Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion

Spurred by the frequency with which she made purchases and a subsequent exploration of her closet that led her to discover she owned more than 600 articles of clothing, journalist Cline went deep into the world of cheap fashion and emerged with a well-researched and thought-provoking book. She examines the rise of fashion trends that necessitate that consumers keep a garment only until the next season or the next sale and the effect of such a mind-set on shoppers, designers, and retailers. Cline traveled as far as China to see the detriment factories and disposable clothing have on the environment and met with designers in New York to learn how fast fashion led to a rapid decline in the percentage of clothing produced in the United States. Furthermore, Cline asks listeners to consider the social consequences such consumer attitudes have on individuals and the connection between disposability and our increased disconnect from those with whom we share this planet.