A few months ago, I went to Columbus to visit my boyfriend. I was wearing the perfect thrifted deep yellow suede dress for the occasion. However, on the way there, I stopped for lunch and ended up getting barbeque sauce all over my dress. Not wanting to look like a total slob on my date, I decided I needed a new outfit and stopped at a forever 21 and bought a skirt and shirt I could change into.
Yes, that’s right, the girl with the sustainable fashion blog went to a very fast fashion store and bought a new outfit. And you know what that’s okay.
If some Average Jane bought something from forever 21, no one would bat an eye, but since I am an advocate for thrifting, some might claim I’m some sort of traitor to the movement.
This all-or-nothing attitude is often referred to as toxic perfection and it is a big problem. It is present in all sorts of movements from veganism, to zero-waste, and thrifting. Some members of these communities will attack others who don’t adhere to the group’s mission 100%.
Let’s say that someone says they are going to follow a mostly plant-based diet, but they want to enjoy some ice cream every once in a while. Then, another vegan shames them for eating that ice cream instead of applauding them for all the vegan meals they have been eating. The person will feel like they don’t belong in the vegan community and is more likely to just give up trying to live plant-based. This is an example of toxic perfection.
The same goes for thrifting. If someone wants to try thrifting most of their clothes, but they still enjoy shopping at the mall, we should congratulate them for making an effort instead of scolding them for not purchasing solely second hand.
Toxic Perfection sends the message that “if you aren’t doing something all day every day, then don’t do it at all!” This is incredibly harmful to any movement. A whole bunch of people doing something imperfectly is going to be a lot more beneficial than a handful of people doing it perfectly.
So just know that whatever efforts you’re making to be more sustainable, I’m proud of you. And make sure that you let your friends know you’re proud of them even if they’re not doing as much as you because at least they’re doing something!
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