On Black Friday and the Culture of Consumerism

Black Friday is a polarizing retail concept. Some of us love the opportunity to get up early and hunt for the best deals on items available in limited quantities. Black Friday has become for plenty of Americans, it's own annual tradition. But others loathe that each year seems to bring out even more appalling, sensationalistic tales depicted on nightly news broadcasts as the worst elements of consumer greed, materialism, and competition. Although I have shopped many Black Fridays with my mom and siblings, I have felt empathetic to both perspectives.

And as Black Friday encroaches earlier and earlier into the week, subsuming Thanksgiving Day and in some cases, even the days preceding it, it becomes difficult not to notice a growing contempt for this shopper holiday.

What is most interesting to me is that the bulk of the ire toward Black Friday gets channeled at shoppers, themselves. And it's no wonder because the setup creates conditions in which the shoppers become very easy targets. People camped out in sleeping bags the week prior. Lines stretching around already expansive strip malls. The fights between warring customers over the last available hot toy from that year. The ugly, depressing video footage of the hoards of shoppers rushing into big box stores as soon the doors open, often trampling one another and/or bedraggled workers in the process. All of it makes for a sensationally unattractive portrait of American consumption and material life. But when I discuss Black Friday with friends and colleagues, and they rail against the shoppers I find myself becoming defensive. This is not only because I have shopped Black Friday in years previous, but also because the discussion rarely evades what I regard to be a rhetoric of classism. The anti-Black Friday argument is usually some version of the following: "I don't care about saving money enough to deal with the crowds," and "If you can't afford it any other day, you don't need it/shouldn't be buying it on Black Friday." These are both arguments that have merit, for sure. But in my experience, these arguments come most often from people who are able (socioeconomically speaking) to afford easily to opt out from Black Friday and its savings.  

For better or worse those of us in America currently inhabit an incredibly materialistic cultural moment in which notions surrounding consumer "needs" get blurred with our desires and "wants." People who are financially struggling aren't living in social vacuums and aren't exempt from the pressures of holiday "performance." Regardless of class status, for many of us a successful December holiday is measured by the ability to effectively lavish loved ones with material appreciations of their choice/by their request. The process of making a gift list and checking it twice isn't one only reserved for the North Pole. Gifts and the process of giving matter to people. And the holidays are (particularly for those of us that do not practice religious rituals) an opportunity to make memories that matter with loved ones. Those memories are sometimes of the material variety. I don't think that is terrible or contemptuous or greedy. I also don't consider it to be a cultural practice that should be reserved for only the middle and upper-strata of our socio-economic hierarchy. I have incredibly vivid memories from different points in my life of giving and receiving gifts. And I am sure this is true for the bulk of the American public, regardless of their bank accounts or annual salaries.

Anti- and pro-Black Friday shoppers will likely agree that the gifts we buy should be what we can afford. Anti-Black Friday shoppers might also say that we shouldn't be so greedy as to want something we can't otherwise afford. But on Black Friday that elusive concept of "afford-ability" becomes a bit more malleable than usual, with steep discounts to lure in deal hunters. So of course, those shoppers who need to stretch their dollars the farthest will encompass a large portion of those tempted to shop Black Friday. Rather than begrudge people the chance to fulfill most efficiently the wishlists of those around them I propose we direct Black Friday related anger and contempt toward the driving forces behind this shopper holiday's colonization of Thanksgiving.

Shoppers aren't the ones making executive decisions regarding store hours. Shoppers can't require employees to leave their families for work rather than eat dinner and give thanks. Shoppers don't assign doorbusters or distribute store circulars that say "no rain checks," "no price matching," and "only x number of item available per location." The driving motivation behind doorbusters and Thanksgiving Day hours and early deals are most certainly the stores themselves. Each among the participating mega companies/brands/stores stand to benefit from their own manufactured demand by providing consumers with more and earlier times during which to consume.

And so, the concept of Black Friday has generated for big corporations both a domino effect and a retail race to the bottom. I remember a time when opening at 6am on Friday seemed somewhat inhumane but enough to generate a buzz. In the last few years the landscape of competition has been such that one store announces that they'll open at midnight on Black Friday. The next one-ups things by opening at 11pm on Thanksgiving Day. Before you know it, the standard becomes opening at 8pm or 6pm (prime dinner hours) or even earlier on Thanksgiving, drawing both workers (out of requirement) and consumers (out of the desire to get the best prices) away from their loved ones on a day when we are supposed to count our blessings and be thankful for what we have.

If it seems ugly that's because it is ugly. The ideology of consumerism under a capitalist marketplace can absolutely be ugly. But in this example, make no mistake: it is an ugly that stems more so from corporate greed, rather than consumer greed. Corporate greed configures a system in which the specter of consumerism becomes magnified and monstrous.

If and when store executives consider opting out of Thanksgiving hours, they might feel compelled by the bottom line: most consumers have finite amounts of holiday shopping dollars. The competition for those dollars in a neoliberal marketplace is such that very few big players will opt out. Black Friday will marshal forward, continuing to produce an easy consumer scapegoat. And it will further colonize the month of November. But I for one won't be holding the shoppers to blame.

*props to those companies that announced they will not open on Thanksgiving Day. It's telling that at this point stores must announce that they *won't* be open on a holiday.

Kate Spade City Lights Lillith Skirt

Kate Spade City Lights Lillith skirt (on sale in another colorway here)

I fell in love with this skirt last summer when it was launched on the Kate Spade website. But like most Kate Spade garments, it was way too expensive. So I waited patiently and gave myself time to determine how badly I wanted it. Although the skirt is printed and unique (and I already have a few printed skirts), I figured it could be versatile due to an otherwise neutral color palette. And it could be dressed up for a party or down for work. Eventually I was able to make the markdowns suit my budget in conjunction with a coupon (signing up for emails generates a one-time-use, % off code).

The problem with shopping the sale section of the Kate Spade website is that items bought for more than half off become final sale. I hate final sale and usually wind up tracking down pieces from other retailers or via ebay. When you don't have the chance to try something on before buying it, final sale becomes especially dangerous. But I couldn't find this skirt anywhere else. So I did a bit of sizing research and decided to purchase it in an 8 (which is my typical dress size for this brand). It seemed to work out well. The cotton linen fabric is substantial and the skirt is lined. It comes with a matching black belt and has pockets along the side seams. The length goes to the knee on me which I appreciate. But it is very full. I think that the pleating on a fabric this heavy adds unwanted bulk to an already curvy lower half. I'm sure this would deter many from buying it. I wear full skirts often so I was not bothered by it. I snapped these photos when the skirt arrived. I considered wearing it to the academic conference where I was presenting that week. But ended up going with my suit separates instead. More on that tomorrow!

I know there will always be another skirt, another print, another garment. I already find myself admiring this printed tote and the umbrella that matches my skirt. But the good thing about sale stalking is that you give yourself the time and space to mull over purchases. Shopping sales this way rather than with impulses induced by sale goggles seems wiser on the whole. I hope to wear this skirt many times over the holidays. And I am pleased with the purchase.

Occupy Gratitude

Although this is a little belated, I still wanted to wish everyone in the US a Happy Thanksgiving. Despite this holiday's complicated history, it is among my favorites because it reminds people to count their blessings and embrace the good rather than dwell on the lackluster or sub-par. I need this reminder (don't we all?) because it is much more commonplace and accepted to be hard on ourselves. To mire our accomplishments and triumphs with caveats and qualifiers about how "it would be even better if..."

For me, Thanksgiving is about not just recognizing but relishing the good, whatever that may be. It is about acknowledging privileges, good fortunes, and embarrassments of riches to remind ourselves that we don't need to be the richest, smartest, prettiest, best, etc. to still be among the lucky. Despite prevailing ideologies, this world doesn't have to be about perpetual, metaphoric competition. And in thinking about the goodness in our lives we gain perspective because although the world doesn't have to be a competition, there are people for whom struggle is an understatement. While I might dislike many of the competitive elements of American culture, that does not mean that I accept the ever-worsening disparities that exist within it, making life immensely harder for the majority and easier for a narrowing "lucky" minority.

Some US statistics from the Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty:
The facts are simple...

• Income inequality is extreme and increasing: The top 1% of Americans control nearly a quarter of all the country's income, the highest share controlled by the top 1% since 1928.
• The U.S. is exceptionally unequal: The U.S. ranks #3 among all the advanced economies in the amount of income inequality.
• The poverty rate is high: The U.S. poverty rate, according to the new Supplemental Poverty Measure, is estimated at 15.7 percent. The official poverty rate stands at 15.1 percent. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 14.5 percent of all households were "food insecure" in 2010 (which means that at least some household members didn't have access to enough food for an "active, healthy life").
• The unemployment rate is high: The U.S. unemployment rate for August is 9.1 percent. The employment-to-population ratio, which was 58.2 percent in August, is over 5 percentage points lower than just five years ago.

In these troubled times the gap between the haves and the have nots keeps widening. Real wages have decreased as inflation has increased. Locally, nationally, and globally economic challenges seem insurmountable. Wealth continues to concentrate among that narrowing sliver of the most fortunate. Now more than ever it makes sense to count our blessings. And in doing I cannot help but want to work creatively and actively toward diminishing the economic and social injustices of such ever-widening inequities. I believe that there should be a Happy Thanksgiving for all, not just for some. And I truly hope yours was great! Thank you for reading.

New "Toy"

Waving goodbye to my once-trusty Ford Focus.

Despite all evidential blurriness and my desire for overall blog improvement, I have placed an indefinite hold on my search for a nicer camera. It is not that I don't aim to someday develop new skills in the realm of photography. But at the present moment, I just don't have the time or (frankly) the spare mad money. Last month (when faced with even more car troubles and repair bills) I traded in my beloved 11-year-old vehicle for something new.

If you consider only the numbers (and factor in average depreciating value upon leaving a dealership), a new car is hardly a wise investment. I toiled all summer long about when and whether to buy new or used. Currently, used car prices are inflated and in high demand (for many reasons, such as public anxiety over economic recovery/growth as well as the longer-term constraint on potential supply via last year's Cash for Clunkers program). I weighed my options: considering the potential risk of unknown when buying used, factoring my own priorities and desires for a safer vehicle to facilitate  weekly commutes, valuing potential financing promotions available (to those who have qualifying credit ratings) with the purchase of new vehicles, and thinking about the time/research involved in hunting for the right used car. Ultimately, I was able to negotiate the price of a 2011 Honda Civic that had all of my desired bells and whistles. This is my first legit new car purchase ever. And so far I have no regrets.

When it comes to my closet I am a big believer in lowering cost per wear, maximizing versatility and longevity, and retaining value. While the evidence of price depreciation was convincing, I wanted the security of a warranty and I knew that I valued the price per use as well as my own peace of mind. New-ish used cars were so costly that I found myself considering new instead. My mom is a master car shopper and negotiator so I have to thank her for accompanying me and advising me along the way. Although this consumption is entirely unrelated to outfits/my closet it seemed too monumental and large a purchase to leave out of the conversation. Tomorrow I'll share my other new "toy"* (which is probably the last thing I'll buy for a while) and hope to hone my skills at creative repeats/remixes til the holiday sale season.

*for the record, I'm not down with trivializing something so costly by calling it a toy and hoped my long-winded, serious diatribe conveyed the irony of my title.

Spinning Lace for Day: Trial and Error

Tracy Reese dress

Anthro cardigan

Forever 21 belt

Miu Miu flats

I was so in love with the intricate beauty of the Spinning Lace dress when I first tried it on last October. And I managed to get a really good deal on it during the additional % off sale. But without the ability to wear it to weddings,* and with a lifestyle that only involves occasional evenings at the symphony, I am struggling to bring down this garment's cost per wear.

Styling it for night isn't an issue. But the only real way to bring down cost per wear is to make this work-able for daytime. Pairing with flats was the first step, since they help me feel more casual in general. I figured I would also try it with the Cartography Cardigan since that seems to be my go-to, match-everything garment for pairing with Anthro dresses for daytime. I think it would have worked better if the cardi was a bit more cropped. The point where this cardigan hits the skirt makes the lower half look even more voluminous and me look even wider. Not sure I am crazy about that combo. Finally, I swapped the grosgrain sash for a casual belt. I should try it belt-less and see if that helps.

What do you think? And I haven't really seen this one worked for daytime in the blogosphere. If anyone can comment with links to sites that have styled this dress for day, please share! I would love some inspiration.

*Although I would have been fine seeing a sea of ivory among the guests for my own nuptials, I realize that a lot of people (not just the couple of honor) feel weird about this issue. So unless an invite encourages everyone to wear white, I personally avoid it at weddings.

Mystery Money OOTD and how I'm curbing my consumption

Nanette Lepore You'll Be Mine dress

Forever 21 belt

Coach sequined captoe flats

Michael Kors Calista hobo

Earlier this week I decided to venture to the Tanger Outlets in Washington, PA because Chris and I had Mystery Money coupons from Off Fifth. I figured that even in the worst case of us both only getting $10, $20 off any two purchases would make it worthwhile. We indeed got the smallest mystery amount but everything in the store that is not on clearance is an additional 25% off. And the clearance selection is pretty decent. I personally didn't like the fit of anything I tried. But I spotted some cute things.

For example, you can get a DVF wrap dress for around $60 after the clearance discount (plus mystery money can bring down the price further). I saw a few Nanette Lepore dresses, some Tibi tops, and some MBMJ dresses that would have been around $40 or less.

Normally this would have meant I walked out with major clothing haulage. But I am trying, after years of sale-goggle purchasing to only buy stuff that I love and that fills a gap in my wardrobe. This process of consumption curbing is partially inspired by what I've been reading on the fantastic blog, The Year of Nothing New. It is written by another Anthro and DVF lover who is managing her enthusiasm for shopping with a year of abstinence.

Although I am not personally abstaining, it is inspiring to read her blog along with all the participants in Kim from Anthroholic's Shopping Ban/Shop Your Closet Challenge. With my coupon I did end up buying a set of Nambe crystal bud vases for the house.

I have bad luck with glass vases and seem to break anything that isn't very sturdy. So I consider this purchase to be a good one since this crystal set was on major clearance. I also find it to be very pretty, like most Nambe pieces. Because I walked out of there without any new clothing or accessories I felt pretty victorious. Chris got two packs of cookies than ran him .50 after the coupon!

Soon after, Chris was driving in Squirrel Hill and the car overheated. Long story short, a week after I spent a small fortune on car repairs, the car is back in the shop. And I am glad I have been curbing my consumption because that means I have more emergency funds and more savings. But still. :(

So much for couches and cameras until we figure out what is wrong and how expensive the repair will be!

How do you decide when to say goodbye?

I've been thinking about parting with some of my lesser-used bags. Adrien and Marianne of Looks Good from the Back call this recycling, since the old often funds the new. As much as I enjoy them, they mostly sit in my closet. Let's face it: I just don't have the Kardashian-caliber closet/lifestyle/income to justify collecting for the sake of a collection.

 One such aforementioned Kardashian closet. (from Elle)

But that leaves me with the decisions. I don't mean to sound dramatic or so crass as to liken this privileged process of material weeding to Sophie's Choice. I fully recognize that this is among the first-world-iest of a developed world/global north problem. But even so, how do you decide what stays and what goes when it is in a genre you happen to (kind of) hoard?

 All of these MBMJ bags have been rehomed except the Pan Am and the Softy.

When I am weeding out fast fashion, the process is easy. I don't feel a lot of commitment to that stuff. I didn't buy it with longevity in mind. No one expects to keep some necklace from Target for decades.  That's part of why I've begun avoiding fast fashion. No matter how cute the item, I often view the stuff as temporary or even (more guiltily) disposable.

 As much as I love the Stam, it didn't suit my lifestyle.

With nicer clothing the process is a little more simple and less intimidating. If I haven't worn it that must mean it 1. doesn't fit my lifestyle 2. doesn't make me feel confident and/or 3. just plain doesn't fit. I don't typically feel that pang of sentimental "what if someday I will want this again" anxiety with clothes.  

 I thought I was ready to say goodbye when I sold this Balenciaga City. 

A month or so later I bought it back from its new owner.

Bags have long been my vice. They were my high-end gateway drug. I hold onto them with irrational fervor. Quite a few were purchased with great care and effort, to (for lack of better and less pretentious word) curate a fine accessories arsenal that could enhance any range of outfits. Parting with the ones I have kept to this point would mean parting with the ones I really like. Even if I don't use them now, I see their value in remaining a part of my collection. If they've made this many closet edits then I obviously feel kind of attached. And all of these irrational material musings add up to my becoming emotional (and therefore unrealistic) about pricing. When I feel confident about selling a bag, I price it to move. When I feel mixed, I end up being less realistic in my evaluation of resale market value.

I hope I don't sound too materially dependent. I am curious about the thoughts of others on this subject. What about you? How do you decide what stays and what goes? Do you consign, use ebay/bonanza, or a shop blog? Is weeding and re-selling a simple or emotional process? How do you determine a price for something you might have coveted desperately at one point but realize you just rarely use?  Do you feel more attached to specific types of items (like shoes, watches, tote bags, etc.) over others?

The hardest working garment in my closet

Marc by Marc Jacobs Paisley dress

J. Crew ruffle cardigan

Spanx tights

Marc by Marc Jacobs captoe maryjanes

I've been thinking a lot lately about selectivity, sale googles, and shopping. As I notice my Anthropologie wishlist dwindle, with only a few errant past-season items waiting to pop back, I feel good. I feel like I've gotten a better handle on my consumerism. Whenever I find myself with nagging pangs of want, I force myself to acknowledge whether I have similar items already before buying. "Does this fill a gap? Or does this just mimic an already loved, perfectly functional piece?"

As my closet expanded (or more accurately, got stuffed to the gills) it became increasingly difficult for anything to fill a gap. At this point the only thing I can do is upgrade or weed out lesser-worn pieces. This process also has me thinking about the hardest working pieces I own. Those items that I relish in wearing and repeating, again and again, year after year.

Since some of the hard workers for this year are only about a year old (or less), I'll have to wait and see if my taste for them grows or fades with time. But this winter the above dress has been one of my hardest workers. I want to compile a list of my hardest workers and would love to have reader input too.

If you want to submit a photo and/or description of your hardest working garment(s) please email me at jesspgh at gmail dot com. In doing so, you/it will be featured on an upcoming blog post. Be sure to include a link to your blog, if applicable!

Quality Control Issues and Customer Response

I bought a dress from Urban Outfitters back in October and am having a dilemma. Although the dress is very cute, the button loop at the neckline broke immediately and after I laundered it (exactly according to the care instructions, although I did not tumble dry like it said I could for fear of shrinking) the already short dress shrunk considerably. Now I realize it was not the world's most expensive dress. But even for $44 I expected it to hold up for longer than 2 short (dinner-length) wears and 1 wash!

I am still within the holiday return window and need to decide whether I should take the dress to the store or call and ask if I can mail it back due to defects. Or should I just eat the money and be annoyed? What would you do?

Do you ever feel timid about asking retailers to stand by their products? I normally wouldn't but the idea of staring the hip Urban Outfitter customer service staff in the face, explaining that "I simply cannot wear a butt-displaying former-dress-now-tunic, therefore I want a refund," makes me nervous.

This entire experience is also a lesson about the futility of buying cute but cheap thrills. It is a lesson I have learned too many times over!

Shopping My Closet For Fall: Inspiration Board

I really like so many of the pieces here:

Coats by Anthropologie
Flats by Salvatore Ferragamo

Although the wedding is behind me I still intend to avoid any spendthrift inclinations. I have a closet full of things I already adore. I can tell how much I still adore these items when I find myself gravitating toward new pieces that feel similar.

Anthropologie's Chocolate and Coffee Coat synthesized with the Crowley Coat reminds me of my Marc by Marc Jacobs number from years back.

The Dusk Ruffles Coat from Anthropologie looks not unlike my Tibi Ruffle Coat from last year.

And the Cym and Ripple Coat reminds me of my full skirted coats. Alice + Olivia on the left and Plenty by Tracy Reese (Elimovna) on the right.

I have a few dresses that remind me of the above. And I already have previous season versions or similar likeness bags and shoes. When I wander around a store looking for something special, I keep thinking of what I have. This is probably a much healthier approach to consumption than my previous spate of repeat buying. But it means I have been leaving more and more stores empty handed. That's probably a good thing too. 

See by Chloe Trail Print Dress: My Saga and A Review

Sometimes my efforts to hunt for a specific piece occur too soon. The worry that something has sold out takes over. Rationality about there being "other dresses" or any notions of shopping destiny succumb and you end up paying a little bit more for fear you will never see the piece again. The above is one such example. I tracked down this See by Chloe Trail Print dress (just in as of today at The Outnet) last summer with the help of an Intermix sales associate in Georgetown.

I first tried on this dress at Saks in Pittsburgh. Since this store doesn't carry See by Chloé, I knew it was a random website return. I loved it but couldn't stomach full price.

Then I saw it at Intermix when I moved back to DC in May. They only had small sizes and it was still too expensive (one first cut sale) when I first visited. By the end of my trip I decided to stop in one last time and found it was marked down once more. Because they only had small sizes they had to search the company stores. They shipped it to me in Pittsburgh and it was there the day after I returned. It was still a little more than I like to spend on a dress. But I've worn it a bunch since, and the cost-per-wear is now low. Still, if I had waited a little longer (like a year) I could have had it with little effort thanks to Outnet or Yoox.

That was one of my only customer service interactions with Intermix and although I desired a sale item, they were very helpful and kind. For some reason this was surprising. Perhaps because what I knew of Intermix was limited. The website, the Vegas store (where my shopping partner and I weren't treated so well), and their ubiquitous presence on the Real Housewives of Orange County made me nervous about asking to for the service of tracking down a sale piece. That just wasn't so in Georgetown. They were great!

I really like this dress for it subtle details so I don't have buyer's remorse. The piping around the collar evokes Peter Pan without actually disrupting the silhouette. The print has plenty of color without feeling bright and conspicuous. The sheer sleeves can be rolled easily for summer wear. The lining is a cut more narrow than the exterior which can be a problem, depending on what fabric comprises one's undergarments. If you are thinking about tracking it down on ebay, Yoox, or Outnet, I would say this dress runs small for See by Chloé. I am wearing an 8 and a 6 would have definitely been too small in the bust and hips. Be warned that its solid color counterpart (on sale at Yoox) is unlined and cut more amply.

Have you ever allowed your impatience and irrationality to inform a hasty purchase?  Has the nagging feeling that something could sell out influenced a decision to buy at a price a little above what you typically spend?

Easier Said Than Done... Not buying til Fall

Since I made my last post I still haven't bought any clothes, shoes, or bags. I did stock up on some underwear and hosiery from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I justified it because if a key pair of tights developed a hole in the fall I'd kick myself for having to pay full price. And the foundation garments I prefer don't go on sale except for now. Basics are different from continuing the superfluous accumulation of STUFF.

But I haven't bought otherwise. I am trying my best to not buy until Fall, since I don't really like summer clothes anyway, save for one See By Chloé linen dress I bought two sale cycles ago.

It is so simple and I hope to wear it in summers for years.

I have also toyed with the idea of forgoing my usual fall gluttony (since it IS my favorite season) and indulging in just one dress.

This one in particular. I imagine I'd wear it with bittersweet chocolate tights, and burnt orange vintage inspired buckle pumps with a chunky square heel. But it is essentially the more expensive Chloé version of my See by Chloé Trail Print Dress in a different pattern/colorway.

The shape is the same. The sleeves are the same. The exaggerated peter pan seaming near the collar is the same. But the price tag on the Chloé (even seasons removed from its initial debut) is far more extravagant than its diffusion line sister dress. So I guess it isn't meant to be! But I am reminded again of why I need to review what I have before making impulse purchases. More often than not, in doing so I will remember owning something which approximates closely the desired new/new-to-me item.

One thrify way I've avoided shopping for bags is by trading with other fashionable ladies in need of a switch. A woman from The Purse Forum offered me her Marc Jacobs Collection quilted Mouse Gray Blake in exchange for my Marc by Marc Jacobs Elderberry Quinn.

Although my lifestyle is probably better suited for the more casual Quinn and Elderberry is one of my favorite Marc by Marc leather colors of all time, I have also long admired MJ collection Mouse gray. And although I really like the practicality of the MBMJ turnlock line, I am starting to tire of its ubuiquity (though I see far less bags in Pittsburgh than in larger cities). My MJ Venetia (which I sold a while ago) couldn't fit over the shoulders but the Blake can. The retail prices on these bags carry a pretty significant difference (hers cost more, though she got it second hand) but at the end of the trade both of us were happy campers.

How are you managing to avoid shopping? Or are you indulging in the sales?