Sometimes participating in the secondhand economy is fun and sexy, like today when I bought a jaunty blue tam at a Saturday morning church bazaar. Other times, becoming a more conscious consumer and working to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle feels much less glamorous.
Case in point: secondhand socks. After missing the entirety of the last Canadian winter traveling in Southeast Asia, this autumn finds me short on appropriate footwear. With Subverting Overconsumption only a few days old, I was determined that the secondhand economy fulfill my sock needs. Despite my good intentions, upon arriving at Value Village I felt decidedly unenthusiastic about the prospect of dawning someone else’s stockings.
Their selection was limited and quite drab, causing some unconscious middleclass hipster snobbery to rear its ugly head. But I persevered, and ended up with four relatively decent pairs of $0.69 socks. It wasn’t actually that bad at all (and the cute pair of secondhand pumps that I used to reward myself certainly didn’t hurt).
Having mustered the resolve to buy used socks once, I can easily imagine that the next time some multinational demands $18 for three pairs I may voluntarily opt to pay under a buck to reuse the perfectly good socks at my neighbourhood thrift shop. Like all good habits it’s about training myself…practising something healthy until it feels so natural that I can’t remember why on Earth I would have ever done it differently.
Until next time, buy nothing.
xox n
7 comments
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November 28, 2006 at 4:31 am
stonehead
You’re making progress.
There’s nothing wrong with properly laundered used socks. A good source for hiking, walking or work socks here in the UK is military surplus stores – you can get a dozen pairs of very comfortable socks for only a couple of quid. (They’re also a good source for high-quality thermal underwear, but most people draw the line at that!! Not me.)
Anyway, back to socks.
If you want more fashionable socks, that’s where older relatives come in handy. Older generations always want to buy their younger relatives socks (it’s genetic), so all you have to do is be genuinely appreciative and guide them gently in the right direction. Before you know it, you’ll be submerged by socks.
And finally, learn how to knit your own socks! There are plenty of patterns out there or you can come up with your own funky designs. You can also guarantee that they’re made with wool from organic flocks. And if you must watch TV, then you can knit while you watch.
Keep it up!
November 28, 2006 at 4:43 am
The anti-consumer and socks « Musings from a Stonehead
[...] So off Nikko went to Value Village, admitting she felt “decidedly unenthusiastic about the prospect of donning someone else’s stockings”. [...]
November 28, 2006 at 11:24 pm
goodgirlculture
The timing of your comment couldn’t be better! I just received a care package from my mom with a bag full of socks (great stylish ones, though in general not entirely practical for the Saskatchewan winter), AND last night I went back to Value Village and got four more pairs of $0.69 socks. Now the sock side of my socks and underwear drawer is crowding the underwear side…raising the ever-ominous question of what happens when I need new underwear!
On the question of knitting, I tried to learn but found that at this point in my life having other people knit me socks is the better option. Of course, now that the cable is shut off I might find myself with time enough to take it up again.
November 29, 2006 at 2:35 am
stonehead
Funnily enough, I’ve also just received a parcel of thermal hiking socks from my mum! I told you it was genetic thing that manifests itself in older relatives – I’m hesitant to say old or elderly in came my mum sees this.
I have a few thoughts on the underwear situation (and other things that might be genuine needs), but I’ll have to keep these for another time as it’s time to take our youngest to playgroup and I’m on the parental duty rota today. I think I get more fun out of it than the kids do.
November 29, 2006 at 9:29 am
stonehead
I’ve been thinking further about this. I would suggest considering allowing yourself to buy a few new items in the year but with a couple of key provisos.
First, ruthlessly restrict yourself to only those things for which you can satisfy yourself that you have a genuine need, and that cannot or should not be obtained second-hand for reasons of hygiene, practicality or safety.
Second, all of these items should be sourced from ethical small businesses that embrace sustainability, workers’ rights, small ecological footprints and the like.
So, if you establish a genuine need for underwear (and I can’t believe I’m writing about this to someone I’ve never met!), then it would have to be made from organic natural materials, using environmentally friendly dyes and production methods, and with the workers paid a fair wage.
I’ve found a few examples:
http://www.rawganique.com/
http://altahemp.com/
http://www.nordicwoollens.com/
If you were in the UK, I’d suggest a lot more with one of my favourites being Enamore – http://www.enamore.co.uk/
(I used to work on women’s magazines, BTW, so unlike most men can navigate my way around fashion boutiques!)
November 30, 2006 at 12:40 am
goodgirlculture
Hope playgroup was grand. As for Enamore, it’s probably lucky I’m not in the UK, otherwise I would definitely be in danger of dropping money there…cutest stuff ever!
On the subject of the scope of the project generally, and whether or not some new items are/will be warranted/necessary, I need to think about it a bit more before I respond. I’ve actually been considering the possibility of altering and potentially expanding the scope of the project, but it’s still percolating…will definitely let you know where things head though.
On the subject of underwear specifically, what good is the internet if not to be able to talk about underwear with strangers?
December 28, 2006 at 11:10 am
Anticlimactic resolution of the recycled panty debate « subverting overconsumption
[...] Awesome headline, right? For those of you who’ve been following Subverting Overconsumption, you may recall my mental hurdle to buy used socks, and the ensuing dialogue about what would happen when the time came for new (or at least new-to-me) underwear. [...]