Fashion Victim

I bought these recently - I don't even quite know why. They weren't even on sale, and I didn't even really like them that much. I've worn them twice - once because they were my new shoes, and once more because I felt guilty for not wearing them.

I am not much of a Fashion Victim, but in many ways we all are a little bit. In Michelle Lee's book Fashion Victim , she identifies many victims of our current take on fashion: the sweat shop workers, the environment itself for the petroleum products and the bulging landfills, the animals for the leather and fur and wool and silk, the designers whose creativity is stolen by knock-off artists, the regional cultures that are homogenized, and the individuals who never develop their own style and who feel inferior and lacking all the time.

It was interesting timing to pick up this book right now, because I came back from my trip to Europe with a deep sense of dissatisfaction with my general style - a regionally accepted look of jeans, sneakers, hoodie sweatshirts, and fleece vests. In so many cities in Romania and Hungary I saw women who looked like they had made an effort with themselves - a scarf or other accessories - and they looked so happy and confident. I came home and tried to add a bit more effort and a few more accessories to my look.

This effort has been fun - I feel more confident and happier when I'm trying to look my best, and I just flat out enjoy some things like the feel of dangly earrings. It turns out I already own lots of things like scarves and earrings, but I just have to choose each and every morning whether or not to make the effort.

I think I can have a style makeover without shopping, without looking at current fashion trends, and without buying into the whole fashion victim mentality. What do I feel good wearing? What combinations can I make with the clothing I already own? If I am going to buy something, does it go with the things I have? Is it an item I will want to wear next year? You know - when everyone else is onto another trend and now I'll be all on my own in last year's styles?

So those shoes are going to Goodwill. My new rule when shopping - that item I'm buying needs to make my heart sing. I need to love it, or I shouldn't buy it. Because I want to love all my clothing, and have fun getting dressed in the morning.