In the not too distant past I was a compulsive clothes shopper. I was never bad enough to get into debt, but the amount of money that I would allocate to myself as "spending money" inevitably got spent on clothes. Little withdrawals from my savings account here and there would be made for a new dress or pair of pants. I was of the belief that by buying that next piece of clothing, my wardrobe would finally be complete. The catch was though, it never felt complete and my eye would begin to wander again. I'd shop sales and tell myself it didn't really count when it was so heavily discounted. Then, I would be inspired to de-clutter, minimise my clothing, cut-down on everything and do a big wardrobe purge. This set the stage for another shopping spree - to replace the things I'd donated of course. Watching Youtube or following my favourite "content creators" would inspire me to create new looks, hence more shopping.
Normally I don't talk so candidly here but I recently came to the realisation that, although I still buy new clothes on occasion, my addiction and compulsions are much less when I am reading classic literature and I got to wondering why this was the case. I thought that perhaps by sharing my story, others may benefit too. I've said before here on the blog that these days when I read or reread a book, I do it with the mind of not only entertainment but also, as a source of influence or inspiration. How can the book help me to live a more refined life? A classically, simple life full of pleasure, contentment and overall satisfaction. For these are my goals: to be satisfied with how I am living my modest, modern life; and by having true confidence in who I am and what I believe without being swept away by societal trends and the current zeitgeist. With these as my goals for my life, there just wasn't room anymore for an obsession with clothes. Please understand that I am in no way qualified to offer help to people with addictions, but am simply sharing my story.
The focus on clothes for my favourite heroines is non-existent or negligible.
Except of course Anne Shirley, but even then she is more than content with just one "puffed-sleeves dress". Some of my favourite heroines including Jane Eyre, Jo March, Miss Marple, Laura Ingalls, Anne Shirley, and Fanny Price are so intent on living their lives that worrying about adorning it with new pieces of clothing is often the last thing on their mind. Jane Eyre even claims that new clothes would make her feel like a "jay in borrowed plumes," so far are they from her true self and the way that she lives her life. Jo March abhors any type of clothing that gets in the way of her living her best life, which includes picnics, long country walks, ice skating and creating imaginary stories. The lives of these women one or two hundred years ago - that is, in the not so distant past - reminds me that our obsession with clothing and acquiring new clothes is a very modern concept. For thousands of years people did just fine with one or two outfits in their wardrobe. I find this incredibly helpful whenever I think I need more clothes; it reminds me that I already have more than enough and that there are more wonderful ways to spend my time than shopping.
My mind is preoccupied by the many life lessons that can be learned from reading the classics
When I started reading the classics I was surprised by how much they could offer in the way of life advice, inspiration to live well, and a sense of comfort when times were rough. These reasons are why I decided to create this blog; in the hope that I could share these lessons with others who love the classics as much as I do. When I am reading a classic novel, listening to classical music, reading poetry or even watching old, classic movies my mind is preoccupied with what I can learn. I am a huge believer in lifelong learning, reflection and self-education and the time I could be spending shopping or browsing things online is now spent in other ways.
The plight of those most affected by the Industrial Revolution brings to mind the conditions of factory workers of today
One of the main things that I have learned through reading and studying the classics and the historical context of many of my favourite novels is that human nature rarely changes. Our impulses are still the same, as are our desires and our weaknesses. The stories that I am thinking of in this point are those written by Charles Dickens that bring to my mind the plight of the workers from the Industrial Revolution and the horrid ways they were treated in the name of progress. It isn't too much of a stretch to think of the workers in developing nations that are still working in terrible conditions to produce garments for the rest of the world at prices that are so cheap that they are costing them a living wage. A living wage refers to earning enough money in your job that you can afford to live off that income. It also refers to having enough downtime away from work to enjoy your life and your income. People who are working ten hours a day, six or seven days a week for a few dollars are not earning a living wage yet these are the people who are making the majority of fast fashion. One or two hundred years ago we were responsible for learning the skills to make our own clothes. Now, we have learned lessons from the Industrial Revolution and outsourced it to vulnerable people - usually women - who have little choice but to make our clothes. These thoughts have helped me immensely when I am tempted to buy new things, or shop the latest trends at fast fashion places. I now shop thoughtfully and buy second hand whenever I can.
The focus is on the simple pleasures in life - good food, family, friends, home
Many of the classics that I read have a real focus on the simple pleasures in life - good food, family, friends and home. In some stories, this is evident in abundance, in others, it is sorely lacking and makes me more grateful for the simple life that I have chosen to live, and am fortunate enough to be able to cultivate. Giving thanks for the little things throughout my life has become such an ingrained habit now that slipping back into old habits that do not support my way of living is less frequent.
I am more aware of who I am as a person and what I value
I don't think you can read classical literature and not get a deeper sense of your true self, and what you value. So many novels focus on this for their characters and by reading closely we, the readers, find this focus worming its way into our lives and thought patterns. Additionally, the fact that so many books were written at a time when views and beliefs were vastly different to what may be acceptable today we can find ourselves being challenged by what we read. This is a good thing. The more challenged we are the more we are able to reflect on what is really important to us. I have two daughters and a son and I want them to grow up with a sense of value of who they are on the inside, a strength of character that isn't necessarily dependant on popular trends or overwhelmed by a consumer society. Therefore, I have to model this myself. And when I do, and not give in to those urges to "just go shopping," then I always feel good. I have learned a lot from my experiences and I depend on these lessons that I have learnt so I am no longer swayed all the time by my desires.
Reading the classics has changed what I watch and what content I now bring into my life
Don't get me wrong, I will still watch Friends or Gilmore Girls, but for the most part I am drawn more to things that align with my values and support my simple living goal. I am really fond now of watching World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys narrated by Bill Nighy and dreaming of where I would like to go to first! I also enjoy all the new and old television and film interpretations of Agatha Christie's novels, other classic mystery shows such as Murder She Wrote, classic movies like Roman Holiday and The Sound of Music, television adaptations of Anne of Green Gables, Jane Austen movies and more! There is no shortage of great shows to watch! On Youtube I am a long time fan of Jennifer L. Scott's Daily Connoisseur channel, as well as the peaceful, homemaking vlogs of Hamimommy. This is only a sample of the things I enjoy that support my values and the way I wish to live my life now.
This is just a few of the ways that reading the classics helped my shopping addiction. There are so many benefits to reading the classics, and listening to classical music, just out there for the taking! I really wonder why there aren't more of us jumping on this bandwagon! Remember, what I have shared here is my own experience and if you are struggling with an addiction then please seek professional help. If you would like to share your own experiences with reading the classics I would love to hear them in the comments below.
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