The anti-consumer and socks
28 11 2006Over on Subverting Consumption, Nikko writes about the struggle to be more of an anti-consumer while also trying to maintain some vestiges of glamour.
It does pose Nikko with some interesting dilemmas - as well as being something that the Other Half definitely relates to here on the croft.
What do you do when you’ve resolved to buy nothing new for a year, only to discover that you need replacement socks - and preferably with a little bit of fashion to them?
So off Nikko went to Value Village, admitting she felt “decidedly unenthusiastic about the prospect of donning someone else’s stockings”.
I’m not going to spoil her story by going any further, but I have serious respect for her ongoing efforts to challenge consumerism - even when it’s something so mundane as socks.
Good work and a great blog, Nikko.
I often buy second-hand because I love a bargain and now I can feel good about it too,because it’s recycling! Yes!!
Nearly all of my stuff is second hand but I will draw the line at knickers bras and socks !
Well, here is an alternative to socks….You make Canadian Indian style wrap ups! No, not the tortilla stuffed kind you twink! They are thin leather (moose hide is the best because you can wash it - dry flat, put on while slightly damp to form.) Follow your basic, sans cuff, moccasin pattern, but the make an attachable ankle portion that has an extra wide front portion which wraps over. The ties are threaded through the top of the moccasion portion and wrap up like ghillie brogues. They last really well if cared for properly and double soled. I had mine made in 1986. Still wearing them and resoled twice when they started getting thin.
If you want a pattern, get in touch with the Slave Lake Alberta Native Friendship centre. They should have a website and be happy to help you out. Catherine Augier made mine….
Hmm, not many moose in these har hills! How many rabbit skins to make one moose skin?
I’ve added the link to the frienship letter to your comment. Thanks.
I love buying second hand clothes but no… sorry, I couldn’t do the socks and undies
I guess you could always knit your own from a second hand jumper that doesn’t fit .
What? Knitted undies?
On the subject of secondhand undies, I am a little concerned about it…though I haven’t had to cross that bridge yet as part of Subverting Overconsumption.
However, shortly after starting the blog I got this great email from an uncle of mine on the excellent possibilities for discovering used underwear. I was about 50% amused and 50% disburbed. Here’s an excerpt:
“So I hear you are going to buy nothing new for a whole year, what agreat idea. Sometimes I find new underwear at the sally-ann*, but I think they may have been a dead man’s pair and he just never got to use them. Your mom said you were going to make up a blog on your year shoppig adventure, send it to me please.”
*Sally-Ann is the Salvation Army Thrift Store…not sure if that’s exclusively a Canadian or North American thing.
Anyway, I’m not sure which is worse: the prospect of buying underwear that somebody alive wore, or the prospect of buying underwear that somebody dead didn’t get a chance to wear.
Stay tuned to see how I face this really weird dilemma in the coming months (subvertingoverconsumption.wordpress.com). Thanks Stonehead for sending so many nice folks my way!
LOL Stonehead
I meants SOCKS ooops!! Sack cloth undies maybe??
I posted earlier this year about environmentally friendly fashion and included half a dozen links. I should have linked to the post earlier!