For a while now I’ve been toying with the idea of covering this absolute minefield of a topic, and for some reason now felt like a good time. When it comes to blogging, content is needed (duh!) and often frivolous consumption of stuff comes with that, it makes life easier when you have new things to talk about and share… you know?
Keeping it real, of-course I get sent things. It’s a massive perk that I feel grateful for every time I get the chance to try something new. A lot of what I share I have bought with my own money, but trust me, if I’m wearing something and getting a photo whether it’s sent from a brand or not, it’s because I like it and want to share it with whoever is interested. I’ve made it a priority to be particular about who I work with, because I really don’t want to recommend something that I wouldn’t genuinely spend my own money on. I feel like recently, this has almost been lost in a sea of hauls sharing so many clothes that it’s just – well a bit crazy to be honest.
Lets talk about hauls…
I did one only the other week, it’s my most viewed video to date and it would appear people do just love seeing what people are wearing/ buying – I know I love binge watching them with a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits in tow. However, I feel as bloggers/ content creators sharing all of these things we have some responsibility to think about who engages with us and the kind of consumerism behaviour we are promoting by sharing all of this.
Of-course we’re not forcing anyone to do anything, if you genuinely like fast fashion and buying new things every week then just type Topshop Haul into your search bar and you’re good to go! For me, I’m starting to see a shift and it’s something I’m happy to welcome with open arms. People are speaking about consumerism more and how both inside, and outside of the blogging community it’s something we should probably all be a little bit mindful of. Honestly, I’m only just getting my head around it myself, but it’s something I’m passionate about and believe is actually really important to help promote… *note to self, wearing the same thing year after year is a good thing!*
From now on when it comes to my hauls, I’m going to be sharing less but styling more, showing exactly how I get the most out of one thing so I can wear it over and over without feeling the need for something new constantly.
How I’m being a more mindful consumer…
I started to notice, I didn’t love all that much sitting in my wardrobe. I wasn’t hanging anything properly, there was piles of shit every where, and with that I was loosing a love of style and getting ready became difficult (I had that panic moment multiple times when I was rushing around needing a quick outfit that would make me feel 10 out of 10… and it was no where to be seen!) Since being more mindful about what I’m buying I’m finding it easier to put outfits together that I truly love.
The first thing I’m doing is a regular wardrobe clear out. I actually have a video on this going live on Sunday, basically going through my wardrobe and looking at what I’m wearing and what’s collecting dust. Anything I’m not loving that’s still in good condition I’m either selling on depop or donating to charity. I’ve found having clear outs one of the best ways to see what I actually love in my wardrobe and like wearing, and also getting a little extra money to put towards anything new I might need.
It sounds simple, but I’m looking at what I reach for the most already and understanding more about my style by doing that. I’ve made so many impulse purchases in the past that have led to me wearing something once and never reaching for it again (is there anything more annoying?!). I’m also learning not to jump on the bandwagon for every single trend, an example of something this season is the silk skirt. They look absolutely amazing on everyone, but thinking about it would I really wear a silk skirt day to day? Probably not!
I know I could have delved into this topic even more than I have here, but honestly I wanted to test the water first before I go full force. How do you feel about hauls and consumerism in general?
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