Lately I have been taking a lot of pictures of my outfits again. After deciding not to continue posting so much about clothes in April, I have been wanting to keep on incorporating style in a more organic way on the blog. Honestly, I stopped doing it in part because I thought it encouraged consumerism and created an unrealistic image of how much clothes is enough clothes... I personally chose to live according to simple values and without clutter. So my style reflects that a lot these days. Plus, I was getting increasingly bored with personal style blogs in general.
All that to say that from now on some days I'll be posting about my outfit but in a simpler way that reflects my life and values better. And in the end, something in my outfit is always movie related. In this one, it's the hat, that I purchased at Walmart, before seeing Michael Moore's Capitalism, a Love Story. Now that I have seen it, I can no longer be in denial, and I will never again shop at Walmart. Or Target for that matter, who is coming to my province by buying off an existing brand and laying off thousands of employees, some of which have been working for that brand for over 20 years! Shameful.
I don't think I've ever told you but: I'm anti-capitalist and socialist.
And now you know...
Lots of talk for an outfit post, huh?
Virginie
Outfit credits: Simons Shorts // Thrifted Top // Esprit Leather Bag // H&M Sandals // The Source of All Evil Hat.
Perfect post, Virginie. I've been having many similar thoughts myself, especially in the last few months, and stopped labelling where the clothes come from not long ago. I've also cut down on posting and am trying to make sure (somewhat successfully) that all outfits are firmly contextualized by life. As another socialist/anti-consumerist, I feel a post on the subject coming up myself.
ReplyDeleteLeaving the talk aside, you look wonderful. This is exactly how I always want to look all summer, but my legs weren't really made to rock shorts as well as you always do. I love the 60s-ish vibe and the big hat (but boo, hiss about Walmart). Target has taken over Zellers, right? I'm appalled and should watch that film immediately.
Yeah they are taking over Zellers, not in the nicest way if you ask me. I was excited at first because it seems they would have cool products, but at this point in my life I don't want to give my money to some one who's values I disagree with...
DeleteAlso: your blog is one I never get tired of because there is so much more to it than just fashion :)
DeleteVirginie xo
I always like your very...simple look (simple as in clean, not-cluttered look).
ReplyDeleteThat's really sad about the lay offs. I've always rather liked Targets- mostly because the local one donates to education a lot (the entire corporation), and let's me take their old decorations (um, I'm a teacher, so I'm taking the decorations for classroom decor, not because I'm a hoarder or something!). Now I'll need to watch this documentary and see what I'm missing from the larger story.
I feel the same way about Walmart, I love going in, getting food, clothes, home stuff and plants all at one place for a really low price. But in the end, once I learned that they take life insurances on their employees without telling them and that they need to reach a certain amount of "deaths" a year because employes make them more money dead than alive, I kind of had to make the choice to just not associate myself with those practices...
DeleteThe things people do in the name of profit! Unbelievable.
Virginie
I do get your point, endless new clothes isn't always that exciting. I love this outfit, the Breton top works wonders x
ReplyDeleteReally thoughtful post! I agree with many things you've said here. If I am doing an outfit post I try and have the clothing just be a small part of the entry, like what I was wearing to an event I went, or to enhance the theme of something I am talking about. For example, I just wrote about 1950s fashion and feminism, and while I was wearing an over-the-top vintage dress, the post wasn't just about the dress, it lent itself to what I was taking about. I generally don't want to just write about my outfit. Although I do appreciate the artistry and design associated with fashion.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, I totally agree about places like Wal-Mart and big corporations. I actually just blogged about this recently. I feel like more and more young people in Canada are voting for left-wing parties, though. It is a major theme I see when I talk to people as well as on the blogs I read, even in Alberta! I am an NDPer from Alberta and it seems that increasingly (even here!) more and more people are voting for left wing parties. 1/3 Albertans voted NDP in the last election! But sadly the Conservatives still won. Anyway, sorry for this ramble! I really enjoy your posts!
Charmaine
I'll definitely have to check that post on your blog Charmaine!
DeleteI do feel like there is a shift in value and a real generation clash when it comes to Canadian and the way they have been voting. Telling a baby boomer you are anti-capitalist is like telling them you are legally insane. I think if we can learn something from the recent economical sways, it's that our lives and happiness don't revolve around how much money we have, but how we live daily, how we help each other and build creative and beautiful things together.
I'm glad the post resonated with you, I wasn't too sure I should be this honest...
Virginie xo
I love your hat! I feel similarly about the way my outfit posts were headed. I got sick of it extremely quickly because I felt like I was being so superficial and materialistic, when I'm not like that in real life AT ALL. I like to buy clothes when I find good deals, but I don't need a huge wardrobe to be happy. I've taken a break from The Coastal Chicster and rebranded by personal blog. I'm blogging there, and I'm much happier posting about my life and my weekends and with lots of photos of things other than my self! I did post a "10 Summer Essentials" list this weekend because, like you, I kind of started to miss making fun collages and posting about shopping and style occasionally. I think I might take a stab at posting an outfit here and there on my personal blog instead of going back to the style blog, though. I know I haven't commented in awhile, but I've been keeping up with your movie adventures and international travels! I hope you're enjoying the summer. =)
ReplyDelete~Lisa
It's so nice to hear from you Lisa!
DeleteI definitely agree with you about blogging the beautiful things in our lives, not just clothes! I think we have a few style bloggers on the internet that do it insanely well, and from there we should just do our own thing.
I'll always be glad that is was the bloggosphere that enabled us to connect though!
Virginie xo
Thumbs UP! This outfit is really super cute - the whole shot reminds me of Bridget Bardot as if she were at her favorite little getaway in Buzios, Brazil :)
ReplyDeleteI can also appreciate your values.. I don't shop at Walmart and I am constantly trying to convince friends and family WHY they shouldn't be either. Once again.. thumbs UP!
Awe, Michelle, thank you! Brigitte is my absolute favorite, so your comment makes my heart smile.
DeleteWith such talented people creating beautiful and inspiring indie things the way you do, we really have to become more sensitive to where our things comes from, what conditions they were made in and how much of it we truly need...
Keep up the good work girl!
Virginie xo
I don't think I have ever shopped at Wal-Mart. I was brought up believing that it was an evil place that bred evil behaviour. A little extreme but when you don't have Wal Mart obstructing your view you can see the beauty that local people around you can create. You become more invested in your community and in simplicity. Simplicity is the way to happiness.
ReplyDeleteAlso Simons is coming to my city and I am beyond excited.
Wren
Here here! I grew up with people telling me it's the brand of your clothes that make who you are and I always felt like such an alien because I refused to agree with them!
DeleteSimons is a great brand because it's based in Québec, offers a lot of Canadian brands and is a inspiring and positive place to work. Yay for having one opening in your city! They are definitely in my very favorites :)
Virginie xo
I love that you made your blog a truer form of yourself and what your life is really about. When I first began blogging I wanted it to be a personal style blog too but realized quickly that I cared more about living and documenting my experiences than what I was wearing when I experienced them.
ReplyDeleteI am a huge Michael Moore fan and a socialist as well! However, socialism is a dirty word in America and unfortunately it is a lot tougher to boycott Wal Mart as a poor college student in a very expensive state. Someday I will be able to live by example though, like you. =]
That's true, I feel you! Even for me I'm embarrassed to say it's a challenge. But I'll get use to it I'm sure :)
DeleteI think the bloggosphere is such an inspiring place that sometimes we are tempted to do like our favorite bloggers, but in the end we have to find our own groove and be true to our voice, which isn't always easy.
You know I love your blog though!!
Virginie xo
Wonderful post and thumbs up for being so honest! Rarely do I read about straight forward politics on lifestyle/fashion/creative/crafty blogs and this is refreshing. Would you agree the student strike is pushing us to take a stand on a more general level? I love that it's just so ok to say your an anti-capitalist lately :) Take care!
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine! I wasn't sure in posting this, but I felt really strongly that I had to open my heart to you.
DeleteI do think the student strike make us look a lot of things straight in the face, it's like we couldn't pretend this was working for us anymore. I never really believed in capitalism to start with but with the economical crisis going on everywhere in the world, I truly hope (albeit maybe naively) that it makes us reflect on our values and re-assess a lot of things in our society and our relationships with others...
Virginie xo
I adore that stripped top and big, fabulous hat!! :)
ReplyDeleteThose shorts are the most perfect length btw!
xo
Lizzie
placeclevertitlehere.blogspot.com
In my ideal world I would afford to support local markets, but it's insanely unfair that a cheeseburger costs five times less than a salad or how organic and local produce is always so much more expensive. It's not just food that this relates to of course, but it's such a vicious circle. The consumerism trap, indeed. Need to check out the docu and find out what it's all about according to Moore.
ReplyDeleteThat's true (about the cheeseburger), but cooking at home is often cheaper than either of them... a bit of a pipe dream with frantic modern lives though, I know!
DeleteI definitely see where you are coming from in your effort to be more thoughtful about your blog and your shopping habits. I think that style blogging can be an fun outlet for creatively sharing personal style, but there is so much more to life than clothing. I will definitely be more thoughtful about what stores I support for the remainder of the year. I see lots of swapping, second-hand shopping, and support of independent shop keepers in my future going forward.
ReplyDeleteHattitude Style Blog
ReplyDeletei knew about walmart being a big bad wolf, but had no idea target was as well. i was actually getting excited they were coming to canada finally. i'll have to do my research on target before i shop there.
talk soon wild child
-Hattie
Hattitude Style Blog
I love this post. It's taken me a while to get to it in my reader but I am in total socialist agreement with you and the posters above.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am bored with reading fashion blogs and nail art posts.
Where are the real human beings lately?
I was also excited about Target at first, but damn, I feel for the Zellers workers.
And the Bay was just bought by Bloomingdales. Who knows what will happen there.
I'm going to try to buy Canadian when buying new and otherwise thrift for my clothes. There are so many awesome local designers and shops in Toronto, I really should have no excuse.
Shop less, buy better.
I wonder if Toronto will get a Simons...?
I didn't know for The Bay! Oh no! We'll have to see I guess.
DeleteI think Edmonton is getting a Simons so TO should be getting one too, I hope! I brand I truly love and respect. Local designers are great, and so are the indies, we can thank Etsy for helping us find them!
"Shop less, buy better" will definitely be my motto!
Virginie xo
Very interesting post! I guess the whole blogging world just makes us want more and more stuff, especially clothes.. Every day you see other people wearing nice things, and a little voice inside your head is saying 'I need new clothes too'! I'm so fed up with all those bloggers constantly buying new clothes (even though "they were so cheap I couldn't leave them!" or whatever their excuse is) without thinking about it. And encouraging their readers to do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I haven't heard about the Target situation you talked about, but it's awful! I also wanted to mention: think about how many people just ignore the fact that their pretty H&M/Zara/Forever21/any high street brand clothes are made by Chinese or Indonesian girls who have to work as slaves in sweat shops for a very low wage... But when someone wears fur, they are accused of 'killing all those poor animals'... Weird :/
It's very hard to not buy clothes that are made in China or any Eastern country, but buying vintage clothing is definitely a good first step! Love that you're so honest about this :) x
That's so true about H&M / F21, I'm sure the clothes is not always made in ethical conditions, which I do not want to encourage. I figure I wear what I already have from there (instead of getting rid of it) but I've also chosen not to shop F21 anymore as much as possible. If they can sell me a dress for 20$, someone somewhere is getting abused...
DeleteThat's what I love so much about vintage, most of the garments I find and love always say "made in Canada", which only convinces me furthermore!
Thanks for taking part in the conversation :)
Virginie xo
Super cute outfit! I also really like your background...looks beautiful there!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting quite annoyed with all of the "what I wore" outfit posts as well, and agree with what someone else mentioned about how they like to incorporate it into a post about something else so it's not entirely about their outfit. I like to do that too.
What annoys me even more are the blog posts where people are clearly paid to talk about a product and push it on their readers. I don't even bother reading those posts.
So I'll begin by saying that capitalism has certainly (and some might say finally) shown the big holes in the system. Somethings are indeed cheaper coming from big bad companies but others (talking some brands here) are more expensive. And it is true that those of us who are slugging through a penniless college time don't seem to have much wiggle room to make ethical choices when it comes to consumer products and their background.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that Target was making similair moves as Walmart has done. That is very saddening news since Target is my random-items place. I need shampoo I go there, I need a plate, I go there. But I am glad to say that I cannot remember the last time I entered a Walmart. Thank goodness for that!
I am a definite supporter of second hand and thrift shops. I would not know much about local designers since we have none here in my part of NorCal. But I can agree that supporting some local work is always a good option. Usually local artisans have unique wonderful stuff period. Now if the cost for most was also at a managable range I would always be buying things locally. And that is where many people fall off the ethical train-- for most it just isn't convenient or managable.
I would like to admit that though I am a fashion freak and seem to have a bulging wardrobe (I've been dealing with my shopaholic tendencies this year) I really disliked since my introduction to the blogsphere seeing all the labels and was even disgusted with the "paid product" posts or the amount of money some have paid for a plain tee...
I love your blog that always gives me cheer in so many more forms than clothes! I never thought of you as a mindless consumer who's capacity to share was only through outfits. I love your blog and hope you continue to speak your mind and share your everyday rambles!
Wow, thank you for your kind words! I really appreciate it :)
DeleteI see my blog as a diary, hence the rambling, and I'm happy that by sharing my opinion we could all take part in this conversation. That's the cool thing with blogging!
I think in the end we have to think about how much we really need in general, which is really not that much...
Virginie xo