandoms, types of clothing, and communities that you otherwise wouldn’t have found, there comes a point when instead of using aesthetics to better define who you are, you begin to define yourself based on aesthetics. Labels are helpful, but in this day and age, overdone. The pressure to keep up and stay informed, constantly plugged into your screen, forms a bubble around your individuality. Fashion has been mercilessly stripped of its creativity in favor of a never-ending cycle of overconsumption and waste, hindering true self-expression.
But there’s hope: upcycling—the creative outlet that transforms old into new and improved—can help us break free. By embracing sustainable creativity, we can rediscover the joy of individuality and permanently pop the bubble of consumerism hijacking our style. Let’s explore how upcycling can revive your closet and redefine what it means to be fashionable.
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FOMO DICTATES OUR WARDROBES
Consumerism and internet exposure has hijacked our most sacred daily routines, from what we moisturize our face with to what brand has the best “work bag.” But that doesn’t mean it has to affect how we express ourselves.
Brands have become shadows of their former selves, transitioning from high quality garments (which actually justified the prices) to cheaply produced rags that barely last more than five years (with even more extravagant prices). Brands are running purely off their legacies, but that won’t save them.
What keeps their dollar count ticking is the mass consumerism culture around clothing. On average, clothing from recent purchases only gets worn 7-10 times in its fleeting lifespan before it’s thrown away or never worn again, instead replaced with a steady stream of new clothes.
From the Penny Lane coat, to low-rise jeans, even DIY-based subcultures such as the alternative community have been watered down with capitalistic trends (completely negating the purpose of the subculture) in order to cater to those supporting fast fashion who just want to look the part for every part.
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WHAT WE WEAR MATTERS: THE PSYCHOLOGY
Have you noticed how “being weird” is no longer an insult ? How something that some of us were laughed at for has become a trend where everyone is quirky and can express themselves, but only if it’s a normalized weirdness. Weirdness has been watered down and normalized to only include MLP lovers, avid readers, and, of course, eclectic fashion. Anything outside of that, such as neopronouns or peeing in the pool, is looked down on and hated, most of the time by those of their own community or those who don’t want to admit that they also are guilty of doing it. Unless it’s become normalized or a joke, many won’t go for it, in fear of being laughed at or subtly bullied.
So how does this tie into fast fashion ?? Well, have you noticed how subcultures such as whimsigoth, goth, emo, punk, grunge, and scene have become “cool” now ?? That’s because the people who dress like this have access to the internet, allowing us to share our outfits and beliefs. But many people just want the clothes and leave the message behind. Fast fashion dupes start to take their place on Temu and Shein and are sold without a second thought to the origin of the clothing or the anti-capitalism message behind it. Therefore, the culture has become watered down with people who want to fit in with these new trends at a cheap price.
So why does this matter ?? These are just kids who want to express themselves, right ? Perhaps. Maybe the people buying into fast fashion do so because they have no other choice, and some people just don’t have the resources to spend large amounts of time and money on learning to make their own clothes. But that’s not who I’m talking about.
I’m referring to people who never rewear their clothes and always have new ones. This is the true source of fast fashion and what keeps brands like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress exploiting people around the globe (mostly women). So why does this matter ??
What you wear and how you wear it tells a story: your story. An unintentional rip in one’s jeans can be telling about their financial situation. Or someone who you’ve never seen where sweatpants can tell you about how high a standard they hold their appearance to. Or someone with a plethora of bag charms and handmade pins protesting human rights and support of local artists can tell you about their commitment to make the world a better place. So someone that can dress to every challenge, trend, and aesthetic is a cause for concern, because they’re willing to compromise the origins of anti-capitalism subcultures to fit in with the world wide web.
This surge in mass consumerism is especially dangerous for the youth. We’ve already seen the effects of internet exposure and trends with the ten-year-olds at Sephora, wanting nothing more than to fix their face with makeup and a skincare routine at an age where those sorts of precautions are unnecessary. So putting an end to trends and the psychology around fitting in based on what you’re wearing or when you got it will be a necessary step in the direction of the planet’s last resort: upcycling.
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UPCYCLING WILL SAVE THE PLANET
Upcycling is a direct hit to mass consumerism culture and boasts a sustainable, completely customizable alternative to fast fashion and low-quality clothing. Instead of paying an arm and a leg to fit in with a two-week trend, invest in a sewing machine (or a sewing kit) and learn the basics of creating your own clothing. Even picking up skills such as crochet and knitting can help unlock your creativity and bring life back into your closet.
Make a pile of all the clothes you haven’t worn in a year and start sketching !! Try not to worry about the logistics of how you’re going to sew this or that, but allow yourself to disconnect from expectation and leap into creative uncertainty. Because when you finish that sketch of the perfect outfit, it’s going to feel like you. Not a trending audio, not an aesthetic, but simply a human and their dream fit. Almost makes me want to cry just thinking about it. But there’s no rush, learning how to use a sewing machine will bring you a constant supply, don’t worry lol.
In conclusion, I really wanted to write a meaningful conclusion that would encourage you and bring you to the brink of tears (even if I just said to hold them in), but I’ve realized all I can give you is advice.
Don’t EVER believe you have the fit in to be somebody, or that you have to be the next Lady Gaga to feel like yourself. There will be days where you buy something from Temu or get a dress from Shein: & it’s okay. I’m not here to crucify you, only encourage the both of us to move in the right direction.
Lastly, DON’T SETTLE. Keep fighting for what you believe in, even if it feels like you’re the only one, because your efforts matter. Your sock puppet matters, your widened skinny jeans matter, your felt wallet matters, your crochet top matters.
YOU MATTER 🫶🏾 !!
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::Oi, it’s GROVE::
& this blog was very difficult to write. To be vulnerable for a second, FOMO has turned into an unnecessary motivator in my life. Rarely do I feel as if I’m doing or being enough, despite the fact that I’m always busy and rarely have free time. FOMO has given me the constant invasive thought that I’m becoming a bystander in my own life. I’m never as happy, stylish, or productive as I want to be, and it hurts.
Half of me doesn’t even want to post this blog and simply accept defeat, accept that I can’t manage my time well enough to even have a blog. But the other half of me hates succumbing to the belief that I’m taking up space for better and more established creators. I’m a creator too, even if it hurts.
Especially when it hurts.
So I say all this to say, you’re enough, and you’re doing enough. If no one else tells you this today, you’ll hear it from me every day of the week. I’m so thankful for your support and the time you take out of your day to enjoy my written creations.
You’re always appreciated SHROOBER♥️,
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Sincerely,
The GRove MAster™
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;:GROVE OUT:;
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