Continuously buying mountains of fast fashion because "there's no ethical consumption under capitalism" is like throwing dirt in your apartment because "nothing is ever 100% clean, right?"

@jadefrota1583

Жыл бұрын

Yes!!!

@goodnightbeautiful

Жыл бұрын

When Clinton Admin outsourced manufacturing to China/The Global South in the 90's they were aware intellectual property theft would be part of that.

@mecanias

Жыл бұрын

Not to mention it's a total misuse of the phrase- "there is no ethical consumption under Capitalism" comes from Marxism, the ideology strongly believed contributing MORE to consumerism, regardless of the price, removes one's self-identity, and thus makes you another pawn of consumerism. The phrase means to say there is no ethical consumption under Capitalism, so you must REDUCE unnecessary spending as to perserve one's self outside of consumerism, but people have a quite beautiful lack of comprehension and context, and of course a natural affinity for misunderstanding, don't they?

@Cherrydriver1

Жыл бұрын

Right and if you wanted to be the closest possible to “ethical” thrifting would be it. Definitely not fast fashion

@SweetTeeToe

Жыл бұрын

@Pamela Falls i don’t make my bed for this exact reason so this is not the right argument

i always support being a hater. saw a video where ppl were recommending this knock off of a lirika matoshi dress and ppl and ppl were defending saying that $500 is too much and everyone should be able to have that look not just ppl who can pay that. like...having a $500 pink tulle dress is not a basic human right. idgi. theres nice clothes in a lot of diff price ranges. why pay $50 for a knockoff when u can just get something in ur price range

@julietdeane3128

Жыл бұрын

i love how tik tok used the language of accessibility to justify spending a shit ton of money on fast fashion. its like they think its a social justice issue that they cant own every single piece of clothing they want.

@danielleotron

Жыл бұрын

Literally

@danielleotron

Жыл бұрын

@@julietdeane3128 and it’s never like a basic piece someone may actually need to feel like they are following the clothing expectations of a certain setting like a nice outfit for a job interview, it’s always like I have a human right to own this hoodie with a skeleton ribcage on the front and this asymmetrical tank top and I don’t care how they were made.

@julietdeane3128

Жыл бұрын

@@danielleotron "i know poor children in the global south had to make this crop top for 4 cents a garment, but have you considered that middle class people deserve 500 dollar clothing halls too? telling me i cant is classism"

@julietdeane3128

Жыл бұрын

*hauls oops

I feel like Tik Tok is slowly making absolutely everything a trend therefore leading people to overconsume even more shit they don't need/isn't of quality. Tik Tok is the epitome of capitalism.

I love this video so much. I think it’s important to add that lower income people who are buying knock offs because they simply can’t afford the real item are not the ones holding up this lifestyle. It’s the people spending $1000 on Shein or Amazon and then claiming they “can’t afford” the real item

@LainiOzark

Жыл бұрын

1000000%

@PettyBlue1

Жыл бұрын

​@@amandak.4246 I get what you mean, but "regardless of income" would be an exaggeration.

not even getting into ethical reasons but I just don't like how dupe culture encourages everyone to dress the same! i feel like we used to NOT want to have the exact same pieces as everyone else.... honestly the first time in my life I remember everyone wanting the exact same pieces (and dupes) was in the 2013-2015 heyday of American Apparel on social media.

@aidapinacisneros2723

Жыл бұрын

i love this comparison. The newfound need for us all to have the exact link to an item is not only making everyone look like carbon copies of each other, but it’s actually accelerating its already alarmingly fast cyclical nature. It’s no wonder the exhaustion of fashion/trend cycles have only quickened with the popularity of tik tok

@baby.nay.

Жыл бұрын

Well said ! When I was in high school 02-06 , there were definitely brands and styles deemed worthy and those not, but the emphasis on having a piece no one else had was huge ! Aside from chuck Taylor’s, certain Jordan’s and af1s, it wasn’t cool to have the exact same piece as anyone else , my school had almost 3500 students and a trendy piece might mean 3 people had it and probably weren’t friends. There was a popular rocawear satin bomber jacket I had that 2 others had in the same color way and we would just politely acknowledge each other if we wore it same day … But you’re so so right about American apparel, when they first hit my city they had like only 5 colors and everyone was encouraged to steal from there so all the sudden in 2006 everyone dressed the same 😅

the other thing is that no one values quality clothing. people look at me like i’m crazy when i tell them i spent 50+ on a piece. The satisfaction of buying a $5 shirt on shein has convinced ppl that nothing else is worth it if they can find a “dupe”

the internet needs more ''haters'' to say the truth, tik tok culture is ruining the individual sense of style and just turning us all into ''micro influencers'' and super consumers. thank u for such a true opinion laini 💓💓

@user-iz3ss5rb3z

Жыл бұрын

This is so true because even when you head to most stores the outfits there are ones repeated all over tiktok and pinterest and it's hard to shop in places that can give you a unique sense of style

hi laini, i think the work you were looking for was “consumerist.” i’ve been more similar to you lately, using the real world or my personal interests in media to inspire me instead of designer fashion. but i am glad i was into designer fashion for a while because it helped me understand where the money goes, and sometimes (especially with smaller brands) the money is worth it. with designer brands, people are paid to concept and drape and create a product, and that has value to me as a creative. i don’t like how hyper-consumerist fashion influencers will downplay that just because they don’t feel like spending more money.

This is such a valid video omg TikTok culture is rlly bad for “dupes”

@LainiOzark

Жыл бұрын

I deleted tiktok again because of it

We love hater Laini in this house.

yea i think people really misinterpreted the "no ethical consumption" idea. it was never meant to justify shopper's apathy and just letting you continue buying hundreds of things guilt free. it just meant that each individual costumer, no matter the product, is unable to buy anything thats cruelty free because most of our products are made by actual slavery, in inhumane sweat shops, or with resources taken from 3rd world countries who's governments are often overthrown by corporation sponsored groups in order to appoint leaders who will trade with them. when we talk about "no ethical consumption" were talking about the coca-cola death squads and banana republics, not ticktockers going on their 5th shein haul that month or people buying from restaurants that they know donate directly to anti-lgbt groups 🙄

@gristen

Жыл бұрын

and btw when i say banana republic i mean the political science term not the clothing store lol

@seraph3m

Жыл бұрын

exactlyy. i wish there were more videos about the pop usage of communism’s language, it’d be super interesting. but tbf a lot of social justice phrases have been commodified to lose meaning.

I started my clothing brand last year and aliexpress started created dupes of almost everything within 2 months. Now I get ads for my own stolen products (using my own photos) on Pinterest constantly, sometimes I see people wearing them on Instagram. It’s kind of a depressing reality that I had to accept or else it would eat at me. Ive seen plenty of people arguing that they can’t afford my prices so they have “no choice” but to buy dupes, and that it’s classist I would price my products at what for me is a livable wage after business expenses. Very strange being told off, as the designer of something they want to own. Zero respect. You don’t think it would happen to you starting off the bat, and then it does.

@baby.nay.

Жыл бұрын

Bruhhhh fuck ali express . I’m really sorry that happened and is still happening… wish you the best with your designs

@aspannas

Жыл бұрын

People are so out of touch, "no choice" to buy dupes is just crazy, no one is forcing them to buy it nor is it a necessity. I'm sorry that happened, I feel bad for all the small brands that have been victims of this. What's the name of your brand?

@inamuvlog

Жыл бұрын

omg lirika matoshi hi!! /j

@bbyguz

Жыл бұрын

"no choice" LOL people are literally so stupid. if you can’t support the artist why is your first reaction to hurt and mock them buy buying the cheap copied version... sorry that happened to you.

I’ve seen so many sustainable and thrift-based creators dedicate so much of their content on instagram and tik tok recently to amazon affiliates :,) hurts to see

@baby.nay.

Жыл бұрын

Yikes

i think the only good reason why it’s ‘fuggs >:( to fuggs

going through design school I learned how the goal of TikTok was to encourage laziness, impulsive purchases, overconsumption, and fomo cultures, and that’s when I was okay with not being on it or caring about what’s popular on there

Calling something a 'dupe' instead of 'knock-off' feels classist to me. With dupes I feel like people convincing themselves they're getting a good deal or something better than the original, I feel like there's always the implication that they can afford the 'real' thing. Whereas knock-offs are people wanting better than they can afford - knock-offs come with more judgement from others, especially when someone working class is wearing the knock-off.

@user-iz3ss5rb3z

Жыл бұрын

This!!!

@luiysia

Жыл бұрын

eh the distinction makes sense to me because knock offs(as described in the vid) are illegal to make or sell. dupes are legal

@melodymay4888

Жыл бұрын

@@luiysia yeah i feel like dupe is just a similar product that wasn’t intentionally violating copyright but knock off is literally copying someone could be sued over

I think that this is where originality in fashion is so important!! As long as people subscribe to micro trends the issue of knock-offs is going to remain a problem. If more emphasis was put on the originality and authenticity of one's personal style as being trendy, then I feel like the idea of knock-offs would become less popular. I also find it weird how there is this dichotomy in fashion where people are both trying to be original and different but also trendy and 'in-style' I get confused about how both are possible

@cellamarino

Жыл бұрын

its also the strange circle of society where items/pieces/outfits (in relation to this video, not to mention cultural appropriation etc.) that people have been mocked or bullied for wearing suddenly become 'trendy'. and then when the microtrend has died down, they get mocked for being 'out of style'. it is infuriating, i could type for hours about the nuances of this topic.

I think it's beautiful that we have the fortitude to self-reflect and recognize that something is bad, especially as we're still falling for it. That's the first step towards a better world, imo. And there's absolutely less and more ethical hauls! If every influencer limited themselves to thrift hauls, the world would undeniably a better place. Growing up, I thought of second-hand clothes as "less than" and no one I knew would buy anything used. It would literally be uncool to wear used stuff or knock-offs. Watching channels like yours has really changed my way of thinking... now I spent hours on preloved websites for a unique item that no one else can get. :) Am I perfect? No. Often, even after spending hours of searching, I can still not find what I'm looking for and I will go to a "normal" store (about which I often feel guilty), but even then I still make sure the materials are good quality and sustainable. And I'm sure you made similar changes in other viewers's purchasing behaviors. Even if, off camera, you make mistakes and buy an UO shirt (we all do) it's the fact that you don't glorify it that makes people change rethink their own behavior.

I like what you said about exclusivity, but for example with the brand „UGG“ it makes me so annoyed that it‘s not even the original, like these shoes were originally simple sheep skin shoes everyone & their mother had in Australia & now I get stared at if I don‘t wear the UGG ones

i think the pendulum swinging towards loving dupes/knock-offs is a reaction towards the extreme gatekeeping we saw growing up. i remember being in school and seeing kids getting bullied for not having the real uggs or some other trendy item. it was embarrassing. im very 50/50 on this topic. i think as soon as the dupes obsession hits a fever pitch for a while, we'll see a return to a more purist type of consumer habit, where its considered embarrassing or try-hard to buy the dupe or knock-off version again. sorry if this is a potential repeat to whats being said in the video havent watched it all the way through yet!!

@sammiejeanne3846

Жыл бұрын

once knock-off and dupe items are no longer "cool" according to tiktok, they are gonna just end up dumped off at the thrift store or the landfills.

This all is so true! When I started posting on TikTok my 1st “viral video” that got me all my followers was showing belts I found in Walmart while I was shopping. I would then post other content not shopping or haul related and wouldn’t get any views. Not until I would post a shopping video would I get views. I quickly realized that if I wanted views or followers that this is the content I needed to make. I then made my LTK and started making “money” aka $50 over the course of a whole year just from a few TikTok’s that got a few thousand views. It made me feel like if I started posting my “finds” or “dupes” videos I could make some actual money to help me supplement some income. I literally didn’t buy them because I didn’t have the money but I would film in the store and post, something so many people do. I’m not saying that’s wrong, I’m just saying all this to say I have started getting the ick for overconsumption especially firsthand buying vs secondhand. I literally get so down on myself because if I post a video of my face or something not shopping related I get no views or likes or lose followers and it runs my self esteem into the ground. It really is true that unless you have a big personality and grew a following years ago it feels like posting shopping or product content is the main or only way to grow on social media/tik Tok

the whole 'no ethical consumption' line is either from ignorance (since lots of the people parroting it seem so young) or a form of doomerism that is either just performative cynicism or at its worst, just a thin excuse to hide that they think their hedonistic consumerism is more important than ... caring about anything. i hate it .

@catbearfriend

Жыл бұрын

the last sentence of your comment just reminded me how much i hate the apathy and insincerity of people online. it feels like being insincere and cynical became “cool” which caused people to begin regurgitating the same talking points around consumption, all of which gave them a free pass to buy everything and anything while cloaking it in arguments about classism and accessibility (neither of which they actually care about.) i wish people would just be honest and be like “yeah idgaf that’s why i’m still buying from shein” rather than making it into “actually you’re classist because poor people *NEED* to buy shein and i support poor people and therefore did a $500 haul” (sorry for the long comment, i’m just so irked over this)

oh yesss i already know i am going to love this…also you look so incredibly gorge

@LainiOzark

Жыл бұрын

Ily

yesss i was just having this convo with my sister yesterday... tiktok is getting unbearable bc it feels like a constant ad

The only knock off I’m interested is one of those adidas knock offs with weird spellings. I would wear the hell out of an “abibas” jacket or hat becuase it’s hilarious

love love love this video 💕 i feel like the root of what you’re getting at is our culture’s overconsumption. amazon, shein, and brands that push out whatever is trendy end up throwing away sooo much because it’s impossible for all of it to actually be bought. i wonder how many fuggs are gonna end up in a landfill within the next 5 years. we also can definitely critique things we still participate in and i think it’s important we do; it’s part of the complexity of issues like this

I still have my knockoff doc martens from 2018! They were so loved the soles almost came entirely off

"..... it sparks rage" that's a take on Mari Kondo I can get on board with. Thought provoking video as always, thankyou Laini!

Thank you Laini, for widening my knowledge in fashion and it's own culture🙂

i think people rn don't have the concept of being a poser. that used to be such a huge part of teen lexicon but it's almost totally gone now. partly that's a good thing bc it was used in a lot of rly toxic ways (like for instance gatekeeping women out of hobbies like video games or certain kinds of music) but tbh some people are just straight up posers lol

I’ve also noticed that the ‘no ethical consumption under capitalism’ discourse can be used to justify reckless consumption :/

Okay, could someone please tell me if I'm wrong? Someone asked for a dupe of the "SKIMS black long slip dress" on TikTok and I said "Skims dupe? Just search for a sleeveless maxi dress smh" or something like that. Granted, I could've said it nicer but I'm irritated with how people don't even try to look for their own clothes anymore. I added that SKIMS is the dupe because this type of dress had been around long before Kim and it's so generic. The comments bombarded me saying "Cheaper dresses are the dupe because SKIMS is more famous/expensive." Is that how it works in the fashion world or are they chronically online? Or are we all wrong lol?

@trichelleivory2874

Жыл бұрын

Literally tho I thought the same thing when I first saw Kim's dress. It's literally a maxi dress which were so popular in 2013-2014 era lol nothing new just trend recycling tbh.

@1212x_O

Жыл бұрын

@@trichelleivory2874 THANK YOU. I thought it was so intriguing how pliable their minds are to these influencers 😭 If she put the slightest cut out, they’d totally be in the right but I can literally get that dress off Shein before Kim even started her brand. In fact, I have and it fits wonderfully like-

@madeleinecorreia6374

Жыл бұрын

i completely agree with people not really looking for clothes anymore... i feel like even just that things are listed on vinted & depop as being something'core' reflects this too liiiike there's so many ways to describe clothes what is going on

@1212x_O

Жыл бұрын

@@madeleinecorreia6374 Right. When I’m on Pinterest, I see people asking “where’s this shirt from?” And it’s literally just a lace camisole that you can buy in a 5 pack on Amazon

“The PEOPLE’S fashion” got me 😂😂😂

tbh i’m not on dupe tik tok so i don’t think i knew a lot about this but i do think it’s frustrating to see the way influencers are so numerous now that it feels like over consumption is expected/ encouraged. personally i like to thrift everything because it makes me think for myself and decide what i like (bc there is such a large range of options). influencer culture keeps people reeling for the next “big” thing but the cycles move so quickly now. the fact that there’s a new one everyday = over consumption

I love dupes specifically when it comes to second had buying if I’m on vinted for example and find a top that gives Vivienne Westwood vibes for a £2 I will definitely be so happy or even a skims like top from H&M but a great example of knockoff/ dupes Is the Kendal Jenner green house of sunny dress where originally it was this cool one off sort a piece but now I’m literally finding the shien verson of it in charity shops it became a micro trend and was over produced by fast fashion brands and now everyone hates it which is sad because I do think that dress was beautiful

you are not being a hater Laini!! I am loving these fashion commentaries!! mwah

I love when you do these type of videos

always love to hear your ideas and give them a deep thought, it has helped me be more critical of how i consume fashion and it's media. love your content

TikTok itself is going to be out of style soon because of all the cringe content and childish mindsets on the platform. Can't wait lol

Laini, thank you so much for doing this video!! I especially appreciated your point about ensuring you’re adding value and teaching something or sharing something worthwhile in your content as an influencer. There is so much noise online the intentionality is important and comes through in what you share!! Also enjoyed the idea of complacency, i.e. all consumption is bad so if I don’t try it’s fine. This resignation is so widespread I sometimes can’t tell if it’s sarcastic/an excuse or if people actually think this way! You’re amazing, keep it up 💗

Laini your videos make so much sense and i feel the same, wearing something in real life and feeling food on the street is such a different feeling than watching all these shows, but also regarding dupes i really don’t know if with the money that we don’t have for retirement we can honestly participate in luxury buying of any sort.. also right when the video ended a gucci ad played with dakoda johnson beeing paped in casual wear crossing the street holding a 5.000 dollar bag and i thought it was so funny 😂

when you said I'm doing this video being a hater because everyone seemed to love the other video where I was being a hater, I truly got The Boys' Homelander's vibe's on that meme where he is like "Ok.... Alright!!!" 🤣

Laini, you’re the realest one out there to call out all these so called TikTok “influencers” promoting cheap knock offs. I feel like our society is turning into brainless consumers…

i think the whole idea of dupes came from the beauty community because often you’ll find products that are closely similar but it is difficult to find one with the exact same formula. you cannot replicate that really in fashion without copying a design.

LANEEE GIRL I LOVE YOU FOR THIS this is incredible to watch. you mentioning jennxpenn, andrea and ingrid omg!! i literally watched youtube and learned how to do makeup that way. “2016” is a year i hear a lot of people saying was the best year for beauty influencer youtube. Affiliate Links Have Ruined Everything!!

The little overlapping hand gesture was so cute 🥰🥰

i actually love these videos! & i love that you admit your role in it you’re not like hating or preaching you’re sharing insight and your opinion!!

You’re like bringing “sense” back into fashion sense, love it.

I think one big reason is our society has increased consumption SO MUCH to pacify us from all the bad happening lol and this is one way that presents itself. Also way less individuality in style for some so we’re all chill with looking the same so long as we get the “right products”

The way I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now and you’ve explained everything so perfectly. You are a super genius laini 💕

i definitely get the vibes of what you’re saying about dupes with the Uggs example but, for that particular shoe, I just do not care at all if it’s duped a million times. I think maybe it’s because the shoe is such a comfy, Midwest staple kind of shoe that it’s nice to have more price points available. My mom is NOT a short, black UGG style boot for comfort but the price is a lot for shoes she would just wear inside and to run errands (glorified outdoor slippers). She bought the Sams Club version and they are neat and practical for her because it’s not really a fashion thing. I get it about the everyone suddenly needs the “dupes” to be able to have the next trendy thing though. It’s an obnoxious mindset and I wish people (myself included) would be more comfortable with simply letting trends pass us by

this felt like chatting to a friend on a couch! love your take on this laini!!

Laini I really appreciate the way that you speak about fashion. It's really refreshing and I admire your authenticity. Although we have a different fashion sense, you inspire me so much and I am always very comforted by your content. Thanks for being you

i definitely agree that people on social media have taken "there's no ethical consumption under capitalism" to justify over consumption, almost as if it will someone rid them of any fault for knowingly purchasing excessive amounts of fast fashion. it's really annoying when there's $1,000 shein hauls because that same amount of money could purchase higher quality items from sustainable brands (but the mentality of these hauls is always quantity over quality🙄). ik that fast fashion is WAY more affordable to most people, so i'm not blaming those who can't afford a more sustainable wardrobe. like you mentioned, it's more so the culture of consumerism and influencers who use their platform as a store for brands like amazon

i love you doing these types videos, please keep sharing your perspectives on the insane world of internet fashion

i hate the “no ethical consumption under capitalism” use as an excuse for mindless consumerism. yes there is no ethical consumption under capitalism… so consume less. its that easy.

this video is revolutionary Laini!!!

I love your sit down opinion videos! They’re thought provoking and so well down/organized💗

Laini... THANK YOU

i hate when people’s takeaway from “ no ethical consumption under capitalism” is that they should just consume whatever. like no , if no consumption is ethical then you should consume as little as possible. also , “it’s always unethical” does not mean “it’s all equally unethical”

this is so interesting how you mentioned chronically online vs the real world

hello laini. i'd refer to the constantly buying new as hyper-consumption, my younger sister is 20 and will not stop buying hundreds of items a year from shein. for a lot of people its affordability makes it justifiable because in the uk, the cost of living crisis means that even regular fast-fashion like h&m is way too expensive for most. saying that, my sister will also justify spending £500 on a prada bag to wear with her shein outfit..

Your channel has truly helped me so much!! I seriously love all your videos

I LOVE YOUR MINDSET in fashion right now!!! This is your purpose to start the conversation, why are we stuck in such a creative space! It’s time to see true expression 💛

i always appreciate how you speak your mind on uneasy topics that can invite criticism. i absolutely agree with what you said, whether it be about knockoffs or gatekeeping. it’s so refreshing to see someone who actually loves fashion and enjoys putting outfits together and isn’t having massive hauls for the purpose of content

the everyone having a morphe code is now everyone having a parade code. i thought when they emailed me, it was cool and they were supporting smaller influencers but nope, i stopped even posting mine bc who's gonna use mine if everyone has one! my issue with "dupes" is it encourages stealing art. like someone might believe a big corporations deserves their money so they by a knockoff but then the same thing will happen when an item from a smaller brand goes viral, like with the Lirika Matoshi strawberry dress

OMG the SPECIFICITY of middle school "bear claw" fuggs reference hahahah I appreciate your mind so much

Laini this is great video one of my top favorites!!!

Love that you always tell it like it is, think for yourself, question the status quo, use logic/facts and reason, and encourage others to do the same (AKA, to use our brains!)!! So, thank you for sharing your well-considered thoughts- it’s always appreciated. ❤ It’s so important to shed light on the reality of these distorted ideas because too many people out there get sucked into to seeing it normalized and end up adopting the same distorted perspective without question or reason, which is how the idea continues to spread with a backwards agenda attached. I completely agree with your assessment of these situations, and I think it could be argued that it ultimately all stems from the same roots…. greed, selfishness, and impulse.

loved this discussion! also, you are GLOWING btw

i love videos like these!! i did a paper last semester on the global issues surrounding fast fashion, i definitely think topics like these should be talked about more. ❤🧥👖

You have been glowinngggg recently (maybe since Lucy was born) and I am so happy for you 🥺❤️

whenever i think of knock-offs and how taboo they used to be as a kid-preteen i remember how the girls would stretch your Livestrong bracelet to see if it was real

The ending was so cute hahaha i genuinely love you 🤍

Interesting video, love your commentary. I think there’s a distinction between different types of knockoffs- if it looks just like the original but has its own design label, that’s a straightforward knockoff. But if it has a fake designer label that’s deceptive and on another level. And then there are knockoffs that aren’t identical but similar to a well known designer versions - like a contemporary designer who does their version of a classic flap Chanel. Those are more ‘inspired by’ than a knockoff. And with very simple, classic, minimalist designs it can be hard to say that something is even a knockoff if it is just similar.

The last 4 days of January, Laini!❤

Thank you for blessing my feed with another vid 🙏 💓

read the title and knew laini was about to go off ☠️

I'd only say "fuggs

Love this perspective, glad you shared! 🙂

I get you, I hate knock-offs but dupes are different and I tend to opt for dupes. I think it's because I relate it in the makeup sense where if I see a similar looking bag of similar quality or even better than the original that comes from a smaller brand e.g. I like buying Charles & Keith > high fashion designers like Gucci/Chanel/Prada etc. then I think it's just smarter buying. Other than that I agree with you

@aspannas

Жыл бұрын

Same, often I don't even care about the brand name, I just like the look of the item. I got a dupe for the Balenciaga shoes like 5 years ago because I simply like the shape of the shoe, they're my most worn shoes ever.

i 100% agree! there’s a really great Broey Deschanel video about the “no ethical consumption under capitalism” rhetoric being used out of context, it’s called “Why No One Wins the Fast Fashion Debate” :)))

i love your channel ❤️❤️

i seriously realized how much stuff i actually didn’t like and didn’t really want after deleting all my social media. i know how i like to dress now

Ily Laini

The comparison of KZreadrs from back in the day versus influencers on TikTok now was very eye-opening. Loved the video as always, will definitely help me to be a more conscious consumer of TikTok and other products

i hate the phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" because, while it is true that mass consumption isn't ever perfectly ethical in our capitalist system, there are so many things that are MORE ethical than others. like thrifting is by FAR more ethical and sustainable than shopping from fast fashion or luxury brands. that being said, i don't have a problem with people occasionally buying clothes from Shein/similar stories if they can't afford other brands and don't have access to thrifting. the REAL problem is people who do $500 Shein hauls who are more than capable of spending their money more wisely and ethically (again, MORE ethically, of course it'll never be perfectly ethical).

i agree with everything you said in this video!! i would like to add my two cents - we are currently in a recession so people wanna get things for the cheapest they possibly can. but i am glad you're bringing attention to / shining light on why that's not exactly a good thing. at the end of the day it mostly lies on these big companies that want to mass produce the same product millions of times BUT certainly doesn't help for the consumer to keep fueling said companies. it's a very big systematic issue (cough couch capitalism). so i relate to feeling like it's bad no matter where $$ goes but there are absolutely options in the middle that aren't the worst but also not the most expensive. overall we ALL need to be more continuous about how much we are consuming and to not be so easily influenced

5:35 I remember being so nervous to go to school and have someone clock my Bearclaws bc it wasn't the real thing...I think like one person said something about them not being real lol no one else cared!

Why did I love that outro so much 😂

i highly highly agree with what you said in this video!! the lines between dupes and knockoffs are blurring and now its cool to buy cheap versions of trendy items and not “gatekeep” where you got it from… the rise of tiktok & other fashion+lifestyle platforms are literally feeding into this phenomenon and its rather laughable seeing everyone own that same item

"I don't care where my money goes." Hmm. It sounds to me like those people have never touched, never held a real designer item. Society now is so based on the visual--if it looks good in a photo, it's good. If my house looks good in a photo, it doesn't matter if the cabinets are cheaply slapped together and about to fall off the wall. If my fake UGGs look just like real UGGs, good. But to use UGGs as an example--the parent company is in California, but UGGs are from Australia where there are lots of surfers and lots of sheep. The surfers would wear sheepskin boots to keep their feet warm as soon as they got out of the water. The lanolin in the sheepskin moisturizes your skin--you're not supposed to wear UGGs w socks. Also the sheepskin molds to the exact shape of your foot. So that was the original selling point of UGGs--not the way they looked, but the function and the quality of wearing real sheepskin. Obviously a designer item should be made with the finest quality materials and craftsmanship, that's what you're really paying for. But I think there's 2 issues: 1. some designer goods are NOT that well-made and 2. yeah, maybe that Gucci bag is nicer than a knockoff, but is it really worth $3000 more? You know it isn't. So for me, I am just looking for high quality and not some designer name splashed across it. I think your silver and blue metallic bags are a good example--they are well-made and as cute as a Chanel bag would be, but you're not paying thousands of dollars for a high-quality item. But you are willing to pay an Etsy seller $100 for a cute, well-made leather bag.

I appreciate your opinions. Thank you for speaking on this! Every time I go thrifting I see more & more Shein 😩 it’s sad that ppl justify spending 1k & over-consuming. How are people mad at designer brands?! They’re luxury not a necessity.

Also, I feel like you said it so well - people are like “oh it doesn’t matter where my money goes so I can buy from whatever companies I choose because all companies are unethical” keeps us in the loop of being force fed unethical companies, rather than forcing them to keep up with our demands because obviously we’re the ones creating the business market over time because we’re the ones purchasing things regardless of whether it’s from Shein or the mall or from a designer I think we can be conscious and intentional about where our money goes and who our money goes to and hopefully see that reflect in the companies and products available to us

13:35 yes, i see what you mean - i think oversimplifications of a complex issue like ethical consumption can come off as morally lazy, and an excuse to just disregard all the shades of grey to justify overconsuming without regard. I appreciate that you always point out how we can't be perfect, but that doesn't prevent us from still trying to make positive changes here and there. i watch every video you post but don't always comment - thank you for a thoughtful video as always! 💖

Unrelated, but I hate how I used to see people making fun of uggs and the stereotypical girls that wear them, only to now want them for the trend/ promote the dupes of them. It shows how people make fun of certain styles (mainly pertaining to women) only to make them a trend and pretend they didn’t shit on it in the past. The same thing also happened to alternative subcultures and the whole y2k style (which are still in trend at the moment). I wish people can just wear what they want and not make fun’s of others or mass consume products.

Your videos are therapy

It irks me when people use the sentence "theres no ethical consumption under capitalism" as way to distract from the part we as consumers play in this system. Feeling like there isn't a perfect option doesn't mean there isn't a better one.

Currently pulling an all nighter for art school and seeing that u posted woke me up abit :']

totally understand what you're trying to say about the whole "there is no ethical consumption" thing. it breeds helplessness and ultimately apathy because people feel like their personal choices can't and won't make a difference at the end of the day. love that you're able to talk about this and offer a better influence to shop secondhand in spite of the doubts that ideology may create :)