I Bet My Fashion is Faster Than Your Fashion
Sponsored by Shein #ad
Prior to this piece, I earnestly believed “fast fashion”—the term, the conversations around it, the unavoidable omnipresence of it on TikTok—was a 21st century phenomenon. As it turns out, “the term was first used at the beginning of the 1990s, when when Zara landed in New York. ‘Fast fashion’ was coined by the New York Times to describe Zara’s mission to take only 15 days for a garment to go from the design stage to being sold in stores” (X).
Fast fashion, to be clear, is “a design, manufacturing, and marketing method focused on rapidly producing high volumes of clothing” (X). Its development has led to the creation of tops that cost an average of $17.20 and to fashion production “compromis[ing] 10% of total global carbon emissions, as much as the European Union” (X). What’s more, that number is only going up as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change predicts that “emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to skyrocket by 60% by 2030” (X).
I say all of this knowing full well that this piece isn’t about solving the problems of fast fashion because that is next week’s topic. Today, I asked a panel about their relationships with fast fashion and shopping, and I’m excited to share what they had to say with all of you.
If you were a clothing label, which would you be?
Blair 26, she/her: Prada—classic but a little fun
CG, 26, she/her: Handmade clothing by an eccentric woman
RP, 25, he/him: Literally? The annoying ones on the inside side of your shirts that make you scratch yourself
E, 26, she/her: H&M
Sam, 25, she/her: Free People
Sophie, she/her: Rag and Bone or Ganni!!
Sarah, 24, she/her: ARCTERYX
Hadley, 23, she/her: Tyler McGullivary
Jackson: Donatella VERSACE 💜
Liz, 25, she/her: Reformation
What do you think of when you hear the term "fast fashion"?
Blair: Hyper trendy, low quality, cheap prices, not sustainably or ethically made
CG: Basically all clothes available for purchase unless they’re specifically shown to be ethically made/ slow fashion/ long-lasting/ enduring
RP: Wear it once, wash it, never fits again
E: Shein
Sam: Shein
Sophie: Wearable plastics, landfills, and Shein at the thrift store for $20
Sarah: SHEIN......Low quality, child labor, dupe after dupe after dupe, and for some reason that smell.....
Hadley: Inexpensive clothes made in unethical ways that often are based on fleeting fashion trends
Jackson: SHEIN?
Liz: Cheap, low quality, trendy clothing that's produced at high volumes
Based on this overview, approximately how much of your wardrobe is fast fashion?
Blair: Very little
CG: 75%
RP: 60-70%
E: 80%
Sam: Used to be 50% but in the last few years I tried to stop shopping fast fashion and I’d say it’s only around 10% now maybe.
Sophie: ~10%? maybe? Probably a little more.
Sarah: Currently, 30-40%
Hadley: ¼ - ⅓ 😵💫
Jackson: 30%
Liz: 15%
When you shop, do you look at a company's manufacturing practices or any quality label?
Blair: I don’t specifically look at companies but do gravitate towards companies that advertise about being quality, ethical, and “slow.”
CG: Yes
RP: I just assume the more expensive, the better quality/practices which isn’t always true.
E: No
Sam: I more so now go based on higher price and higher quality. Would rather invest in quality pieces that last.
Sophie: Somewhat. Most of my shopping is secondhand.
Sarah: Anecdotally yeah, sure. Via headlines, media, and word of mouth. But I do not USUALLY conduct my own research on brands when buying new clothes. (I also work in retail so I usually get info that way).
Hadley: Yes! I had a New Year’s resolution to only thrift clothes or use Nuuly and this has been a super helpful way to determine if things will last if I don’t know the brand!
Jackson: No
Liz: Not specifically, but there are many brands that advertise conscious manufacturing practices as central to their brand identity, so I already have that in mind when shopping those brands.
Do you see any correlation between your size / shape and accessibility of clothes that fit when shopping?
Blair: For sure. It’s no secret the fashion industry is made for a very specific and unrealistic body type. Being within straight sizes, I have the privilege of having access to most clothes but also notice items don’t fit how they should. When it comes to fast fashion this is especially true, clothes usually run really small and don’t have the care in design for different bodies.
CG: I used to be almost plus size, and then I sometimes didn’t fit into some brands that had more ethically-made clothing. Now I can buy clothes almost anywhere. Maybe vintage can still be a bit hard for me, but overall ok.
RP: Nah
E: Yes
Sam: More sizing options at these fast fashion places than sometimes more expensive stores it seems unfortunately. My favorite local boutique doesn’t even have my jean size cause I guess it isn’t small enough.
Sophie: Yes!!!!!
Sarah: Not necessarily and I'll shop both men's and women's. Sometimes it a size 12 and then in different style, I’m a size 6. I've come to accept not everything is FOR me and my body.
Hadley: Lol yes
Jackson: No
Liz: Yes—honestly, it's not something I had considered for most of my life until content creators began speaking about the issue online in the last 5-10 years. To some extent of course, shopping and finding clothes that fit presents challenges to everyone. However, I realized I was privileged to be able to walk into any store without worrying if they'd carry my size. So accessibility is a really interesting concept when we talk about fast fashion. It's not so simple as just expecting everyone to boycott certain brands when many people are limited in where they are able to shop at all.
What draws you to the places / brands where you shop the most?
Blair: Pretty classic with a little something different or unique, high quality, ethical practices, diversity in sizes and shapes on their models online.
CG: Cute clothes, ethical creation
RP: Consistent quality, style that I like and fits me
E: Price
Sam: High quality pieces that feel comfortable and don’t have cheap material. I love Free People and Anthropologie and I know it’s a privilege to shop there but I try and save and go occasionally so I make it worth it.
Sophie: Eclectic, self-possessed clothes that tell a story
Sarah: Price. I work in retail so I'll do my best to get good deals where I can. If I can't get it for a good price I won't. After that I'll usually turn to thrifts.
Hadley: Thrifting—affordable, can often find better quality and unique items
Nuuly—can get more “trendy” items without committing, helps me buy less items in the long run
Jackson: Cuntish
Liz: Style, quality, and price.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Blair: Fashion is a tough industry. There is a lot of pressure to keep up with every changing trends but it’s expensive without looking to fast fashion.
CG: It’s so hard to avoid fast fashion. I do buy some fast fashion items. But I try to be very mindful of how much clothing I buy because at the end of the day, a person doesn’t need so many clothes, especially when you think of the cost to the environment and ESPECIALLY when you think of people working in substandard working conditions. I think we all need to draw a hard line and say no to brands like SHEIN that are known to have unacceptable labor conditions.
Sam: I guess this made me realize that I know the big fast fashion brands like Shein and Zara and H&M but there’s probably more out there, even ones I still shop at, that I’m not aware of and should educate myself on.
Sophie: Spread my ashes at Beacon’s Closet
Sarah: Clothes are clothes! They're just to cover your bits. You should do it in a way that makes you happy, comfy, and confident.
Hadley: Yes!! I’ve been on Nuuly for 6 months and while I have some frustration about the availability/ sizing of items it’s a really awesome app! Great for getting super specific pieces to wear 1-2 times that are nice quality or just satisfying the need to “get” new things.
Liz: It can be hard being a conscious fashion consumer with factors like price, accessibility, and trends on social media adding pressure. No one is perfect, but we can do our best. But if you shop at Shein, I will deeply judge you.
What is your favorite item of clothing you've ever owned?
Blair: As a kid, I was obsessed with “spinny dresses” and had this pink one that spun just right 👌🏽✨
CG: A nightgown that belonged to my grandmother
RP: My silver space astronaut costume
E: A pair of American Eagle jeans that ripped in the buttcrack when I dropped it low. Never been able to find a replica since.
Sam: This is so hard to choose but I do love this little corset top with puffy ruffle sleeves that I own from Urban Outfitters. My friends say I look like a hot version of George Washington when I wear it lol.
Sophie: Maaaan…all of them? The perfect Tyler McGillivary jeans printed with a rainbow swamp scene, a Ph5 dress I got on sample sale that’s a touch big but is absolutely beloved, a perfect-fitting tuxedo shirt I picked up at a thrift store, a black-and-white fringed leather jacket with a flower motif that my dad got me at an antique store, a soccer shirt with the crest of the Portuguese city my grandpa grew up in, a vampy floor-length black lace mermaid skirt I got at a consignment store my first year in New York, a teeny tiny Marni dress I thrifted for $20, a blazer I got in Kazakhstan (!!) with the glittery outline of two figures and their interlocking tongues…I got carried away but listen. Listen. I LOVE clothes. I love MY clothes.
Sarah: I can't say specifically. But I oogle for cool pants...always gotta be that heavy duty good quality shiii
Hadley: A John Richmond denim skirt that has RICH painted across the butt in pink lettering. From Depop I fear.
Jackson: My BBQd stain white t shirt
Liz: My black leather jacket. It's just so good.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this!!! Walk walk fashion baby!!!
