Today I’m laying down the scissors to pick up my pen, because we need to have a serious chat about something that has been vexing my spirit: Fast Fashion!
You know those clothes that quickly blaze up like bamboo fire, only to fizzle out just as fast? Many designs you just "haffi buy" to keep up with the Joneses end up in the landfill before you're even done squinting and typing in your card number. Bwoy! It looks tempting, but as a dressmaker who lives by the thread, I have strong opinions on this "quick-and-fast" business.
What comes to my mind is just as my Granny would say, 'Too much callaloo mek peppa-pot soup bitta.' You are probably asking yourself what I mean when I say, 'Too much callaloo mek peppa-pot soup bitta.' Well, it's a saying that means too much of a good thing can spoil everything.
Yes, it is a great feeling to fill your online cart with all the latest styles and trends. You get those clothes faster than any custom-made garment and suddenly have enough outfits to post on Facebook to 'bun' your envious cousin 'dem' heart with how stylish you’ve become. You model them, strutting as boastful as a cock-chicken at the dance, but then comes the harsh truth. One wash, or even just one strong feel, and you find out that all that glitters is not gold.
When it's time for me to mend those bags full of clothes, I find myself dealing with some 'fenke-fenkey' fabric that feels as if it were spun from tears and hope. When it tears, you just hope nobody can see it until you can get it fixed!
Sometimes you do get lucky, but more often than not, the stitches are loose, the seams are puckering, and the buttonholes look like a bird attacked them. You wear it twice, wash it once, and Poom! The side seam 'buss' opens like ackee when it’s ready. Fragile, my dears, just plain fragile!
You pay less now, but you end up buying more often. Where is the saving in that? I'd rather have one sturdy piece that lasts than ten flimsy ones that die in the washing machine. I swear by DIY; if you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself.
The "One-Size-Fits-None" Dilemma
This is where I truly get upset. We are Jamaican women! We have curves and shape! We have hips that tell the truth! But these mass-produced clothes? They are cut for a ghost! We all acknowledge that the vagueness in sizing isn't accidental; it’s by design so that one style can fit, or at least almost fit, rather, a wide range of body types. Yet, some items seem to fall tragically short of the 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' miracle.
They are not quite long enough, not quite nipped at the waist, and they leave your behind looking like a sack of potatoes. They are made to fit a mannequin, not a moving, breathing, woman-shaped woman. They tell you to just buy the next size up, but who wants to walk around in a tent? Moreover, if you are not blessed with height, when you buy a larger size to manage your curves, your 'pants foot' ends up dragging on the streets. Just 15 minutes walking in a torrential downpour on a busy day, and your throwback flared jeans suddenly turn into 'Wata Boot'.
When you sew your own? You cut it to your exact measurement. The waist sits where the waist should sit. The hem grazes the ankle perfectly. It’s custom, it's correct, and it makes you walk with a proper strut.
The Death of Style and the Rise of the Clone
As the saying goes: “Falla-fashion mek monkey lose ‘im tail.”
Fast fashion doesn't encourage style; it encourages sameness. That special “je ne sais quoi”, that unique spark that makes you authentically you. This gets lost when everyone chases the same trends.
Go on the streets now, and tell me what you see. Everybody seems to be wearing the same three tops! The internet fashion brands make more clothes and styles than ever; though so many sub-genres of clothing are trending, they are churning out the same aesthetic without genuine thought for personal taste. To keep up with these trends, customers buy more, factories produce more, and you may not even be true to what you actually like.
Your personal style is like your seasoning, and it should be unique to you. A mix of flavours that only you can blend. But when you are only wearing what the big brands push, you lose your creative flair. You become one in a crowd.
Sewing for yourself is like becoming the curator of your own identity. You get to choose the colours, the texture, and the cut. It is a deeply personal outlet of creative expression that proudly announces, "This is me, and I made it!" That is confidence you simply can't buy on the rack. That is how you keep your tail.
Where to Start
Ultimately, this isn't a "stone sermon". With all that life throws at us—work, school, home life, and projects—you may not have the time or the patience to start making your own clothes from scratch.
Even if you rely on fast fashion items for style or convenience, you can still take control of your wardrobe. If you don't yet know how to sew, you can start small! Learn to mend your own clothes, how to line or re-line a skirt that might be too sheer, or how to shorten your favourite pair of too-long pants. You can even personalise a plain shirt or jacket.
Knowledge is power. Learning to sew or mend your own clothes is a skill I believe everyone should have, especially these days. There's no time like the present, and in this digital age, learning a new skill is easier than ever with all the resources available online.