(no subject)
i think, starting today, i'm making a resolution not to shop in malls anymore. more specifically, i don't wanna buy any more clothes if i don't know where and how they were made. i'm tired of not knowing what kind of bullshit child-labor factory fiefdom crap i end up supporting every time i get some poorly made $5 t-shirt. what the hell's the point? i recently went thrift store shopping and spent about $20 to get about 10 items of clothing, all of which have a hell of a lot more character than some shit from old navy. plus all the money goes to charity. i mean, is there even a comparison?
furthermore, why on earth should i pay for the obscene markup on manufactured retail when the counterculture is being gripped by an amazing craft revolution? i recently discovered www.etsy.com, which is like the ebay for people who make stuff -- specifically altered or handmade clothing. damn, those girls and boys can sew. a lot of them will custom-make a piece if you send in your measurements. how can that possibly be beat? i recently ordered an item from a girl on etsy, and not only did she send it to me two days later in a pretty little box tied with a bow, but she also wrote me a handmade, handwritten card and sent me two japanese candies. and this i purchased while lounging on the couch rather than fighting through a sea of stuff-hungry fifteen-year-olds in miniskirts.
so, from here on, i will buy clothing
-in thrift shops
-at vintage stores or high-quality used clothing stores (à la the red light)
-on ebay
-handmade or reformatted
-or from any company that is clearly and verifiably practicing fair trade.
i think the only exception i'll be willing to make here is for shoes. i've got pretty fucked-up feet, they pronate quite badly, and i pretty much can't get away with thrift-store shoes (nor can i pay $400 for the handmade kind). moreover, i'm not sure you could find something like a pair of quality hiking boots made by happy well-paid worker elves.