I’m always surprised by how many of my favorite design blogs and even independent artists love Anthropologie. I suppose they sell occasionally cute things but they appear to mostly be a glorified flea-market. For most of these bloggers to talk a lot about D.I.Y. and small business, it’s amazing how they eat up this type of corporate-ness.

Of course it’s hard to be a conscious consumer all the time (and I’m not just talking about the X-Ray Spex). I sometimes stop inside of a Target or Walmart and there are a few well-known products that are go-tos for me, but I rarely see myself pushing that. I guess I’ve been thinking about this a lot because I’ve been decorating my new place and all this holiday shopping stuff is coming up. Also, because of this new life of living alone and just having books and music to entertain me, I’ve been longing to learn how to craft and make things. It hasn’t been that difficult to be without TV or internet but now I’m wanting new interests like sewing, knitting, painting, and re-learning the piano. I’m one of those people who often says, “Well, I could make that,” when seeing some forms of art but I don’t make that. So after a few months of browsing both big-box and thrift stores, the decision has come to focus more on hand-made, hand-me-downs, and do-it-yourselfers.

Back onto the topic of Anthropologie, I think they are most scary because they have the image of supporting creators and crafters. From what I hear, some Etsiers are clamoring to have their items sold in their stores. There’s even this fun game from Regretsy:

I know Anthropologie truly started out as a curated gift and antique store, priding themselves on the found objects. Urban Outfitters must have then ruined it, and don’t even get me started on that place! So now Anthropologie is this over-priced faux marketplace. You might as well save your dollars and go to World Market or even the equally expensive, but at least sturdier Ikea if you want to stick to a big department store.
It bothers me that some reasonable people and designers would fall for that kind of stuff. If I’m going to spend that kind of money I might as well go buy a Vivienne Westwood or Chanel dress. Or I would go to a genuine antique store to find furniture. Or, you know, I would go to a craft fair or search out an independent artist and spend less money altogether.

We’re down there at Wall Street and at the individual movements within our own cities, and some of us are clutching Starbucks cups and wearing brand new pairs of jeans from the mall. I still support the movement but I think a big part of it needs to be self-reflection, not just blame on corporations. For a time, we were the ones supporting those corporations like zombies. And other than Bank Transfer Day, we’re still in one way or another helping them to profit. The biggest criticism I hear about Occupy Wall St. is that they don’t really have a plan or mission. I believe this is true and it will remain true if we don’t take a look at ourselves. How we spend, how we live, what we regard as important. The change happens in our heart and in our mind and then we go forth and act on that. We can’t wait for someone to do it for us. The plan for OWS will materialize if we know what to do with ourselves first and what we expect of us in the future.

I guess what I’m saying is that the Peace Market at the Esperanza Center is going on tomorrow and Saturday and I’ll be sure to attend. Even if I only find one thing, it’ll be worth it to support the independent vendors and to escape Black Friday. I hope, if you do any shopping at all this holiday season, that you take care to think about what you buy and where you shop. It’s not easy to do that all the time but small steps is all it takes to get where we need to be.

seen over at Fly!

Love this concept. And there’s more! It’s funny because I actually went to the mall this morning and it was a terrible experience as usual for me. I can never find my size (yes, I’m a pear), I think that salespeople take one look at you and wonder why you’re even in their shop, and I can never find anything so unique that I would want to purchase it. I’ll think to myself, this is cute but I’m sure I’ll see someone else wearing this. (yeah, I’m talking to you Forever 21 and your manufactured crap.)

When I was a kid, I hated shopping at the thrift store. My parents didn’t have money to throw away on designer duds. I thought it was embarrassing and everything just smelled weird. Now I crave the smell of moth balls and dusty old things. I would say over 75% of my clothes come from thrifting. I would say my books, records, and cute things to decorate my home with come from these place too. There’s lots of good stuff to be had and I don’t think it makes you all hipster. It makes you fashionable without the price. And it’s fun too! I think the next “vacation time” I have off, I’ll just hit up all the thrift shops from here to Austin to maybe even Houston to find the perfect, complete wardrobe. That would be an awesome trip!