Socrates alledgedly once said something along the line of Nothing will ever be quite enough for anyone who thinks that just enough is too little. And I dare say, the good ol' bearded man was onto something.
After all being happy with just enough seems like the fastest road to, well, happiness. Were it not that this attitude towards life has about the standing of a pair of worn out slippers. No, anyone who wants to be someone in this world has to always want more, to mean more, to earn more and consequently to buy more. People like Khloé Kardashian and her 150-square-foot fitness closet are societies' superheroes, Not having to look at the price-tag while shopping a life-goal.
And then we all like the thrill of something new. So much in fact that fast fashion companies such as Zara and H&M built a whole business strategy around it, providing us with spot-on-trend stuff that is so cheap (and often of miserably poor quality), that we gladly toss it away and replace it by its trendier kin in a matter of weeks. Whereas clothes used to be long-term investment pieces for a very long time, they now have become disposables, with all social and environmental consequences that that entails.
I'll be the first to admit that the purchase of a pair of shoes can make your day (to be honest, buying a black leather biker jacket really did improve life quality tons), but if we're always looking for the next bargain, or craving for things that we can hardly afford, I think we're kind of forgetting to enjoy what we do have.
If we only we would think of Soccy's advice a bit more often and just remember that enough really is enough, we would not only be able to rid ourselves of that constant hunger for things, but also stop supporting an industry that lets other people pay for the True cost of clothes (and boy, is it a high price).
So here are a few rules I'm trying to stick by, a few guidelines to help me resist the temptation of a pair of knitted, acrylic palazzopants.
1. Don't buy obvious trend-pieces you'll get tired of before you've worn them more than twice.
2. You really don't need 20 pairs of shoes nor three different pairs of boyfriend jeans. Don't buy more than you need.
3. Really cherish your wardrobe. Don't let your clothes live on the floor, wash them according to instruction, treat your leather goods with a water-resistant spray.
4. When you're tired of your wardrobe, don't go buying something new, but try to spruce things up by changing your hairstyle, or trying out new combinations.
5. If you do buy something, buy something that will last a long time. Go for good quality and natural fabrics even if that means you have to pay a higher price.
6. And on the same note: If you really love a designer piece (Valentino rockstud ballerina's anyone?), buy the designer piece and not the knock-off. The real deal will still have value and mantain it's quality long after the hype has lied down, the cheap one will not.
7. Find your own personal style and stick to it. This way you won't be a easily tempted to give into pieces with a short preservability.
8. Have a long-term relationship with your clothes. Sure falling in love and feeling butterflies is fun, but everyone knows that the really good stuff comes when you stick together, no?
Any pointers to add up to this list? Lord knows we can all use them!
