I used to read fashion magazines religiously every month. Especially TeenVogue and Harper's Bazaar. In the back of each issue of Harper's Bazaar, they had a page dedicated to what items of clothing were "In" and "Out". This type of messaging gives the impression that by wearing something "In" then you are "doing things right" and if you are wearing something "Out" you are not loveable/modern.

This is one of many implicit ways we are encouraged to equate worth with object worship instead of worshipping ourselves unconditionally regardless of anything we 'own'

Ownership is an illusion as the fibers (plants) and animals which made our products were never ours to begin with. We are not what we 'own' because we don't actually own anything anyway. It makes no sense that just because you sacrifice many hours in an office in front of a computer and are given green paper that somehow you 'own' whatever it is that you buy in a store made by people who you have never met (often times in horrible sweatshop conditions)

Magazines want you to feel bad about aging/not owning the 'right things, and this is an insult to the human experience, which does in fact age naturally and does not need more than a handful of clothing to stay warm and cool with.

I encourage everyone to watch the documentary "Century of the Self" if you haven't already, all about the nefarious genious power of Edward Bernays.

Even Kanye West talks about this documentary. I love Kanye West. I used to think he was ignorant for using astrakhan for his fashion collection and I pray he has stopped doing that, but in recent years, he has become quite the outspoken genius in my eyes.