I’ve always made rules for myself. My own personal laws that reflect my beliefs/values. Often they’re quite conscious decisions that come about after some internal arguing. Sometimes I argue myself into it, live it and then somehow argue my way out of it. Other times I argue myself into it, live it and eventually it becomes so embedded in my psyche it is me. Other times its less conscious. Something happens to me, I do something, go somewhere, have an experience, go through an event and without even knowing it it slowly shapes me. And then bang, one day I realise fuck I’m different to the way I was before.

Anyways, that was my rant to introduce you to one of my laws. I don’t currently have a job, and that’s lead to some alterations in my life. No frivolous spending going out (especially if I can get free tickets/passes to whatever). No frivolous shopping. And the shopping bit has really led to some new thoughts about where I want to be buying my clothes.

If you don’t know me, here’s a very SIMPLIFIED version of something I believe in: the idea that the sole purpose need not be to make the biggest profit margin, but to create something beautiful, wonderful, new and provide it to a perhaps small but loyal and intimate customer base. To treat your employers well and for them and yourself to treat your customers well (and not for the sake of the buck, but because you really do care. And if you loved your product, you would). To buy your materials from local suppliers and to employ local people (so no offshore work!) I don’t see how ANY big fashion house can have abided to these.

Its easy to say that in today’s capitalist world we have no choice. The world is structured on these huge corporations. And maybe you’re right and maybe the structure is designed to perpetuate the structure (PS. If we don’t consider the possibility of change it really never will happen).

But in my life I can make a choice. I can fill my life with meaning (with quality items that were made with care and love and passion) or with crap (homogenised, uninteresting pop culture that was made PURELY for money). I can choose to buy from Diesel or Sportsgirl, or I can go and support fresh, local designers or raid salvos/vinnys (I fully believe in recycling! And like my friend Pablo said, these clothes have stories!)

Anyway, this rule won’t come into action for a while as the other rule I have is no fashion shopping (for the mo). Damn I need a job…