Underconsumption Core: How to turn this lifestyle into a trend
Fashion can be the highest outlet of creativity and self-expression. As Blair Waldorf said in season 4, episode 13 of Gossip Girl, “Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be.”
However, maximalism, micro-trends, 15-step skincare routines, and fast fashion are just some of the factors that create an unconscious rise of societal pressure to keep up with the latest trends. The emergence of social media has cultivated a fast-paced environment in which bigger collections of money, clothing, jewelry, and skincare are often glorified as markers of success or good style.
As a result of frustrations with these unrealistic expectations, a new trend has recently emerged on TikTok by the title “Underconsumption Core”. Through this trend, users showcase their reusable daily items or a curated collection of essentials, opting for fewer, more purposeful products in place of having an excess of items. In effect, more practical lifestyles are being highlighted.
If you find yourself buying the newest trends each season or have an overflowing closet of clothing you just don’t need, here are our tips on how to adopt the Underconsumption Core lifestyle without sacrificing your style or the pieces you love.
Tips on minimizing your closet:
Closet Cleanouts
Although cleaning out your closet isn’t a new concept, it’s a great way to update your clothing selection while avoiding over-shopping for new clothes. Whether it’s a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, decluttering allows you to curate your closet for the arrival of a different season or new style you’re leaning towards!
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Invest in high quality pieces
Quality pieces most commonly consist of materials such as cotton, wool, cashmere and silk. Not only will these last longer, but they also have a softer feel. Investing in higher-quality pieces that you can wear on repeat will help you avoid the need to keep replacing clothing with loose threads, holes, and stretches. It also allows you to curate a wardrobe that you absolutely love.
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Thrifting & Vintage Shops
Thrifting is probably my favorite as it’s the most cost-friendly and has the largest amount of diversity. Shopping second-hand is a more sustainable option than buying clothes new and helping pieces stay out of landfills. Additionally, thrift stores are easily identifiable, with recognizable organizations including Goodwill, The Salvation Army, Value Village, among many others. Vintage shops are a great alternative if you’re looking for higher-end and rare pieces.
In addition to physical locations, there are lots of great resell platforms online:
-The Real Real
-Poshmark
-Depop
-Vinted
-ThredUp
Basics
Having closet staples, especially pieces that you love and fit perfectly, is a great way to build a capsule wardrobe and develop your personal style without buying all of the latest trends. Whether you like a polished basic look or putting a twist on mundane pieces, styling staples are perfect for an everyday look. Try looking for higher quality pieces that can be styled with your current closet, like plain tees, tank tops, trousers, mini skirts, and black boots. Although they might seem pricier at the time, this investment will last for a while and withstand all microtrends of the season.
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BUYING FROM SUSTAINABLE BRANDS
A part of Underconsumption Core is choosing the items you buy wisely, and sustainability is a great factor to consider. With the rise in concerns for sustainability, the presence of sustainable sources and higher standards is increasing steadily, from brands like Reformation to Stella McCartney. Sustainability focuses vary in definition by each brand. For example, Stella McCartney focuses on sourcing good quality materials to replace animal materials, while Marcella New York emphasizes its fair treatment of workers, and The Girlfriend Collective uses recycled materials and eco-friendly dyes.
Reformation, a brand known for its sleek dresses and stunning pieces has adopted countless practices to maximize sustainable operations, from clean chemistry to dye jeans, inspiring Circular Fashion, among many others. To discover more sustainable fashion brands look here: https://directory.goodonyou.eco/
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Learning to style
As Emma Chamberlain said on her podcast Anything Goes, “The most important thing about a good outfit is creativity. It’s not about how expensive your clothes are, or if they’re designer; it’s about how you put them together. The creativity behind it is what makes an outfit stand out."
This highlights the importance of self-discovery in the journey of establishing your personal sense of style, and allowing your individuality to shine through your clothing compositions. Through this journey, you can solidify your personal preferences and minimize excessive influence from the media we consume.
For example, even the most basic white shirt can be interpreted in so many ways.
Through this article, I hope to encourage you to reflect on the purchasing of clothing, and take small steps to decrease the detrimental effects of overconsumption on both our environment and society. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and splurge on some treats for yourself, but instead, be more conscious about your footprint!
As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race – so in a world where being a rabbit is praised; from Alice in Wonderland to The Turtle And The Hare, let’s slow down because we don’t need to make it to Wonderland to make magic happen through the clothing we already own.
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