Anti-capitalism and fashion

[TragicFarce]

I wasn't sure exactly where to post this but here goes:
Is it contradictory to be a Marxist and oppose global capital, but still remain fashionable? I am one of those people who takes pride in the stuff I wear etc. as I feel comfortable in it, and it makes me look good. I know buying from certain companies that exploit third world labour is an obvious contradiction. But does anybody know of a place where I can buy stuff that not only looks good, but also labour friendly i.e. through a co-op or something similar?

[perardua]

I chuckled a great bit when I read your first question, please don't take offence. It's just that this is such an insidious strain of thought, that is both misdirected and ineffective. The idea that displays of wealth are immoral, that a leftist should be a kind of ascetic and so on. I think it appeared in the 70s, but possibly runs through all socialist history. In my country it was then popular to "shame" rich people - while at the same time completely accepting their existence. Which shows that this attitude actually masks impotence and irrelevance - I cannot do anything against capitalism so at least I can make a show of ethical living.

In reality of course, one can be just as much of a superficial consumer shopping second hand, and buying a $20 shirt is just as capitalist as buying a $200 shirt.

If you are looking for labour-friendly goods, that is of course a different matter. Someone else can help you I hope.

[ckaihatsu]

Agreed -- the argument is that we're *compelled* to participate in the capitalist economy of commodity-production for satisfying our everyday needs, so any concerns over one's particular chosen 'style' is just *lifestylism*, and is not really *political* because there's no political *content* there, as over *how* production gets done (exploitation of labor, etc.).

[Homo Songun]

I wasn't sure exactly where to post this but here goes:
Is it contradictory to be a Marxist and oppose global capital, but still remain fashionable? I am one of those people who takes pride in the stuff I wear etc. as I feel comfortable in it, and it makes me look good. I know buying from certain companies that exploit third world labour is an obvious contradiction. But does anybody know of a place where I can buy stuff that not only looks good, but also labour friendly i.e. through a co-op or something similar?

Wanting to look good is fine with me. 'Nothing human is alien to me' to paraphrase Marx. Fashion has a lot of ideological content and what is considered stylish depends on the particular society. It's interesting to look at pictures of what people wore in medieval times or tribal societies and reflect on what their get-ups were supposed to be communicating to other people of their own time and place. Under socialism I hope fashion cooperatives try all kinds of experimental things with regards to wearable technology, gender, etc. I am sure there is a rich amount of experience to draw upon from when the USSR and the socialist bloc grappled with these same issues. Imagine what would be possible in a post-scarcity world!

[BIXX]

If you're wearing anything other than a potato sack loin cloth you're not a true prole.


All joking aside, do whatever you want in regards to clothing. After all, even if I bought into the 'ethical consumerism' stuff you then have the issues of buying ethical food, buying ethical gasoline (if you drive), ethical shopping isn't practical in a society that constructs those ethics as a marketing gimmick.

[Ele'ill]

flash robs and communist banditry

[CommunistOrganon]

Drop the lifestylism. Some companies are more problematic or more iconically "capitalist" than others, and yes, fashion is deeply and seriously influenced by cultural hegemony and ideology. But hey, if someone wears nice, modest, not luxurious, but good-looking, well designed, aesthetically pleasing clothes, and if that person is a communist - fine by me. Better than those who dress basically in rags and wear flat caps to look more ""authentically"" proletarian.

[redshirt]

I would try to buy clothes made in a country that has laws guaranteeing the workers that produced it got paid a decent wage. Of course there is going to be a point where you are spending an excess of money but if you avoid high end brands that shouldn't be too much of an issue. For example I needed a winter coat and a cap a few years back so I bought from the USA made line that Carhartt has. Work clothes have a distinct style to them and articles from Europe might have more fashion.