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A woman dives into her messy closet.
How much is too much? This is a question so many of us ask ourselves, especially when we're attempting to de-clutter and scale down. For many, there's no place more baffling than our closets and t-shirt drawers. Letting go can be extremely difficult, but even more challenging? Not constantly adding to our ever-growing piles, especially as fast fashion often makes clothes so inexpensive.
According to sustainability studies researched in the last few years, Americans are buying way too many clothes. (It's not just Americans, of course.)
Decluttering a closet. www.youtube.com, Home Reimagined
In the Hot or Cool Institute fashion report, they find, "Recent trends in fashion consumption are clear: we are consuming more fashion and at a faster rate than ever before, while paying increasingly less for it and weaving a dirty tapestry of social and environmental impacts."
In Vogue's article, "How Many Clothes Do I Need, Exactly?" Emily Chan and Christina Pérez point out (citing the same study) that if we were to keep in accordance with the Paris Agreement, we only need to buy five items of clothing a year. They write, "Since the average American currently buys 53 new items a year, that means that the vast majority of us would need to cut back on the number of clothes we purchase for our yearly wardrobes by at least 90%."
A rack of clothing hanging in a closet. Photo by Ani Rain on Unsplash
But perhaps this is a bit of old news. The question becomes - what can we DO about it? Chan and Perez state, "With this in mind, the researchers found that a 'sufficient' wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits total for those who live in a two-season climate, and 85 garments in total for those who live in a four-season climate."
They cite examples from the study. "They’ve suggested that this modern capsule wardrobe could consist of an average of six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, and two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and pants or skirts."
Some might cringe just thinking about having only two outfits for festive occasions. How realistic is this for the average person? Luckily Reddit has a few other ideas and it was surprising to find that many of them kept in accordance with climate sustainability.
In the subreddit group r/declutter, someone asks, "How many clothes SHOULD I have?" In part, they write, "I feel like setting # amounts on categories of clothes might help me with these obstacles, so like saying I can only keep 10 short sleeve shirts, 5 pants, or so on.... but I'm not sure what realistic numbers are? Has anyone decluttered in this way before or have any advice that could help me?"
Hands open up a messy closet. Giphy Tidy Up GIF
One person says it should be decided based on your laundry cycle and their proposal is even fewer outfits. They suggest, "Let's assume 7 day laundry cycle, so 10 days worth of clothes. Pull everything out of your closet, pull together the best 10 outfits that are seasonally appropriate for the next 3 to 6 months - essentially what will take you to the next big season change. You can reuse pieces, if they go with multiple items, eg of your 10 outfits, 4 might involve one pair of jeans. Underwear and anything that needs washing after one wear you will need 10 of."
Another Redditor suggests using the hanger method to determine what to keep and what to donate. "Yesterday, I started the turn-around hanger method to see what I actually wear over the course of a year. TBH: I know what I don't wear, but I want to see it for myself. If you keep washing and wearing the same stuff (and the other stuff never gets worn), then that's the focus."
And quite a few swear by The Container Concept, discussed by Dana K. White in her book Decluttering at the Speed of Life.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
The commenter explains regarding this concept: "Your wardrobe, your dresser - that is the space you have for clothes. So first take everything out and then portion your space up. For example, this is the drawer for socks, this is the section of rail for shirts, and so on. Then for each type of clothing, start putting things back in, based on what you wear most, what you like most, what you need most. Do one round of your top items, then do another round, then another until your drawer/shelf/rail is full. That's it! There's no more space, so the rest has to go."
Most agree - less is more. It's better for your peace of mind. And more importantly, the planet will thank you.
via zoetnet/Flickr, Ewen Roberts/Flickr and Tom Hodgkinson/Flickr
Some American tourists enjoying the sights
Americans have a style and personality all their own, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just noticeable when they travel aboard. Americans often stand out because of their outgoing personalities. They are friendly and enjoy having casual conversations with strangers.
This is an endearing trait to a lot of people in more reserved cultures, although it can also come off as a little brash.
An American characteristic that isn’t quite endearing to people in other countries is that they can be rather loud. In Europe, one can always notice the Americans in the restaurant because they can be heard from across the room.
One Reddit user wanted to know the specific ways that Americans stand out when traveling abroad, so they asked the AskReddit subreddit: “What’s an obvious sign that someone is an American?”
It may not be quite this obvious, but Americans do stand out. Giphy
The post was popular, receiving nearly 6,000 responses in just 6 days. The most popular ones described how Americans' unique personalities, style of dress, dental hygiene and body language make them easy to spot.
Here are 14 “obvious” signs that someone is an American.
1. Posture
Americans slouch and lean. Giphy
"Apparently, the CIA trains American agents to not lean on things if they go undercover in foreign countries because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," one user wrote.
"I bet MI6 trains British agents to lean on everything if they go undercover in America because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," joked another.
Shockingly, this is actually true. The "American lean" is well-documented and, yes, a former CIA chief has said publicly that it's something the agency addresses with its operatives to help them blend in.
2. The date
"MMDDYYYY," a user said.
The way Americans write the date seems normal and commonplace when you're in the US, but around the world, we're practically the only ones who do it that way. Similarly, only a small handful of countries outside of the US use the imperial system of measure.
Writing the date or using feet and inches are a dead giveaway!
3. Distances are different
"Anything under 4 hours is 'close by," someone suggested.
"Everything in Europe is around the corner if you're from the US. I can drive the whole day and not leave my state, but in Europe, I can pass through 4 countries in that same time frame," said another.
The massive geography of the United States has a big affect on how we see distance. It shows up when we travel to other countries that are more densely packed together.
4. They're polite to servers
"In the touristy cafe-restaurant I worked at:
If they asked me for the nicest spot we had
If they asked me my recommendation without seeing the menu first
I would walk to the table, and they would say right away ‘hey, how are you doing?’ This one threw me off a lot at first. Why is this person asking me how I'm doing?? I'm just there to take the order. I got used to it, and I think they found my awkwardness cute.
They would ask my name when I greeted them and took their order.
I'm Northern European.," explained one user.
"It’s under-appreciated just how polite, friendly, and sincere Americans are in general. It blew my mind the first time I came to the US, and I love that my children are growing up with those same values," said another.
You might expect to hear that Americans are rude and entitled when traveling, but that's not necessarily the case! In America, some friendly rapport with your waiter is expected, and Americans tend to be a more outgoing bunch that love to engage. That makes them stand out in European countries, in particular, where restaurant service is meant to be professional and efficient rather than charismatic.
5. The water bottles
Americans love huge water bottles. Giphy
"I was told, 'Americans carry water bottles around like they're worried they'll never have access to clean water ever again," one user said.
"I don't care what anyone says. If you think carrying a water bottle when walking a lot is weird, you're probably slightly dehydrated all the time and are just desensitized to it. You seriously need to drink water frequently if you want to be ideally healthy," said another.
The water bottle fad is uniquely American, for better or worse. Whether it's a Yeti, a Stanley, an Owalla, or something else, you can bet if someone is swinging a massive water bottle wherever they walk, they're an American.
6. Smiling
"I was in Germany this past summer, and I realized smiling at everyone you make eye contact with is very American. When I went to London on the same trip, they seemed less weirded out by it but would awkwardly return the smile. I was taught to always start with a disarming smile. Never realized it was American," said one person.
7. "More ice, please."
Americans love tons of ice in their drinks. Giphy
"I spent a year in Europe completely iceless to the point I forgot that was a thing. I stopped at a bar in Chicago fresh off the plane and not only did I get free tap water, but water with ice. I instantly felt at home," added one person.
There is a long and fascinating history involving someone called "The Ice King" behind why Americans, and so few other cultures, love to put tons of ice in our drinks. Needless to say, it makes us stand out like a sore thumb when traveling.
8. Personal space
"As an American man, I’ve been told repeatedly by European and Asian friends that we simply take up space (not by being fat) as though we’re entitled to it. Men in other countries apparently don’t claim the same personal space we do," one person offered.
You mean manspreading? Apparently, other cultures don't do that.
9. White teeth
Americans value ultra-white teeth. Giphy
"It’s even more bizarre that they assume we have braces or bleach our teeth because they’re straight and white. I have naturally straight white teeth. I brush them twice a day so they stay white. I don’t do anything special to them, but I remember being in London and some similar-aged students literally making fun of me for my teeth… it’s true that they don’t naturally look like headstones in an ancient graveyard, but there’s no need to make fun," someone added.
Imagine getting made fun of for having white teeth! For one reason or another, American culture places high value on having extremely white teeth. We all know the old jokes about British teeth, but some findings show that while Americans' teeth may be whiter, Brits may be healthier overall. Something to think about.
10. Casual dress
"My friend went to Germany recently, and what people said about Americans is you can spot them a mile away because they’re the ones wearing pajamas in public. Apparently, in other countries, at least Germany, they dress a little more formally and in less baggy clothes than we do in America," someone added.
Activewear, sweatpants, pajamas — we love to be comfortable! But it does make us a bit obvious when we're out and about in other countries.
11. Baseball hats
Americans wear hats... everywhere. Giphy
"Baseball cap... even on an infant riding in a pram," a user suggested.
Baseball hats are common in many countries around the world, but most people internationally only wear them outside. If someone's wearing a cap inside or at a restaurant, it's a safe bet that person is American.
12. Shoes
"Americans are shoe snobs (they don’t think they are, but they are). Setting aside wealthier business types, Americans generally wear more on-brand, on-trend, high-quality shoes than others," someone said.
13. They're loud
Americans' default volume is loud. Giphy
"That was my first thought. Americans yell at each other in normal conversation in public. I noticed it years ago in Europe, and now I can’t stand it in the US," another user added.
Now there's an unsurprising revelation! Just like our tendency to take up space, Americans seem to have less awareness of those around them when it comes to conversation volume, as well.
14. Occupation matters
"Immediately asking someone what they do for a living when meeting them. Our jobs and work are our entire identity," one person said.
"I hate that about American culture. I'm an American and recently became a SAHM, so I don't have an answer to 'What do you do for a living?' Half the time, I add the caveat, ‘Oh, my last job was with Apple,’ so that I'm not written off as an unemployed ‘loser.’ But it really is dumb to determine a person's worth by what they do in order to afford food and shelter," added another.
There are huge differences in work culture between America and other countries. They're so big and pervasive that they show up not just while we're working, but in the way we interact with others. For example, in Europe it's far less common to be friends with your coworkers. People value the purpose they find in work and the results, but are happy to keep the majority of their life separate from their career.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
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A kid gets teased by classmates. Union Jack and American flags.
According to a meme making the rounds on social media, if you playfully mock your friends, you're "300 percent" more likely to be honest, loyal and have deeper bonds with them. But here's the catch. That number seems to have been pulled from thin air, as no one can find an actual source for that statistic.
What IS true, however, is that some researchers do believe that playful teasing can be a good thing. In his article for Psychology Today, Dr. Peter Gray Ph.D cites psychologist Dacher Keltner who claims teasing is "an intentional provocation accompanied by playful off-record markers that together comment on something relevant to the target."
Gray suggests that teasing amongst the people closest to you can take the form of showing someone you accept them despite their flaws. It can also serve as means to humble one another, encourage positive change and even test the boundaries of the relationship. "Teasing can be a sign of affection, a constructive form of criticism, or a cruel put-down. It can also be a semi-competitive verbal game, in which the players are testing one another’s abilities to keep cool in response to provocation and provide clever responses."
An animated girl teases someone. Giphy
It's also noted how vital it is that the person on the receiving end of the "tease" understands the assignment. If their perception of the "jokes" is negative, or they're feeling sensitive, (particularly if there are third-party witnesses) the teasing slips quickly into bullying. In the study, "The Role of a Bystander in Targets’ Perceptions of Teasing Among Friends: Are You Really Teasing Me?" researchers Ildo Kim and Nicholas A. Palomares note, "Given the provocation goals involved in teasing, being teased in the presence of a third party could be undesirable to a target. The target’s response can differ depending on who the third party is (e.g., another close friend, an acquaintance, a stranger)."
But what was especially interesting about this false data making the rounds was how differently people responded to it. In particular, Americans and Brits/Aussies seemed to have very different points-of-view, at least on this Instagram thread.
After posting two women citing this stat on the @longevityxlab, the comment section was off to the races.
A handful of people pushed back against the notion, some simply writing, "No." One, (and we can't completely confirm that this person is American) writes, "I really doubt this in most cases. I have a doctorate in clinical psychology that I earned 4 decades ago. Saying hurtful things to one another is just hurtful. I think men pretend to be comfortable with it because it seems 'manly.' There are so many positive things to say to people we love. Maybe these friends are LOYAL to the friends who passively allow them to poke fun at them. I’d like to see the research."
Referring to the naysayers, one writes, "I’m assuming most of the comments are from Americans. In Britain we know this to be true. You only rip the piss out of your closest friends."
This commenter concurs. "Indeed I’m a Brit who lives in Australia. If I’m nice to you we have a problem."
This one gets more specific. "If mates don’t call you a K--b-head or a B-----d at least once when you are in their company, are they even friends?"
Of course, it's not just Brits and Aussies. People from all over the world including those from France, Brazil and Ireland commented that they essentially see playful teasing as their love language, as well. Obviously not ALL, and plenty of Americans take part in ribbing one another.
Ricky Gervais discusses American vs. British humor. www.youtube.com
But what can be confirmed is that many Brits truly enjoy the "insult" play. It's just a thing they often do. In the op-ed "The Difference Between American and British Humour" for Time Magazine, comedian Ricky Gervais writes of his fellow Brits, "We tease our friends. We use sarcasm as a shield and a weapon. We avoid sincerity until it’s absolutely necessary. We mercilessly take the piss out of people we like or dislike basically. And ourselves. This is very important. Our brashness and swagger is laden with equal portions of self-deprecation. This is our license to hand it out."
He further assures Americans, "This can sometimes be perceived as nasty if the recipients aren’t used to it. It isn’t. It’s play fighting. It’s almost a sign of affection if we like you, and ego bursting if we don’t. You just have to know which one it is."