Why we don't value what we buy anymore
and how we can build shoppings habits that are sustainable for us and the planet
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Our shopping rituals before the Internet boom
Before e-commerce, catalogs were the way our moms and grandmas shopped. All of the biggest retailers in the world — think of Sears, JC Crew, Victoria's Secret, had their catalogs mailed to thousands of people every month.
The first catalogs registered were released in the 1800s, with Sears being the most popular retailer in the US, revolutionizing the way American families shopped. Everything we buy online today, was available in a catalog back then: cars, furniture, makeup, jewelry, even homes. Yes, Sears offered a catalog where you were able to pick your favorite home and they would ship the building plans of the house and all the materials for you to build it.
Catalog sales and women's empowerment
In the 90s and 00s, catalog sales were one of the few jobs that were acceptable for women to do, especially in Latin America. Companies like Avon, Fuller, Arabella, Jafra, and Ilusión were leaders in countries like Mexico and created a very particular network for women to thrive and make money. Catalog sales allowed housewives to bring home ‘extra’ income while still being able to execute their ‘main role’ in society which was taking care of their homes and families. Mary Key is one of the biggest names when it comes to this business model that allowed many women to go from housewives to businesswomen.
Although my mom never got into the catalog business, all of our neighbors in the block did and there were always so many catalogs around our house. Catalogs were the first shopping experience of my life (typing that makes me feel old lol). My mom used to let me order at least one thing from the Avon catalog every time our neighbor dropped them. Sometimes I was allowed to order some nail polish, hair accessories, kids’ makeup, or stationery.
I loved going through each page of the catalog, looking at the curated corny photography, reading all the product descriptions, comparing products, and smelling all the samples in the perfume section of the catalog.
How old shopping rituals died
After giving the catalogs back to our neighbors, she would drive to the city once a week and drop the orders at the distribution center. Receiving our orders back took at least a couple of weeks or more.
Ordering from a catalog back then meant two things:
1. You had to be 100% sure about the item you wanted because returning wasn’t an option.
2. After weeks of waiting for your products to arrive, the anticipation of receiving them was so high that it made you value the thing more.
Today, things couldn’t be more different as we log into our Amazon account, search for what we want, and in less than a minute, we place an order and the product arrives the next day if not sooner. Shopping was a ritual and it became a thoughtless transaction. We don’t value what we are ordering because we know we can return it or dispose of it if we don’t like it. Credit cards and tools like Apple Pay make it even easier for us to not think about our purchases. Buy now, pay later!
We see an abundance of creators and influencers on TikTok and Instagram doing massive hauls of clothes they ordered from Shein, which most likely will be in the trash in a couple of months when the trend dies. Again, we don’t value the ritual of purchasing something anymore, because now things are disposable.
Sustainable habits in fashion
Style your clothes in new and unexpected ways: There are endless ways to wear the same piece! A skirt can be a cool blouse if you have the imagination! Think about new ways of styling your clothes before making the trip to Aritzia.
Thrifting: Before buying a piece of clothing or a pair of shoes new, try to see if your local thrift store has what you need and buy it used. Last month, I was searching for the perfect blazer for work. I eyed this Everlane one but I was annoyed by their price. I decided to make a trip to the thrift store and kid you not, I found the exact same blazer, but this one at the thrift was made in Italy of super high-quality materials. It cost me 50 bucks + the 35 that I spent on the dry cleaning. Pretty sweet deal if you compared how much I was about to spend on my first option.
Swapping: Ask a friend if they have something you need before buying it new and you might be able to swap with them.
Mending and fixing: Do you need a new jacket or could you just mend the one you have or even transform it into something much nicer? Give it a second chance. ❤️
Give your clothes a new twist: The denim jacket in the photo below was just that — a simple denim jacket until someone added the pink and green velvet lines on the sleeves and the beautiful patterned gold detail at the bottom. I got this jacket at a thrift store, but it inspired me to modify some of the pieces I own and give them a new vibe.
Think twice: Before buying something on sale, think if you really need it and if you would buy it if it wasn’t on sale.
Learn how to make your own clothes!
Riding my bike! There are a few things in life that make me feel so free and full of life. Riding my bike is one of them. After a long winter, Vancouver is finally decent enough to go for a stroll.
Pistachio milk. Yes, I know what you are thinking… but pistachio milk exists and it is exquisite. I finally found Tache in Canada and I am so stoked.
3. Cherry blossom season. No words, just gratitude to live in a world where cherry blossoms exist!
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter. So good. She gave us the country pop R&B album that we didn’t know need. My top 5:
Levii’s Jeans
Bodyguard
Sweet, Honey, Buckin’
YA YA
16 carriages.
Julia Fox’s memoir. She is the embodiment of faking until you make it and never give up on your dreams, no matter what anybody says.
Until the next one!
Florencia
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Leave a comment or like on this issue
Another great read, and such a throwback 🥹 I still remember those catalogs in my house, and surprisingly enough, they still give me a better feeling than browsing through the internet and getting everything I could want, it’s insane how we are negatively affected by the power of the internet and instant rewards 🥲
Love your tips 🩵🌼 and this piece too!!