I Was Addicted to Fast Fashion
Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I used to be one of those people. You know the type—always chasing the next trend, hauling massive shopping bags from Zara, H&M, Forever 21. I thought I was stylish. I thought I was keeping up. I was wrong.
It was 2018, and I was living in New York. My friend Marcus (let’s call him that—his real name’s not important) and I would hit up these stores every weekend. We’d spend hours in there, trying on clothes, laughing about ridiculous prints, buying stuff we’d never wear. It was fun. It was cheap. It was also completley unsustainable.
Then one day, I saw a documentary. It was called The True Cost, and it changed everything. Suddenly, those fun shopping sprees didn’t seem so fun anymore.
Waking Up to the Problem
I remember sitting in my tiny Brooklyn apartment at 11:30pm, scrolling through my Instagram feed, and seeing post after post about the Rana Plaza collapse. 1,134 people died because they were making clothes for people like me. For people who thought $87 for a dress was a steal.
I called Marcus the next day. “You saw this, right?” I asked. “Yeah, it’s messed up,” he said. “But what are we gonna do? Not buy clothes?”
And that’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s not about not buying clothes. It’s about buying better. Buying less. Buying with intention.
The Hardest Part: Changing My Habits
I decided to quit cold turkey. No more fast fashion. No more impulse buys. No more supporting an industry that exploits workers and destroys the planet. Easy, right? Wrong.
It was harder than I thought. I’d walk past a store and see a dress I loved. I’d scroll online and see a sale I couldn’t resist. But then I’d remember. I’d remember the people. I’d remember the planet. And I’d walk away.
About three months in, I hit a wall. I was bored of my clothes. I felt like I had nothing to wear. I complained to my colleague named Dave over coffee at the place on 5th. “I get it,” he said. “But you’re just gonna have to find other ways to express yourself.”
And he was right. I started thrifting. I learned to sew. I discovered brands that aligned with my values. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.
The Role of International Relations
Here’s the thing about fashion—it’s not just about clothes. It’s about people. It’s about politics. It’s about international relations news analysis. The clothes we wear tell a story. And right now, that story is one of exploitation and environmental destruction.
But it doesn’t have to be. We can change the story. We can demand better. We can support brands that pay living wages, that use sustainable materials, that treat their workers with dignity.
A Tangent: The Problem with Influencers
You know what really grinds my gears? Influencers. These people with their “hauls” and their “outfit checks” and their “sponsorships.” They’re part of the problem. They promote fast fashion like it’s a good thing. They make it seem like buying more stuff is the solution to our problems.
I had a run-in with an influencer once. Let’s call her Lisa. She was doing a live stream, showing off her latest haul from some fast fashion brand. I commented, “Do you know where these clothes come from?” She ignored me. Then I asked again. She muted me. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
What You Can Do
So what can you do? A lot, actually. First, educate yourself. Watch The True Cost. Read articles. Follow ethical fashion blogs. Learn about the issues.
Then, start small. Buy less. Choose secondhand. Support ethical brands. And for the love of everything, stop buying into trends that change every five minutes. Your closet—and the planet—will thank you.
I’m not gonna lie, it’s not easy. There are days when I miss the ease of fast fashion. There are days when I wish I could just walk into a store and buy something without thinking about its impact. But then I remember why I quit. And I keep going.
So, are you ready to join me? Are you ready to say no to fast fashion and yes to a more sustainable, ethical, and intentional way of dressing? I hope so. Because the fashion industry needs to change. And it’s up to us to make it happen.
Oh, and one more thing—don’t forget to check out international relations news analysis to stay informed about the bigger picture. You never know what you might learn.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience in the fashion industry. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. And let me tell you, the ugly is what inspired me to write this article. I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. But I’m trying to do better. And I hope this article inspires you to do the same.
