Easing Off Fast Fashion Trends

PLASTIC GALORE!

Please re-use these bags.

One of my favourite programmes at the moment is ITV's Dress To Impress (reruns). It’s a reality series that involves three contestants battling it out to impress a singleton by finding them an outfit according to a brief. What really happens though is that the contestants don't listen to the brief and buy what they want instead. The programme features a lot of clothing that were trendy at the time it was filmed. Sometimes I shriek when I see what trends were worn back in the day. It's got me thinking about issues around fast fashion. I’m ashamed to say that there are many clothing items in my wardrobe that were trends at one point in time and that I’d be embarrassed to wear today.

Do we really need to wear clothes that are in? Why can’t we just have our basics and be done with it?

Fast fashion refers to the clothing industry's business model of replicating and mass-producing recent catwalk trends and high-fashion designs, at a low cost, and in a really short space of time. Trendy clothes at cheaper prices. Some fast fashion brands include SHEIN, Boohoo, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Uniqlo, and Primark. There are many issues surrounding fast fashion such as poor working conditions, exploitation, negative environmental impact, green-washing, and overconsumption, just to name a few.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. We can’t really blame consumers for purchasing fast fashion because some consumers may not be able to afford well-made and long lasting clothing that usually comes with a high price tag. What can consumers and businesses do to engage in and promote sustainable practices in fast fashion?

There are many issues surrounding fast fashion such as poor working conditions, exploitation, negative environmental impact, green-washing, and overconsumption, just to name a few.

Explore sustainable behaviour framework

How can a consumer be nudged to make sustainable choices? White et al. (2019) have developed a framework, named SHIFT, to encourage sustainable consumer behaviour change. SHIFT implies that consumers are more persuaded to engage in pro-environmental behaviours when the context influences psychological factors being, social influence, habit formation, individual self, feelings and cognition, and tangibility (White et al., 2019). Social influence – Consumers are impacted by the presence, behaviours, and expectations of others. Habit – Many sustainable behaviours involve repetition. It is suggested that to encourage consumers to repeat sustainable actions, actions should be easy to perform, and consumers could be offered incentives and/or feedback. The Individual Self – Who we are as an individual influences our behaviours. This factor involves self-concept, self-interest, self-consistency, self-efficacy, and individual differences. Feelings and Cognition – Our thoughts and feelings help us to evaluate sustainable actions. Self-transcendence and openness to change values have a positive impact on consumers' levels of ethical concern towards welfare (human and animal), and the environment. It has been found that an individual's level of concern towards animal welfare and the environment positively influences a consumer's likeliness to purchase ethically marketed fast fashion (Stringer et al., 2020).

SHIFT implies that consumers are more persuaded to engage in pro-environmental behaviours when the context influences psychological factors.

Have a try at curating a capsule wardrobe

Little to no research has been carried out on the effects of owning a capsule wardrobe. Recently, Bardley et al. (2022) investigated the effect of a 3 week capsule wardrobe on 10 female participants. To put it simply, the capsule wardrobe is a limited collection of apparel that are of high quality, long lasting, and suitable for a variety of occasions. Usually, capsule wardrobes consist of clothes that complement each other. The capsule wardrobe has gained attention within the past few years because it helps guide consumers to consume less whilst allowing them to explore their style at the same time. The capsule wardrobe positively impacted participants; they felt less stressed about choosing what to wear, they became less attached to fashion trends, and they enjoyed exploring their style. Participants were also more aware of conscious consumption (Bardey et al., 2022).

Of course, buying high quality products may not be suitable for everyone, but high quality products don't have to always be costly. Take a look around second-hand clothing apps - You'll be amazed at the bargains you can find.

Educate ourselves with the facts

Stringer et al. (2022) have found that consumers “perceive worker welfare concerns at both a proximal and cultural distance to themselves, and therefore struggle to connect with the issues associated with modern slavery”. In others words, consumers don’t see modern slavery first-hand and it doesn’t affect them personally. Out of sight, out of mind? Consumers acknowledge that exploitation is common practice in fast fashion to ensure that clothing remains cheap.

Out of sight, out of mind?

Zhang et al. (2021) conducted a study on consumer attitudes towards sustainability of fast fashion apparel in the UK, and found that consumers’ claimed knowledge of sustainability is higher than actual knowledge. Therefore consumers should regularly update their knowledge to avoid being misled by fast fashion companies. In addition, Zhang et al. (2021) state that fast fashion producers should be aware that “female working class consumers in the UK, who constitute a major part of the fast fashion market, are not sensitive to fast fashion products with sustainability features. Excessive emphasis on this could probably harm the market share” (Zhang et al., 2021). In the researchers’ words, females are “less sensitive to prices when purchasing fast fashion products with sustainability features”, and males however, are “more ready to increase their purchases of sustainable fast fashion products than females”.

Spread awareness

According to Chaturvedi et al. (2020), Gen Z consumers have strong ethical and moral values towards protecting the environment, which influences their purchase intentions. They take cost, environmental concern, perceived value, and personal norms into account when deciding to purchase recycled clothing. Because of these factors, the researchers suggest that marketers should provide thorough information about the positives of buying recycled clothing such as how it is produced and how it can reduce negative impact on the environment. Chaturvedi et al. (2020) also recommend that consumers who purchase recycled clothing should be offered rewards such as discounts and gift vouchers.

Ditch fast fashion apps

Limiting your access to fast fashion can save you money… and time. Many consumers regret the amount of time they spend on mobile shopping apps (McLean et al., 2022). McLean and colleagues carried out a study to understand the effects of consumers' interactions with mobile shopping apps (their intentions to reuse them, loyalty towards brands, and brand reputation). The researchers found that the addictive nature of shopping apps led to regrettable escapism. When scrolling through mobile shopping apps, participants enter a ‘flow’ state (i.e., being absorbed and engrossed in an activity). During this period, time feels distorted. As a consequence of spending so much time on these apps, consumers feel guilt and frustration.

The researchers found that the addictive nature of shopping apps led to regrettable escapism.

Be aware that influencers, influence

Social media influencers, generally found on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are becoming increasingly popular amongst young people. They have one job to do and that is to influence others. Influencers gain loyal and dedicated followers, which attract the attention of brands. Brands pay influencers to advertise their products and services, especially online fashion retailers. It’s highly cost effective and the need for traditional marketing methods such as television adverts is no more (Sinha & Fung, 2021). Some influencers even create their own brands.

Influencers play a large role in fast fashion, especially on platforms like YouTube. According to Thornton (2021), who studied unethical consumption habits of five fashion YouTubers/influencers, there is a need for fashion influencers to educate their viewers about fast fashion’s impact on the environment. Through 15 videos on the platform, Thornton (2021) found that: fast fashion brands dominate YouTube; YouTubers do not take responsibility for their unethical consumption habits; and no YouTuber successfully avoided making unsustainable fashion choices. If you don’t like the content your favourite YouTuber, or influencer in general is creating, let them know politely in their comments section, or just don’t entertain yourself with their fast fashion videos/content.

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Bardey, A., Booth, M., Heger, G., & Larsson, J. (2022). Finding yourself in your wardrobe: An exploratory study of lived experiences with a capsule wardrobe. International Journal of Market Research, 64(1), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470785321993743

Chaturvedi, P., Kulshreshtha, K. & Tripathi, V. (2020). Investigating the determinants of behavioral intentions of generation Z for recycled clothing: an evidence from a developing economy. Young Consumers, 21(4), 403-417. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-03-2020-1110

McLean, G., Al-Nabhani, K., & Marriott, H. (2022). 'Regrettable-escapism' the negative effects of mobile app use: a retail perspective. Psychology and Marketing, 39(1), 150-167. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21584

Sinha, J. I. & Fung, T. T. (2021). How Social Media Micro-Influencers Are Disrupting the Business of Youth Fashion. Rutgers Business Review, 6(1), 44-50.

Stringer, T., Mortimer, G. & Payne, A. R. (2020). Do ethical concerns and personal values influence the purchase intention of fast-fashion clothing? Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 24(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-01-2019-0011

Stringer, T., Payne, A. R. & Mortimer, G. (2022). As cheap as humanly possible: why consumers care less about worker welfare. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 26(4), 717-737. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-06-2021-0158

Thornton, I. (2021). “That is a Huge Wardrobe and Clothing Mistake!": The Unethical Consumption Habits of YouTube's Fashion Influencers and the Environmental Consequences of a Disposable Lifestyle. Pell Scholars and Senior Theses, 136.

White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D. J. (2019). How to SHIFT Consumer Behaviors to be More Sustainable: A Literature Review and Guiding Framework. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 22-49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242919825649

Zhang, B., Zhang, Y., & Zhou, P. (2021). Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK. Sustainability, 13(4), 1646. http://doi.org/10.3390/su13041646

Why Do Influencers Wear Makeup?

What comes to mind when you think of the word 'makeup'?

Is it joy, bank account, celebrity makeup lines, influencers, brushes, animal cruelty, lip gloss, a specific eyeshadow palette, a specific shade maybe(?), imperfections, toxic, eco beauty, oversaturated, trends, can't live without, cosmetics, wipes, or how about self-esteem?

MAKEUP MAKEUP MAKEUP

Makeup is what most of us are introduced to once we enter our pre-teen years. My earliest memories of makeup is probably when I was four or five, taking my mother's eyeliner and using it to (naughtily) draw (beautiful artwork) all over my parents' bedroom drawers and dresser.

Makeup can be bad.

I recently saw The Dark Secret Behind Your Favourite Makeup Products by Refinery29 and it really got me thinking about the why. Why do we not pay attention to where our beauty products come from? Why are we putting all of these chemicals on our faces? Why do we allow the exploitation of vulnerable children and young people? Why can't brands be more transparent?

Makeup can literally go bad as well. Makeup can have toxic ingredients and pose a risk to our health. Makeup costs money. Makeup when not applied properly can make us feel unskilful and the opposite of what we want to actually feel. Makeup can make us feel self-conscious. Seeing other people wear makeup makes us question whether we should wear it ourselves.

Makeup can only do so much.

Makeup can be great as well. It can allow us to express our individuality, cover our perceived 'imperfections', make us feel confident, helps us to practise our motor skills, possibly allow us to be 'perceived' as more attractive, and also to define or refine our features, as long as it's applied correctly though. Makeup can be therapeutic too; the act of applying makeup can be relaxing as well as watching someone else apply it.

But the question we would like to answer today is... why do we really use makeup?

Today we look at a journal article called: Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem. Tran and colleagues (2020) studied the motivations of nine female beauty influencers on YouTube from the United States and Great Britain concerning makeup use, using Jacobsen's (2006) Framework for Aesthetic Processing to explore their responses. This post is inspired by this research.

Makeup is pushed by society

External messages from society regarding beauty are impacted by family, culture, and social roles. The society we grow up in can shape how we feel about makeup. We wear makeup because we're constantly bombarded with new makeup trends. Social media such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok allows us to stay updated with the latest makeup trends. We feel pressure to conform to these trends, otherwise if we don't, we endure FOMO (the fear of missing out). Makeup trends change frequently in society, so what might be in today might not be in next month. Makeup is a reflection of the era we're in and how trends can change and return.

Makeup builds communities

Makeup has a lot of power to build wonderful communities. When we have an interest in something, we find out more about it. In this sense, we join beauty forums, watch videos on makeup hauls, and watch tutorials, etc. We share our makeup skills, knowhows, and recommendations in order to teach others to become more confident in themselves and with their makeup. We enjoy the positive feedback we receive when we get complimented for our makeup and makeup skills. Makeup creates diverse and inclusive communities that help, advise, and inspire.

Makeup is valuable

Makeup is a form of artistic expression. Makeup is art. There's a lot of makeup and a lot to do with it. Makeup helps us to be creative. It allows us to express our individuality. Makeup is fun to wear and fun to experiment with. Makeup is also inspiring and enjoyable. Makeup is therapeutic. Makeup is self-care to some. Makeup is pleasing to look at. Makeup is a creative outlet and allows us to de-stress.

Makeup gives autonomy

Makeup gives us the ability to look as we wish. We can use makeup to enhance or manipulate our appearance and even mood. We're in charge of our makeup and we can do as we please with it. We have the ability and control to shape the final look. With makeup we can change our self-image and how we are perceived. We wear makeup because it can improve our self-esteem. Makeup builds our confidence.

If you love makeup or loathe it, do as you please! Spend time doing things that bring you joy instead of worrying about how you're perceived by other people.

Do you wear makeup? If so, why do you wear it and do you think that we're fed too much content on makeup these days?

Curiosity is the best outfit. Thank you for reading.

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Tran, A., Rosales, R., & Copes, L. (2020). Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem. SAGE Open, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020933591