Woman goes on clothing “diet”, eschewing all other clothes for a month-long “fast” of only 6 pieces. The New York Times picks it up; glorifies it. And me? I’m mad. Stuff like this makes me mad.
LINK TO DISAPPOINTING SLIDESHOW, HERE
LINK TO DISAPPOINTING JOURNALISM, HERE
When I moved into my house, and all my clothes were in boxes, I ended up on an unintentional 3 month “diet” exactly like this. I carefully selected 5-6 pieces of clothing, and I temporarily said goodbye to the rest. The experience helped me understand who I am from a fashion perspective, and it made a hectic time in my life that much simpler. I would recommend it to anyone. That’s not why I’m mad.
I’m mad because, to me, this article is no better than one promoting the equally extreme opposite that is rampant consumerism. It’s not smarter, it’s not more thoughtful, and it’s certainly not more inspiring. I get that we’re all broke, and we’re all trying to spend our few shopping dollars wisely. Is plain black clothing, or those lofted “basics” that generally fail to excite us, really the best place to spend our time and our funds? Does self-denial - and reversible shorts - spell happiness, and the end of our financial worries?
This article could have focused on why people chose their 6 pieces, how their relationship with clothing (and shopping) changed, and whether the 6 piece limit felt to them more like a temporary cleansing, or like a new lifestyle. It could have talked about the impetus to shop and wear new things, that pleasurable urgency so many of us feel so often, and how it felt to step away from it.
Instead: a brief mention of a girl who became depressed by the diet, a significant focus on how no one noticed the diet, and a slide show complete with jeggings and quotes about wearing only black. Do you see why I’m mad?
Fashion journalism is responsible for reporting objectively on new developments in fashion and style, and for inspiring us to explore that world. This article does nothing but glorify the exclusion of choice, and highlight the removal of pleasure from clothing. And I mean come on… jeggings?
Check out the movement for yourself at Six Items Or Less
