“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”– Coco Chanel
The fashion world and its inhabitants frequently get a bad rep from incredulous outsiders. Perhaps the stereotypic skepticism is by fault of the media, which predominantly portrays fashion via narcissistic trend zombies – cool on TV, not so cool IRL. Consequently, anyone with a Vogue subscription becomes guilty by association.
5 Reasons fashion does not entail materialism
1. Fashion is Art
Runway shows are simply fashionable museum exhibits, an artist displaying their masterpiece to inspire and indulge the visual senses of its critics. To make a statement or simply to artistically express. Fashion characteristically falls in step with Art’s personality and often blatantly and seamlessly blends the two worlds, and vice versa. Do the two not so frequently take turns ripping pages from the other’s books, in turn to create some divine collaboration? Furthermore, fashion is a malleable art form created by an artist whose masterpiece serves as foundation for other artists to create, each individual interpretation unique to the brushstroke of personal style. Untainted, fashion is a an art form that can powerfully and efficiently communicate messages, themes and beauty, painted upon human canvases, exhibited in a museum of Life.
Unfortunately none of the above negates the ability for the fashion world and its inhabitants to be wrought in materialism and superficiality.
Consumerism is just a politically correct word for materialism and that is what has built and currently sustains this country, so clearly there’s no denying its existence. Envy is a dreadful but pervasive motivator in society, and who cares about the Jones’ when you have to keep up with the Kardashians. (vomit) The reality is, the vast majority of people are materialistic to a degree. It is not any more unique to one group versus another. It is human nature to desire that which we do not have, and we are constantly inundated with things to want, making it too easy for materialism to ambush your character while simultaneously destroying your credit. So how do you actually replace that materialism with passion?
5 Ways To Free Yourself From Materialism

1. Don’t Treat Fashion as a Conquest
It will always win. There will always be something newer and better. The thing about materialistic conquests is that they never end. There is no satisfaction threshold. Because after you conquer that pair of shoes, the excitement is gone. And you’ll need to find a new adrenaline rush.
2. Fashion is not a Contest
Envy never looks good on anyone. You’ll go broke trying to compare and compete your wardrobe against another’s. This mentality will only keep you starving for whatever is on someone else’s plate. Style is not about the newest or most expensive item; it is simply an intersection between fashion and your personal interpretation of it. If you find that you pull out your wallet in response to jealousy of someone else, rather than in pursuit of your own personal style and satisfaction, you’re doing it wrong. That is not to say you shouldn’t be inspired by another, but rather that you shouldn’t feel compelled to outdo them. Replacing envy with appreciation can often turn excessive spending into simple compliments.

3. Don’t Judge
It’s quite simple actually. If you don’t like what someone else is wearing, well, no one asked. The telltale symptom of materialistic people is they always teeter on a line between envy (see previous) and egoism. Everything is a competition or a criticism.
4. Be timeless. Not Trendy
Fashion is innately temperamental. But don’t succumb to the wardrobe overhaul that is often falsely dictated by misguided phrases like “that is sooo last season.” The ability to find fresh ways to interpret and pair existing items is an easy way to recycle your wardrobe, year in and year out, and is exceedingly more skillful than the ability to swipe a credit card. Timeless style doesn’t always feel compelled to break the bank following trends. It doesn’t necessarily pardon you from want, but often it pacifies the want for everything. It is ok to partake in a trend, but don’t overstuff your closet with it, because it will fail you.


5. Find Balance
As a collector or curator of anything, there are times when we will inevitably splurge. But balance adds a bit of friction to the materialistic slippery slope. A well-curated, well-rounded wardrobe should also be characterized by balance.
Strategize your wardrobe in order to strategize your spending. Strategy combats impulses. It applies a plan where there’d otherwise be chaos. Define “enough,” according to your style, necessities, obsessions and your finances. It is natural to want more and more and more until more becomes too much. Implement a mindset of balance in your fashionable pursuits, in that it should not weigh more in the accumulation of it than it does in the creative expression of it.
Also published on Medium.