The last couple days all I have been seeing on social media platforms and the broad realms of the word wide web have been Black Friday sales, bloggers sharing codes and affiliate links and websites trying their best to manipulate their customers into buying things most people probably don’t even need on second thought. Consumerism has become dangerously accepted in our society and has turned people into easily impressionable buyers who have forgotten to make conscious purchasing decisions.
Black Friday Tricks.
I am not against Black Friday sales per se, as it is an amazing opportunity to buy gifts for upcoming Christmas or splurge on new items one REALLY needs like new shoes for winter when the old ones are about to fall apart. I do love bargains myself as we all need new items every once in a while but what I highly disagree with is the ways of companies and their marketing strategists trying to convince the general public into thinking that it is essential for people to spend their money just because everything’s on sale. Especially because those apparent low prices often trick people into spending more money than they usually would and they end up regretting their purchases later on when realising that they don’t actually need what they bought.
I think it is highly important to use inventions such as Black Friday sales to really consciously think about what we truly need and make responsible decisions when purchasing new goods. There is nothing wrong to make use of sales and maybe land a great deal as we all love to spend money every once in a while to treat ourselves or those we love. But it is essential to prioritise and inform ourselves beforehand and restrict ourselves to the items we really need.
The Power of Combination.
What we need to realise as well is that key and staple pieces in our wardrobe can be combined with all sorts of statement pieces such as faux fur coats or leo print jackets. One outfit can turn into three by changing up only one piece. Not long ago I figured that it doesn’t really take much to have a put together wardrobe with lots of options to choose from, simply by combining individual items. The amount of money I spend on clothes has drastically decreased ever since I came to that conclusion.
Sustainable and Second Hand.
What I have always loved is high quality second hand fashion as well. Thrift shops and vintage stores offer sustainable fashion with a story and find a new home for pieces that have been worn before but haven’t lost their quality.
Shopping is fun and I love doing it myself but it is important to do it with every option in mind because that’s what’s saving us time and patience and most importantly – money.
The following outfits are entirely put together by things I bought second hand, have had for a while and have spent a lot of time thinking if they were worth buying.
JACKET 1. – Tom Tailor Leo Coat
JACKET 2. – ASOS DESIGN Bordeaux Cord Jacket