“Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless”.

–Thomas A. Edison

Disadvantages: 

Through online buying sites like Depop, the practice of reselling thrift store things for triple the original purchase price has gained popularity. Reselling these products at a higher price aids in the commercialization of thrift shops, which directly harms low-income neighborhoods by removing accessible goods and apparel. These platforms provide quick buying, selling, and exchanging of clothes, footwear, and accessories. The applications are plagued with users reselling thrifted stuff for a fast profit, which is why they are becoming more and more popular every day. But it doesn’t seem right to sell $3 charity store shirts online for double that price. Low-income populations see thrifting as a need. This activity is wrong since it involves benefiting from something that people rely on heavily while reselling thrift store things for greater rates. Resellers raiding charity shops in search of the hip, fashionable bargains and making large purchases wind up ripping a lot away from low-income neighborhoods. Although profiteering off of goods that people require to sustain their level of living is unethical, thrifting is not, per se. It upholds itself on ignorant and bigoted beliefs and is unethical. Sellers should recognize that their willingness to thrift and then resale their goods at exorbitant rates deprive the less fortunate.

Advantages: 

Among the best ways to reduce our support for unethical fashion businesses is to purchase secondhand. Recycling clothes saves resources, reduces the need for new clothing manufacture, and reduces pollution from clothing manufacturing. It is a superior option to quick fashion, deterring consumers from supporting unethical labor conditions and environmental destruction. While thrift reselling, you may uncover a ton of hidden treasures and then resale used goods from the convenience of your home to make some extra income. Despite the difficulties involved, thrift store clothing reselling is beneficial to the planet and can lower your carbon footprint. Even if you resale clothes from thrift stores, buying used clothing will assist the planet for years to come by lowering the amount of garbage we send to landfills. Just consider how insane dumps would be if resellers were prohibited from visiting secondhand shops–the amount of garbage would be tremendous. Most items sold for resale at thrift stores aren’t likely to be vital or fatal for anyone since they are simply things, and there is a lot of them. There will always be more footwear, clothing, and home goods available. There is enough for anyone, and essential apparel and home goods won’t run out anytime in the foreseeable future in secondhand stores.

Work Cited:

The most obvious harm caused by animal cruelty is the misery and suffering that the animal endures. Contrary to popular belief, bodily cruelty cases seldom have pleasant endings: the abuse is frequently horrifying, and the victims are rarely given a second chance at life or adopted by a good family. It is an issue that is looked over frequently today that needs to be further acknowledged. Animals are our friends, a way for us to survive, and most importantly, they are living things. Since animals are unable to defend themselves, it is crucial that we continue to make every effort to ensure that they have the lives they are entitled to.

There have been various different kinds of animal abuse recently.  After being herded up to the coast, the dolphins are killed. Typically, they are harpooned and left to bleed out on the beaches. The procedure is painfully slow. In some places of the world, wild animals are also poached. The killing of rhinoceroses and elephants is the one you know about the most. They kill the animals only to harvest their tusks or horns for market sale. They don’t pursue the animals for clothing, food, and other essentials that are generally permitted under the law. These folks like going on hunts and making money off of ivory. People uploading photos of themselves with freshly slain animals has also caused a great deal of concern. They kill cheetahs, tigers, and lions. Typically, these creatures are killed for their fur. The majority of these creatures are becoming rarer. Others are becoming extinct, such as the tiger.

Pets are involved in some of the worst cases of animal abuse. There are many various ways that pets can be abused. Dog fighting is a lucrative sport that is played for spectator enjoyment. In dog breeding operations known as puppy mills, revenues are prioritized over the welfare of the animals. Animal cruelty also includes keeping animals in captivity. Numerous pet owners take on more animals than they can manage, which frequently results in neglect. Factories, which are frequently used inhumanely by businesses to grow vast numbers of animals for consumption, are another kind of animal abuse. Another major issue is the killing of horses. Horses have been butchered for human amusement. Dog racing and cock fighting are both examples of animal maltreatment.

In our nation, animal experimentation is a serious issue as well. They test drugs, cosmetics, psychiatric illnesses, and how they affect humans on animals. Harry Harlow tested the value of comfort and interaction on monkeys. Soon after the monkeys’ birth, their moms were taken away. They were housed in a cage together with a wire monkey holding food and another wire monkey wrapped in a cozy blanket. The majority of the monkeys choose to remain with the wire-covered monkey rather than go to it for food. The monkeys were unable to operate normally both by themselves and with other monkeys. Just after a study was already over, they were required to be stopped.

The majority of people are unaware that animals suffer from the same kinds of psychological trauma that people do. Animals require proper care and treatment. These are not beings we can kill for amusement or vent our rage against. You can put an end to cruelty and keep it from happening in a number of ways. If you read my posts throughout the semester, you’ll learn how to stop, avoid, and learn about some of the animal mistreatment that takes place throughout the globe.

Work Cited:

no author. “Tracking Animal Cruelty.” FBI, FBI, 1 Feb. 2016, https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/-tracking-animal-cruelty.

no author. “World Elephant Day: Over 200 Elephants in India Kept in Severely Inadequate Conditions, Says Report.” The Indian Express, 12 Aug. 2020, https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/world-elephant-day-elephants-india-abuse-report-world-animal-protection-6551376/.

“Style is something each of us already has, all we need to do is find it.”

—Diane von Furstenberg

1. Make use of your minimalist aesthetic. A classic little black dress, a pair of well-fitting jeans, plain T-shirts and button-down tops in neutral hues, and a basic jacket should all be part of your wardrobe. The secret to appearing put together is to invest in a small number of versatile essentials.

2. Ensure that your clothing fits you precisely. A tailored fit makes clothing seem more sophisticated and feel cozier. If your clothing bunches up or your jeans drag on the ground, you won’t feel stylish. You may begin to experiment with oversized items in a way that feels attractive rather than sloppy if your minimalist wardrobe fits you nicely.

3. Choose a distinct style. Making a mood board is a good place to start even if developing your own individual style may take years. You should always keep in mind that personal style is an adventure; you never know what fantastic looks you’ll find until you enter the changing room. “Men’s” and “women’s” clothing shouldn’t dictate how you make purchases. Spend some time playing with shapes and colors to find what flatters your own body shape.

4. Make use of color. For ideas, have a look at a color chart. If you’re scared to wear color, begin with one item in a muted hue and progress from there. You’ll discover what color combination complements your style the most as you become more accustomed to them.

5. Combine textures and patterns. The practice of matching your bags and shoes is no longer fashionable. A striking fashion statement is made by clashing materials and patterns. Beginning with simple, understated materials like suede and knits and basic patterns like stripes, experiment with sequins and floral prints in little doses to see what looks well on you.

6. Be better at shopping. If you learn how to shop smartly, it will be simpler for you to minimize filling your closet with things you rarely use. When you have items in your closet that you adore, designing a wardrobe will come naturally.

7. Explore proportional balance. It’s important to style your clothes to achieve a sense of stylistic harmony while balancing dimensions. You may do this by dressing in clothing that fits your body type. Keep the remainder of the appearance tailored when you wish to experiment with big clothing or unexpected forms.

Work Cited:

Guerra, Julia. “The 10 Best Fashion Trends to Wear for Fall 2022, According to Stylists.” InStyle, InStyle, 14 Sept. 2022, https://www.instyle.com/fashion/seasonal/fall/fall-2022-fashion-trends-stylists.

For my Passion blog, I will continue to do a fashion-based topic as it has always been something I enjoy writing about. The fashion world has so much content that can be covered and multiple lenses to look through when analyzing the specific subject I’m focused on for the blog entry.

For my civic issue blog, I was going to write about animal rights/cruelty. The most obvious harm caused by animal cruelty is the misery and suffering that the animal endures. Contrary to popular belief, bodily cruelty cases seldom have pleasant endings: the abuse is frequently horrifying, and the victims are rarely given a second chance at life or adopted by a good family. It is an issue that is looked over frequently today that needs to be further acknowledged. Animals are our friends, a way for us to survive, and most importantly, they are living things. Since animals are unable to defend themselves, it is crucial that we continue to make every effort to ensure that they have the lives they are entitled to.

“This I Believe” speech:

1. Introduction (conversion structure)

1. Attention-getter: Have you ever felt an itch that just refuses to go away? And you can’t scratch 

that itch because it’s just out of reach. Eventually, it does go away but imagine 

that same itch just constantly never-ending. That’s what anxiety is for me. 

1. Context/ethos:  I have dealt with anxiety since I could remember. It was just this thing I had to 

endure and wouldn’t last for long periods of time. It would never interfere with my ability to 

function, I was always able to handle all aspects of my life with it being in the back of my mind.

But, what I didn’t realize was how my anxiety was evolving into this greater negative impact on 

my mental health. 

1. “I believe” Statement/Thesis: I believe in not being afraid of mental illness.

1. I’ll be talking about how I was scared of my mental illness is a part of my identity and 

overcoming that fear through treatment and acceptance. 

1. Body

1. Initial Belief: My dad always would suggest that I should go on medication to help alleviate my symptoms because he also struggles with anxiety and benefits from taking medication. But I didn’t believe I needed to be on any medication and neither did my mom. My mom was always anti-medication and believes anxiety is something everyone just deals with, so I choose to listen to her because of how fearful I was of how the pills would affect me–living with anxiety became part of my identity and I thought medication would change me for the worse. 

[I would soon learn later in life that I should’ve received treatment sooner]

1. Revised Belief: I found it more difficult to deal with my senior year in high school. During college application season I had my first anxiety attack and the vicious cycle of tossing and turning every night began. I wasn’t getting any sleep and found it extremely tough to manage my schoolwork, sport, and social life. The nervousness and worry were just constant and nothing I could do would allow me to get rid of it. Eventually, my parents took me to my doctor who recommended I should be put on medication. I was scared, but I didn’t want to feel this way anymore. 

[In the end, I learned for the better how to take care of my mental health]

III.Conclusion

1. Taking anti-anxiety medication didn’t change me for the worse, it changed me for the better. I realized anxiety is not something that you grow out of, but instead something that grows with you and builds up as you encounter greater stress and challenges life throws your way as you age. That there are ways to help your mental health and should not be afraid of trying. 

1. I believe there’s no reason to be frightened of mental illness.

 I will always have to live with this itch it doesn’t just go away, but I can finally scratch that itch enough for me to live a happier and more functional lifestyle.

Work Cited:

Baker, Sandy. “Underlying Mental Illness: Root Cause of Addiction? – Victory.” Victory Addiction Recovery Center, 4 Dec. 2020, https://myvictorycenter.com/mental-illness-root-cause-addiction/.

“This I Believe” podcast

1.  Service animals change people’s lives for the better

They can aid in reducing anxiousness and promoting relaxation, which will enhance one’s quality of life. Service animals have received special training to support a particular person with a mental or physical handicap. There are even individuals who offer their time to make others feel great to own trained therapy dogs.

1.  Music helps mental health

According to research, brain chemicals like oxytocin, or the “love hormone,” and dopamine, which are connected to pleasure, can both benefit from listening to music. Furthermore, there is some proof that music helps lower cortisol levels, which are linked to stress.

Passion Blog

1.  Animal cruelty

The most obvious harm caused by animal cruelty is the misery and suffering that the animal endures. Contrary to popular belief, bodily cruelty cases seldom have pleasant endings: the abuse is frequently horrifying, and the victims are rarely given a second chance at life or adopted by a good family. It is an issue that is looked over frequently today that needs to be further acknowledged.

1.  Movie reviews

A movie review’s primary objective is to enlighten the viewer about the movie’s themes and plot.

I was also wondering if we have to change our passion blog this semester because I still wanted to do fashion.

Civic Issues

1.   Environmental problems

A number of the following are involved in global environmental concerns:
Habitat destruction
Climate change
Ozone in the atmosphere being depleted
Air pollution and acid rain
Ocean contamination

2.  Politically encouraged riots

If nonviolent protests can garner media attention, there is a very significant correlation between that exposure and serious interest in the concerns those activists are bringing up. However, violence has a conditional impact, and in practice, this results in the ability for groups that are the target of state violence to receive a lot of media attention and particularly favorable press.

Work Cited:

Desiree Brougher, Esq. “What Is the Difference between Service Animals and Assistance Animals?” Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®, 14 Nov. 2022, https://www.parealtors.org/what-is-the-difference-between-service-animals-and-assistance-animals/.

Question 1: New Civic Activities

Since the pandemic has struck, can you think of new “civic activities” that have arisen? What are they? What are the civic commonplaces that they embody? How has the pandemic changed, modified, or restructured those commonplaces?

Civic engagement has traditionally been understood to be taking part in activities that benefit the community as a whole rather than a single person. When examining how the concept of civic engagement has evolved since the COVID-19 epidemic, we can see changes in the kind of social activities that now meet the criteria for being “civic.” Compliance to direct COVID-19 mitigation techniques, such as vaccination administration, public masking, and increasing voter turnout, are among these efforts. These new civic tasks also involve the ordinary person’s need to avoid becoming the main driver of social polarization, particularly in a period when social unity is crucial.

Due to the sacrifice of personal comfort for the sake of public safety and disease transmission reduction, public masking can be considered a civic activity. The act of giving up a particular choice in favor of a greater societal consequence truly emphasizes the phrase civic action in the modern world. One of the most important things about wearing a mask is that it not only protects those around you in case you get sick, but it also protects you. Because of this, it is customary for Americans to band together to aid one another in times of need. Additionally, by donning a mask, a person may shield many people around them.

Similar circumstances apply to vaccine administration when people are prepared to go above and beyond to receive a particular vaccination in order to safeguard the population from the infection. This once more demonstrates the giving up of a particular person’s choice for the sake of the greater good, which is completely new after COVID-19’s origin. This closely adheres to the core civic principle of putting society before oneself, which encourages people to make decisions that benefit society as a whole and enable the government and the public to advance.

Voting is another civic action that was initiated during the epidemic and has a long tradition in the United States. Voting numbers can definitely be boosted, despite the fact that residents have long enjoyed this activity. Due to the pandemic’s congruence with the election year and the public’s intense polarization over the existing administration, this activity gained attention. Voting encouragement became quite popular as a result of the attempt to raise minority and younger voter participation. The turmoil brought on by the epidemic, which complicated voting, is another facet of this activity. To avoid COVID and yet fulfill their civic responsibility to cast a ballot, a majority of people opted for mail-in ballots rather than casting their votes in person. Voting has historically been a way for US citizens to embody the ideals of exercising the freedoms and rights that coincide with being a citizen of the United States. Using the ballot, citizens may actively pick their representatives in government and select leaders.

Work Cited:

PYMNTS. (2020, March 26). High-end face masks become valued commodity on eCommerce platforms. High-End Face Masks Become Valued Commodity | PYMNTS.com. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2020/high-end-face-masks-become-valued-commodity-on-ecommerce-platforms/

WHO, P. A. H. O. (2022, September 26). Frequently asked questions: Covid-19 vaccines. PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://www.paho.org/en/covid-19-vaccines/frequently-asked-questions-covid-19-vaccines

“Winter dressing is all about having chic outerwear”.

-George Kotsiopoulos

With temps only going down, coat season is already kicking into high gear. You undoubtedly have one or two stylish coats lying in your closet, yet why not join in the season’s trends and consider purchasing some of the winter coat trends, along with many others. Whatever trend you choose for the winter will undoubtedly be special.

What better way to beat the cold weather than with a striking animal-printed coat on occasions when the weather is unusually chilly. Such coats are made to stand out, with patterns like zagged zebras from Stella McCartney and Dries Van Noten to cheetah and leopard designs from Rixo and Nili Lotan.

Giving comforter for the bedding in the finest way imaginable. Hailey Bieber and Dakota Johnson, among other celebrities, have taken a liking to the robe trend, dressed in opulent textiles like velvet, silk, and feathers on robes with elaborate embroidery. These celebrities all channeled retro loungewear influences in their own distinctive ways–embracing how the Winter season is made to be cozy and comfortable.

Cowgirl fashion is going to stay, and for this season, brands like Chanel and Maison Margiela gave it the high couture touch. You may try to ignore it all you want. You don’t have to dress in a full giddy-up ensemble to participate in this one, as seen by the Western-inspired runway ensembles. See what happens if you try wearing any of your typical clothes with a pair of traditional black cowboy boots. Most likely, it will appear real cute.

It’s true that the winter trend for outerwear is rather predictable. But if you’re going to layer up in order to stay warm, you may as well do it in the season’s hottest jacket. We’ll see tons of bomber jackets this season, if the shows at Prada, Elie Saab, Loewe, and Raf Simmons are any clue (to mention a few). The world is yours, choose your fave from fuzzy, reflective, suede, or denim.

If the popularity of clunky and platform shoes wasn’t already on the rise, it soon will be. This fashion trend is at least useful during the winter, when salty roads, sleet, and snow require footwear that can withstand the weather. Of course, while maintaining a trendy appearance.

Nostalgia for the far journeys, slow fashion, and handcrafted goods, and unique hand-me-down knitwear.  Several very original works with a bohemian slant have been created using all of these nice, fuzzy sensations. Since we will always appreciate things that are well and feel a little quirky, these are the types of timeless looks that do indeed transcend seasons, decades, and trends. The colors are flavorful and substantiated, the patterns are natural and unexpected, and the textures are far too luxurious and intriguing to fight back your touch this Winter.

Work Cited:

Whitney, Shea. “10 Best *Wearable* Winter Fashion Trends for 2022!” YouTube, YouTube, 22 Jan. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9VA0kkaQRM.

author, no. Aliexpress, 2022, https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802928351963.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US.

For our History of a Public Controversy Project, my group and I were thinking of making our documentary about the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. We are deciding whether or not we want to make the controversy from the point of view of incarceration or if states should have the power to regulate the legality of this drug/even calling a drug in the first place. If we were to do it from the incarceration viewpoint there would be a discussion on why or why not people should still be charged and sent to prison for using weed and also could segway into how it is being used against minority communities. However, if we’re to do our project from the power of states to regulate this substance we were thinking of including the definitions of a drug and how the states could use their power to define marijuana in the eyes of their laws and what they seem is fit.

In reflecting on last week my TED Talk consisted of speaking about the gender imbalance in the punk scene and how it negatively affected female performers. I spoke about how this problem finally rose to the public’s attention with the paradigm shift of the Riot Grrrl Movement and how feminists back then tried to put an end to the harassment and inequality in this specific music industry. The movement was short-lived, so I continued speaking about how this movement still inspires many people today–protests, fanzines, museum exhibits, music camps, etc. are making progress every day in trying to end this issue. To conclude, I restated my thesis and said by educating one another on sexism in this community, however, we may attempt to end this problem.

Work Cited:

author, no. “Lawmakers Announce Deal on Bill to Legalize, Regulate Recreational Marijuana in New York State.” ABC7 New York, ABC7, 28 Mar. 2021, https://abc7ny.com/legalize-marijuana-in-ny-cannabis-weed/10453759/.

“I see fashion as a proclamation or manifestation of identity, so, as long as identities are important, fashion will continue to be important”.

-Kate Bornstein

Mixed-gender clothes and accessories are referred to as androgynous fashion.  It is artistically intended to avoid creating a visible contrast between physical traits considered male and female. As a result, androgynous fashion trends welcome all genders and are sexually neutral. Androgyny has become fashionable in daily clothing because of the employment of androgynous models on catwalks and social media posts by artists like Justin Bieber wearing skirts. This is clear and encouraged by movements like activewear. Accepting oneself without looking for approval from others is what androgyny promotes.

Did you realize that what you wear might impact your mental health? 96% of women agreed that how secure they feel is influenced by what they are wearing. Women and men who closely identify with and conform to the typical gender stereotype roles feel higher anxiety, poorer self-esteem, and depression. However, individuals who are knowledgeable about gender neutrality and dress androgynously are significantly happier and more settled.

Traditional gender norms started to rapidly dissolve in the 1900s, right around World War I, with an obvious effect on fashion. Innovators of the fashion industry like Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret began to popularize the “flapper style.” Pants and the “chic bob” hairdo, which was promoted as the newest in female fashion, made up the flapper look. When women began to feel that their clothing was restricting their performances and everyday tasks, androgynous fashion began to gain appeal. When female activists first appeared and started adopting men’s clothing, the movement exploded in popularity, especially among celebrities. One of the early movie stars to embrace the flapper androgynous look was the glitzy German actress Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s. At film premieres, Dietrich was frequently spotted rocking a suit and a pair of pants.

Unisex items make sense in terms of marketing. more straightforward to say, store, categorize, and distribute. The range of styles, nevertheless, tells a different tale from the standpoint of the fashion designer. With the help of influential fashion events in London and Paris, androgynous fashion designers started to become more well-known in America. At that time, young fashion designers like Pierre Cardin, Helmut Lang, and Giorgio Armani began to develop androgynous clothing trends. The designs looked great next to male models who had long, enhanced, or colored hair and were wearing makeup. Relative to this, published catalogs featuring guys wearing jewelry and cosmetics were announced by the fashion media. A comparable phenomenon linked to the androgynous fashion trend has been identified as the rise of metrosexual males in the 2000s.

Fashion is a way to express oneself. People may now openly express who they are via their clothing thanks to androgyny without having to adhere to the associated classification. I identify as female but find that dressing in “boyish” clothing helps me feel more at ease with who I am. Since clothes are genderless, feel free to enjoy anything you like to wear!

Work Cited:

Bieber, Justin. “Justin Bieber on Instagram: ‘📸 @Amberasaly.’” Instagram, 31 Oct. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CkZRRMQvwfQ/.

Fox-Suliaman, Jasmine. “14 Androgynous Brands That Are Bound to Blow up in 2022.” Who What Wear, Who What Wear, 12 Jan. 2022, https://www.whowhatwear.com/androgynous-clothing-brands.

no author. “In 1933, Marlene Dietrich Was Traveling across the Atlantic on a Steamer Bound for Paris, Wearin…: Girl Suits, Daily Fashion Inspiration, Fashion Inspiration Board.” Pinterest, 15 Jan. 2021, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/836825174509146787/.

Russell, Aidan, et al. “Androgynous Fashion Guide – History, Trends & Top Brands (2022).” The VOU, 30 Sept. 2022, https://thevou.com/fashion/androgynous-fashion-androgynous-clothing/.

no author. “7115 By Szeki.” Advice from a Caterpillar, 2022, https://advicefromacaterpillar.ca/collections/7115-by-szeki.

Link to slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XWQZJK64_d_kGT3RI6QMRkfAjrlxxsL8_5FY3yRlazk/edit?usp=sharing