Years ago, when conscience plagued us after having bought other shoes that we didn't need destined to be worn only one night of our (consumer) lives, the moral responsibility that stalked us was that of having wasted our savings. However, the Carrie-Bradshaw-mode-evils currently pale when compared to the Greta-Thunberg-mode-evils. Buying unnecessary things has become a common joke among friends and the wild card with which to accompany the image of that last purchase that we upload to networks (“Another bag that I don't need. In love!”). However, what now makes us feel bad for having fallen into the nets of 'fast fashion' is the environmental damage that these impulsive and capricious decisions bring with them.

Welcome to the consequent guilt of having abandoned, once again, the path towards the construction of a sustainable wardrobe. But wait... Let's start with the basics. What the hell is a sustainable wardrobe? Marta D. Riezu, author of 'La Moda Justa', has it very clear. “It is a bare, tidy wardrobe, ready for daily life, reliable, combinable, comfortable and lucidly edited, not guided by unrealistic fantasies. People with fifty shoes do not know each other at all. A lot of jokes have been made and a lot of complicity with that 'vice' of having the closet overflowing, and I think the little joke is not funny at all”. Oh! It seems that Bradshaw's mythical phrase of "My eternal dilemma: a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear" is not funny anymore...

"It is important to be a curious and critical consumer"

It's not just about building a capsule wardrobe made up of perfectly matching timeless garments, but also about choosing the right brands to do it. “It is important to be a curious and critical consumer and bother to know the type of production model promoted by the brands we are committed to. Do they manufacture in Spain, in Europe, in Southeast Asian countries (an entire 'red flag')? Do they 'greenwash' or are they really transparent and show their progress without blinding us with unfulfilled intentions? Normally we go to a thousand and we don't stop to think or ask, but it would be convenient to question where the money we invest goes and what kind of society it is building. In this regard, once we have observed that brand, I really advise focusing on the type of product or garment that it offers us”, comments Laura Opazo, author of the book 'Sustainable wardrobe: learn to buy consciously and intelligently'.

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"Only by reducing our own consumption, that is, only by consuming less, will we achieve real redemption"

Consuming without guilt is the new luxury, as Gerald Lawless, then CEO of the Jumeirah Hotel, pointed out in an interview. That consumerist guilt is the one that is born from acquiring what we do not need and the one that becomes an ever greater burden: that of knowing that our banal purchases are damaging the planet. “Only by reducing our own consumption, that is, only by consuming less, will we achieve real redemption. However, that is something that 99% of consumers are not willing to accept, and neither are most brands, ”says the 'Guilt-Free Consumption' report by Trendwatching consultancy. This study arises from the growing conflicts that arise when impulsive purchases are opposed to the aspirations that many have to be experienced and responsible buyers. It is from this contrast that guilt is born. The result is the search for a new type of consumption, one alien to that terrible guilt that allows the buyer to continue enjoying the pleasure of buying.

Laura Opazo warns us that most of the purchases we make are the result of the control that companies have over us thanks to the study of our purchasing habits. She points out that according to Neuromedia, we receive 6,000 ad hits a day, one every 10 seconds, and most of them sneak through our computers and phones. To avoid as many as possible and so that our reason prevails over emotion when buying, she gives us seven tips. "Protect your privacy (deactivate your location, delete cookies, activate private browsing and stop following profiles of brands and influencers on your networks). Forget hunting for the bargain on sale, get to know yourself well and create your own speech, develop alternative hobbies, practice self-control, stimulate your creativity and enjoy watching”, he recommends.

We have more options than ever to dress, and yet we do it more uniformed than ever

In 'Theory of the leisure class', Thorstein Veblen lays the foundations for irresponsible consumption that today worries and torments us. “The unproductive consumption of goods is honorable, primarily, as a sign of prowess and pledge of human dignity; secondarily it becomes honorable in itself, especially as regards things most desired.”

We know the importance of knowing the origin of the garments we buy, of betting on sustainable and fair brands and of building a sustainable wardrobe... And yet, on occasion we fall prey to some 'fast fashion' giant and we would make everyone proud. Veblen. Do we have to feel guilty? “It is not that we feel bad and beat ourselves up for having fallen into temptation. We are not going to deny that, in general terms, we like novelty, personal grooming, and the need to distinguish ourselves and be innovative. The curious thing is that we have more options than ever to dress and, however, we do it more uniformed than ever, because we insist on following the trends that the 'low cost' industry massifies and that Instagram takes half, "says Laura Opazo. “The key is to have a much more personal vision of fashion and that this is inherent to the times, knowing ourselves, accepting ourselves and loving ourselves is the key so that our essence always prevails over fashions and trends. People with style are authentic people, with charisma, who "have a lot of vibes" and make their personal brand prevail over the dictates of the market. Developing a personal brand image consists of identifying and communicating the characteristics that make us stand out, be relevant, different and visible in a homogeneous, competitive and changing environment. Ultimately telling our own story that truly represents who we are through our style,” she concludes.

In the end, when you go to Zara and buy that viral dress that everyone has, you will feel like when faced with a piece of celery with hummus and a delicious (and oily) croquette, you throw yourself on the second option. The important thing is that we are aware of the decisions we make and strive to change our choices. Neither the croquette makes you a worse person, nor does that dress make you less valid, but never forget the damage that fried foods, both gastronomic and 'fashionistas', do to the well-being of your body, and of course, the planet.