a rebellious little pony

a few nights ago, maybe five or six, i bought a marc by marc jacobs bag. excitedly, i gushed to my friend about how i’d wanted the bag for the longest time and it was all mine in only 3-5 business days. needless to say, her reaction wasn’t exactly what i’d hoped for: she essentially called me a label whore, which i understand to mean shallow. i played it off like no big deal, but thinking back a few days later, i’m pretty offended. because that’s not what im all about.

i am the strongest advocate of thrifting, buying used (even if that means ebay or consignment shops), and reusing what you already have. there are a few pieces in my wardrobe that i consider my “staples” that were purchased at thrift stores- a $2 sweater vest, a $4 blazer, and  $4 structured, cropped sweater/blazer that buttons in the front. i consider it treasure hunting and when i find the perfect item, it can make (or break, if it’s not perfect) my whole day.

there is another side of me though, that has only just been developing in the past few years. i’ve become way more aware of fashion and of my femininity (which is a whole other story altogether) during college than i ever was in high school. back in HS, i was the girl wearing ill-fitting jeans, band tee shirts, hemp necklaces, and who washed her hair once- MAYBE twice- during the week. its disgusting- i know. but if i hadn’t gone through that, i would have probably never ventured out into where i am now, which is a more adult, pulled-together look. i have an ‘aesthetic’ for my style: i mainly wear neutral tones on top like light brown, beige, white grey, and occasionally deep reds or navy. on the bottom i’m pretty consistent with a dark wash jean but once in a great while ill wear a skirt, or god forbid- a dress. as for my accessories, i keep them natural toned or a poppy red color. i have a look.

my point is that now, unlike my high school years, my style is a more grown-up, and i feel like i need to spend a little more money to match how i feel. i’ve been shopping at places like the gap and urban outfitters more lately, and splurging on nicer jeans with a better fit. furthermore, i’m now on the prowl for clothes that just work for me, ignoring prices (to a point!! i am in college, still). by all means, i’m not a label whore. i stick to classy brands like coach, chanel, and marc jacobs while some other favorites are balmain  and calvin klein.

i was upset at her comment because even though the bag is a designer label, i think of it as an investment.

• it’s made of cotton so it’s super durable, wearable, and washable
• it fits my color palette
• i found it at a great price that i’m comfortable with 
• it’s something i’ve wanted for months- NOT an impulse buy.

she judged me immediately and i didnt really think that was fair; especially coming from somone who dresses in sweatpants and tie dyed tees to class every day (i know- i’m IN them) and pairs it with moccasin slippers and a free bag she got from work. seriously who are you to judge?

Wal-Mart delivers at least 30% and sometimes more than 50% of the entire U.S. consumption of products. Why the monopolization of our economy should scare you.

For those Americans who believe in what we were taught in civics class and Econ 101, the most disturbing revelation was not even the fragility of our food systems, but that some of our most cherished beliefs about how the U.S. economy works appear no longer to be true. We are told that companies are engaged in a mad scramble to discover exactly what we the U.S. consumers want and to devise perfectly tailored systems to supply those want as efficiently as possible. We are told that our economy is characterized by constantly chaotic yet always constructive competition and that any American with a better product and bit of gumption can bring that product to market and beat the big guys.

Read more, here. Please.