The crutch of all frugal Millennials, fast fashion has dominated the retail space. If you need a new dress for a night out or a new top for a date, Forever21 and Zara will always have something waiting for you at a cheap price. This low price, however, comes with low-quality fabric and (moreso for F21) unoriginal designs. Why buy a $200 versatile silk blouse when you could buy ten cheaper tops for the same price?
Sometimes at these stores, you can find a nice-looking piece that will last you ages. I have a shirt from Forever21 that I bought at least 5 years ago, but it’s not a nice top. I’ve been trying to invest in nicer, higher-quality pieces so that I can stop cluttering my closet with “trendy” fad clothing that is made of scratchy fabrics and may fall apart after a handful of washes. I cannot tell you how many peplum tops I bought from Forever21 in high school….and I never wear any of them anymore.
The main take away from all this is that fast fashion, although fun and affordable, is wasteful. It fits in perfectly with the consumerism and materialism Americans are known for. We buy what we want when we want it and just throw it out when we move on. This just seems ridiculous to me. Why not buy things that we will love and use for a longer time? You may like that polyester shirt from Zara this month, but when the trend passes, will you still want to wear it?
The answer is no, you won’t. And the stores know it so they refresh the merhcandise on the sales floor. Their businesses are built on our incessant appetite for new trends.
No need to run to your closet and toss out all of your shirts from F21 this second; they’re still useful shirts. Sometimes, Forever21 is the perfect place to get a going out blouse (one that you don’t mind getting drinks spilled on) when you’re in a time crunch. That’s what it’s there for. be careful not to grow dependent on these stores and waste your money each season stocking your closet with soon-to-be-irrelevant fads.
Rae Hersey 