If Karl Marx had been feminist!
99% of the time shopping makes me sad. 7% because I hate having countless options, 14% because I hate crowded malls and 79% because I’m sure finding my perfect fit is definitely harder than even finding Mr. Right. (And to me Mr. Right is a mythical creature but more about that some other time)
And here’s why: today I’m somewhere between a small and medium, sometime last week I was somewhere between a small and an extra-small, some time last year I was somewhere between a medium and a large. To those of you who count sizes quantitatively that’s somewhere between a 4 and a 10 but never a 4 or a 6 or a 8 or a 10 just somewhere in between.
And here’s how I realised Mr. Marx would have had something to say about my shopping conundrum: I went shopping with my girlfriends. None of whom change shapes as much as I do but finding their right size was the same old nightmare.
And ya I know Marx was talking about how mass production causes alienation from the objective value of a commodity, but I believe mass production has also lead to an alienation of the commodity from the people actually trying to wear it.
And here’s how alienation works for mass producers (according to Marx) – they are in cahoots with the advertising industry which lets them increase the subjective value of a commodity. And here’s how alienation works for mass producers (according to me) – convince us that we need the perfect size to look perfect creating the perfect vicious cycle. Go shopping – hunt for perfect size – get tired settle for something – stay unsatisfied – go shopping.
And here’s what I think needs to change: don’t convince us that there is a universal perfect fit. I’m not sure if it will ever be possible to change modes of production but it might be possible to debunk the perfect size myth.
I’m not calling on the mass producers to debunk the myth I’m calling on the voices that matter.
Tell your mothers/daughters/sisters/girlfriends/wives/friends/cousins – shorts and tshirt itself you’ll blind everyone with your awesomeness
After thought: I’m guessing guys have similar pressures about finding the right fit. So to all the guys in my life – I think each one of you is amazingly good looking no matter what you are wearing.
