Zara Sydney & fast fashion - one woman's angst

Zara Sydney: I arrived. I bought fast fashion. 2 hours later, I returned fast fashion.
The guilt factor killed me for the whole 2 hours. It was excrutiating. I was in pain. I HAD to return it. Are you like me? OR Do you thrive on fast & short term fashion?

Here is my story.

Item: Prada-esque bold striped top $70, elbow length sleeves, gathered shoulders, bateau/crew neckline, loose, easy, not lined, bold back zip, 100% polyester (looked & felt like silk)

I bought the cobalt & black stripe, leaving the emerald & black stripe on the rack.
I cant find either on the US Zara site, but here it is from elsewhere....

So what happened?

Lovely Zara Sydney has it in now. Come August 2011, EVERYONE on the Sydney high street will have it. It will be EVERYWHERE. This top is probably the SINGLE MOST DEFINING TREND of Spring/Summer 2011. Trust Miuccia Prada to come up with this - no surprises here. In fact, I predict that the Pitt St mall will be a veritable BOLD STRIPE ALL ALONG ITS LENGTH. HAHAHAHA....No other trend will be noticed.

See SS 2011 Prada outfits below....



& more.....(notice the floral lop bottom left - its on the US site...I am waiting for that one - it wasnt as "noticeable" as the stripes...heheheh)

Zara Sydney also had the striped scarves per the photo on bottom right - they were 40 & have all sold out...amazing effort!



more Prada the real deal....



another Zara similarity.....



Notice I am shouting at times? Because this frustrates me. Why?

Not because EVERYONE will have the item. Definitely not for that reason. As long as I LOVE it, I dont care if everyone has it.

What I DO care about is that because the Sydney landscape will be covered with it, I will be sick of it & will not want to wear it more than once, twice?? lucky to be 3 times worn.....No matter how flattering, how cute, how practical & how well made, I will turf it. It will have a very very very very short life with Valerie.

And I have a gene that says I need to buy classic clothes that will last forever (Ok - read: a very long time) and which cant be identified by specific season. (In case you're wondering, NO, I dont look boring - hahahah....I add "zing", "style", "pizazz" with accessories!)

I dont care that this top only costs $70. If I wear it 3 times, that's still a huge, unjustifiable cost per wear (CPW) of close to $25. TOO EXPENSIVE. TOTALLY NOT WORTH IT. I KID YOU NOT.

In fact, I wondered around town for the 2 hours, knowing I couldnt go home because something wasnt right. I was a zombie looking at windows & my head was definitely not in the right place. Who would believe it, eh?

I would rather pay a bomb & absolutely love something FOREVER that will love ME forever & I will be happy to pull out for years & years rather than a one season wonder. That's just me.
I cant help it. THATS WHY I HAD TO RETURN IT. HAD TO. THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION. PERIOD.

Actually I'd rather get an absolute bargain on something I absolutely love something FOREVER that will love ME forever & I will be happy to pull out for years & years rather than a one season wonder. Hahahaha

a note on the environment....

As an aside, the environmentalists would tell me that the top shouldn't be bought on the basis that its 100% poly and will remain in landfill for a few trillion years. But thats not even my beef. Sorry guys!

a note on quality....

Those of you who know me, would be surprised I dont reject the top on the basis of quality...but I couldnt - it was fabulously made....the stripes matched at the seams, the zip stitches were sewn prefectly, it fell flat against my decolletage and the gathers/hem were even & well done. The poly looked & felt like silk - in fact, as it was poly, it would last through WWIII and look great (personally I HATE it when silk threads start to move apart from handling and wear - it looks unsightly - but there was no risk of this with this Zara top).

a note on matching pieces....

And...and...and....nor did this top create the "sneak right up behind you & you didnt see it coming" fashion problem, that in order to make the item work you need to spend another $2,941 to buy complementary clothes & accessories....so in fact the $70 top costs you $3,011. That has to be one of the most classic (& by stealth) sartorial mistakes on planet earth......In fact, I am proud to say that I had everything else I needed already.......a black pleated skirt (knee length), platform chunky heel black shoes, black hose (not tights) & a Dries Van Noten (yes, real, very real & very adored) chunky antique-y gold necklace with diamantes & pearls. It would have been a great look....for all of one week....

Conclusion

So thats my story - in case you are wondering, my breathing & heart rate are back to normal, my brain isnt spinning from the guilt any more & I feel like everything in the world is back in its right place. Agghh, happy.

& you know what? It all comes down to "Know thyself." When I was acting contrary to Know Thyself (for that whole 2 hours) I couldnt handle it.

AND THE QUESTION IS: ARE YOU LIKE ME? OR ARE YOU A FAST FASHION KEEP 'EM COMING FASHION PIECES WOMAN? C'MON, I NEED TO KNOW WHETHER I AM NORMAL!!! HAHAHAHAHAH