French people buy an average of 9.5 kg of clothing and footwear per year, and yet they claim they have ‘nothing to wear’. Numerous temptations encourage excessive spending: the ubiquitous ‘haul’ videos on social media, and the frenetic turnover of collections offered by fast fashion (over 7,200 products uploaded every day on Shein!) lead us to believe that we don’t have enough… or even that we aren’t enough, quite simply. Beyond creating cognitive biases, this frantic pursuit of style comes with a definite environmental cost, even when we turn to second-hand items. What if the solution were to shop in our own wardrobes – a possibility made easier by Cloz, the gem of an app that digitises our wardrobes?
In a world where immediacy is reinforced by our habits formed on social media, and where ceaseless ‘scrolling’ pushes us to constantly seek out the new, we must learn to consume differently.
A first approach
…would be to invest more in durable pieces to form the basics of our wardrobe. This is indeed a sensible solution to ensure they last over time and to prioritise quality over quantity. Yet, in a world where everything moves fast – very fast – aren’t we perpetually driven to prioritise instant gratification at the expense of sustainability?
A second approach
…would be to breathe new life into our clothes and give them a deeper meaning. Whether by rediscovering the pleasure of wearing them again through bolder combinations, or – if they no longer suit us – by donating them to friends, family or second-hand shops, every garment has a unique story to tell. Defining who we are and establishing our identity as individuals also means finding ways to extend the life of our clothes by passing them on to those around us or donating them to charities, thereby giving them a new lease of life and a new story.
A third approach
…would be to get to know ourselves better, so that we consume less but better. This amounts to valuing who we are rather than what we have. Social media, whilst a source of inspiration, can ultimately distance us from our identity by encouraging us to adopt styles that do not suit us. By choosing pieces that reflect our personality rather than fleeting trends dictated by social media, we demonstrate originality, individuality and activism by highlighting who we are rather than what we own.
This movement is also part of the new wave of ‘disinfluence’ that is gradually sweeping across the social media platform TikTok – despite it being a bastion of recommendations and immediacy.
