It’s Melanie and I have to admit something. I’ve been bad. And now when I say bad, I don’t mean the universally shared notion wherein one continually cheats on their significant other with said significant other’s best friend and then proceeds to devise and carry out an elaborate plan which ends up with the significant other dead in the middle of a forest. (Side note: These murder plots are getting cliche, no? If I were to murder someone, which my sensitive ass can’t, but if I WERE to, best believe Melanie T would not make it a cliche. There would be fireworks, roses falling from the sky, and Teslas carrying to body to and fro) Yeah, I’m definitely not the murder type nor do I think I’ll ever will be…unless? Someone hurts my cats! Then yes, I would willingly get in a fight with John Cena and my weak-back-aching-iron-deficient body would lose within 30 seconds…but it was all in the name of love? I’m coming for you Romeo and Juliet.
Can you tell someone has been watching too much True Crime and 20/20, though? Would you say it shows? (pun intended) Although I do occasionally get the urge to scam rich elitists for the sake of paying off student loans, I think I’m a pretty level-headed person. Butttt, you might also argue that that is exactly what any irrational person would feel the need to say. And with that, I say…
I don’t want to brag about how bad I am, but the closest I’ve gotten to being drunk, in all my 20 years of life, was when I consumed too much kombucha and felt a warm, yet unpleasant sensation radiate from my head. Yeah, I know. You can call the cops on me now. Being “bad” isn’t natural for me and I think it’s mainly due to the fact that my parents have always trusted me. I’ve never felt the desire to have a teen rebellion stage because there was nothing to escape from, which I am very fortunate for. My friends aren’t exactly the partying type either. If you consider 9 hour study sessions and Love Island binge-watching partying, then I guess you could say, as the kids do, we really know how to “turn up” at parties. Just like how your feet don’t always fit in those unbelievably discounted stunning shoes, being bad doesn’t always have to fit in the stereotypical mold that society has graciously created for us. Being bad, to me personally, means shopping unethically, procrastinating, and eating unhealthy. I’m more of a believer in, “My body is a temple” than “My body should storm Area 51 for aliens.” But maybe I just need some good convincing that THIS could possibly be real?
So when I admitted earlier in this post that I’ve been bad, I specifically meant shopping unethically and without sustainability as the driving force of my shopping decisions. I went to the mecca of west coast luxury shopping, otherwise known as South Coast Plaza, and bought items that weren’t so luxury from a particular fast fashion company, one that I would describe as the love child of Forever 21 and Zara. This Swedish multinational clothing-retail company frequently plays Carly Rae Jepsen and has, in my opinion, absolutely unflattering fitting room lighting…Seriously, if you need an ego deflator, just head to your nearest H&M, make a bee-line for the fitting rooms, and look at yourself in horror as you see every flaw you never knew existed be apologetically revealed to you via front AND side mirrors. Although H&M fitting rooms have proven to not be so easy on self-conscious eyes such as mine, it has, on certain occasions, demonstrated it’s worth as a budget-friendly chain retailer which sometimes, in my opinion, offers higher quality and higher fashion compared to Forever 21, but isn’t as pricey as the aggressively fashion-forward, Zara. And that is where I fell into the fast fashion trap. Hard. If you know me, you know that I’ve been trying to shop ethically and sustainably for around the past three years. (All thanks to The True Cost, an insightful documentary and exposé on the detrimental effects of fashion industry) Included in my pursuit to be a conscious consumer is avoiding fast fashion companies and, instead, thrifting or buying second-hand clothing through reselling apps and websites such as ThredUp. (use this link for $10 off your first purchase after you sign up!) However, everyone, including the omnipotent, Beyonce, makes mistakes. My good friend, Zainab, abhors shopping and would much rather, as a pre-med student, utilize that time to study and drink too much overpriced coffee. I’ve known her for almost a decade and we’ve never shopped together. And so when she voiced her need for new clothes for school, I, a business student, saw a lucky opportunity and gladly offered my services as an unofficial personal shopper. She generously obliged and we agreed on meeting up at H&M at 11 am on a Monday morning. (Have I mentioned that she’s a busy pre-med student?) We get there and, as any college student does, headed straight for the sale section. Zainab is Muslim so I have to keep in mind that modesty is important. Since shopping modestly narrows our clothing options, I try to zero in on long-sleeved tunics that offer interest through floral prints. Wearing a flowy tunic can quickly look drab since it, like the H&M fitting rooms, does little for the body and typically comes in one silhouette. I quickly learn that she’s not here for games. My friend sifts through racks of clothing quicker than fast fashion companies produce new clothing. I, on the other hand, take my time analyzing the fit, print, and details. After trying on our clothing options and going through a process of elimination, we head to the accessories part of the store. And this is the part of the hero’s journey where the hero faces challenges and temptations before inevitably having a revelation. The majorly discounted trendy shoes, socks, and bags triggered my point of weakness. Eight dollar blush pink faux suede sneakers beckoned for me to take them home. One dollar gold heart drop earrings softly whispered to me, “Why not? You knowwww you can’t resist me. Where’s the harm honey?” The abundance of vibrant red sale tags were inescapable for this shopaholic. I was on a high as I feverishly touched scarves, sorted through patterned socks, and tried on insanely marked-down shoes. Even Zainab had to talk me out of buying two pairs of shoes. I left the store $16 poorer while Zainab’s wallet took a $30 hit. I bought a pair of black over-the-knee socks, sheer polka-dotted socks, and my favorite of the haul, patent black pointed-toe loafers that make me feel like a wealthy Parisian woman who is very confident in herself. Zainab left with two tunic dresses and a faux suede jade-colored crossbody bag. Looking back, am I proud of what I did? No. Do I like the things I bought? Yes. Will I wear them? Most definitely. Does that make me an immoral and materialistic POS who contributes to slave labor of children and women? You tell me. This was the first time I’ve shopped at a fast fashion company in three years. Will it be my last? I’m betting on it. And if it isn’t, y’all can crucify me as the unethical fashion Jesus while I wear my $10 H&M loafers. I just have one request. Please be careful not to ruin the loafers. They ARE patent, and are therefore, very easy to scratch. 😉
Melanie T/ MelT
melt fashion 