DO IT YOURSELF

  In these times of crisis when everything seems to cost as much as Bangladesh GDP, a movement appears as a solution to your empty wallets. The “Do it yourself” movement or DIY was created as a response to the consumer society. It was and is still considered as a subculture. We can summarise it by saying that the main goal is to create, modify or repair something to make it your own.

Is it because I need to feel able to use a hammer? Need to express my talents by painting an old chair? Need to feel independent from Chinese industries? There are many explanations for the development of DIY.

The movement is pretty large and influences different fields from music to ecology.

For example, Ikea’s puzzled furniture and kids’ presents for mother’s day both can be related to this term.

Previously considered as a protestation, the movement ironically became a trend for young bloggers or hipsters.

More and more blogs or websites are influenced by this concept.

  They can be separated into several different categories. There are those that give you tips and photos to explain how to decorate your bedroom, with toilet paper for example (by the way I’m not kidding, if you read those blogs you feel like you would never need a trash anymore). Most of them are blogs where people share their interests and add recipes or any tips related to everyday life. Everyone can create one of those blogs. Singers and actors follow the trend, like Zooey Deschanel does with hellogiggles.com.

Then, there are websites where you can buy or sell handmade creations. It promotes young artists and helps them to be known while keeping the uniqueness of products (etsy.com).

DIY became such a trend on Internet that even fashion magazines and TV shows advise their readers to do it.

The only black point that I can raise is the prices that, for most of those products, became as high as something found in shops.

To conclude I want to add that the roots of the project remain interesting. The French website, dessinemoiunsoulier.com/fr, is a good example of what represents DIY nowadays. This website propose to create your own shoes handmade in France but with prices that can reach 160 €.

source:elle.fr

How much does it cost to be unique? Is the concept the same as the former one that promoted independence and ecology? I have to admit that I have difficulties to find my position toward DIY. But it’s obviously something that won’t stop developing on the internet.