this is a really interesting discussion.
I am an environmental scientist and have mainly worked for environmental organisations. working and studying with environmentalists makes me feel a bit conflicted sometimes about how much i love clothes. i often think about the industry and its impacts on people and the environment and yet i do buy stuff from high-turnover shops like h&m, as well as some designer stuff (usually from outlets) and lots of vintage. in fact, this whole dilemma for me is something that i am currently trying to bring together and scope out in a project about fashion, identity and sustainainability for my masters thesis.
what has pissed me off over the years though, it how judgy people are, both women in these fields with the insidious sexism mentioned in other posts, as well as those engaged in working with the environment.
feminism and freedom for me is about choice; so you don't have to be a slave to fashion or trends, or conform to certain societal expectations. however, if you want to do this, because its how you express yourself, you can. (i just read an article this morning about the p*ssy cat dolls and whether they are feminist or sexist . . .)
the same choice thing with hard-core enviro types. i remember a clique of alternative, hippy-ish types at my university who also studied environmental studies who were really judgy about others choices with clothes etc. which surprised me somehow, as i kind of expected them to embrace all choices, if you know what i mean. i later found out, though, that many were 'trustafarians' - hippies with dreadlocks and trust funds. i never judged them for how they looked, yet they were quick to diss you, if you wore nikes or some other mass-produced label.
I am an environmental scientist and have mainly worked for environmental organisations. working and studying with environmentalists makes me feel a bit conflicted sometimes about how much i love clothes. i often think about the industry and its impacts on people and the environment and yet i do buy stuff from high-turnover shops like h&m, as well as some designer stuff (usually from outlets) and lots of vintage. in fact, this whole dilemma for me is something that i am currently trying to bring together and scope out in a project about fashion, identity and sustainainability for my masters thesis.
what has pissed me off over the years though, it how judgy people are, both women in these fields with the insidious sexism mentioned in other posts, as well as those engaged in working with the environment.
feminism and freedom for me is about choice; so you don't have to be a slave to fashion or trends, or conform to certain societal expectations. however, if you want to do this, because its how you express yourself, you can. (i just read an article this morning about the p*ssy cat dolls and whether they are feminist or sexist . . .)
the same choice thing with hard-core enviro types. i remember a clique of alternative, hippy-ish types at my university who also studied environmental studies who were really judgy about others choices with clothes etc. which surprised me somehow, as i kind of expected them to embrace all choices, if you know what i mean. i later found out, though, that many were 'trustafarians' - hippies with dreadlocks and trust funds. i never judged them for how they looked, yet they were quick to diss you, if you wore nikes or some other mass-produced label.
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I love "trustafarians" - I'm going to use that!
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no joke!
