Feed the gray cells, they deserve it:
The best thing on #MeToo and #NotAllMen I’ve read lately: The myth of the male bumbler.
Ever wanted to have another environmental issue to worry about? I give you… glitter! What’s The Problem With Glitter?
As North Korea is in the news, here you have a fashion link at least I had never thought about: What is Standing Between the West and “Made in North Korea” Clothing?, North Korea factories humming with ‘Made in China’ clothes, traders say and Your “made in China” clothes may actually have been made in North Korea.
And a bit of anthropologies and random links… First, I read a bit on quinceañera celebrations in Latinx communities: My Super Sweet 15. Then I went to look up the quinceañera Barbie, a commercialized twist of a symbolic tradition described in the Racked piece. And Mattel page sucked me into its magic up to discovering (a) that the 1985 Day-to-Night™ Barbie should be on the cover of my thesis and (b) that there is a Barbie fashion Instagram clearly aimed at my demographic. Creepy! And their attempts to brush off the toxic toy stigma by introducing the ‘fat’ Barbie and by always doubling down of how Mattel has always been feminist because of the ‘you can be anything’ discourse, although usually covering only the very feminized professions… So much material for research.
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I actually spent a lot of time on Mattel pages window shopping the special editions back at the dial internet days (~2000), so going down their rabbit hole felt very familiar. Do you have places like that on internet? And was has been your latest weird clicking chain of unsuspected degrees of separation?
Or the latest ethical consumption issue you hadn’t even heard about before? For me both glitter and North Korea – Made in China link were completely new. They kind of make sense if you start to think about it – like ‘oh, those are pieces of some foil, so probably petrol-derived hence microplastics’ and ‘oh, sure, they share border and actually trade’ – but had never come up until this week.
I kinda knew about the glitter being shit, although not due to the microplastic issue (never thought of that, actually…), but I remember an article (not the source, sadly) about the Christmas glittery stuff and child-labourers all covered and breathing the thing and it all being super unhealthy (apart from the fact that, well, child labour is really really unhealthy for children).
Also i love the combos with the South African skirt! I know you’ve said that the two-piece is not your favorite, but I love both the skirt and the blouse; don’t know if they are comfy or not but they look amazing.
Also (pt. 2): is the caftan also second hand? I’ve been wanting one forever; currently I have a beach dress, very flowy and it is certainly comfortable but not much my style. Serves its purpose, though, so no plans for replacing it yet.
Cheers! And thanks for the links, they are my weekly joy in between my MA thesis writing.
Hi, Judit!
Thank you for your kind words, I really happy to see somebody actually clicking through my little link selections!
Yeah, I had a similar child labor to shiny things link made by reading somewhere that one of indications of child labor are garments with sequins or beads. Ugh.
The kaftan is second-hand and very randomly so, you have the full history here. I have never consciously looked for one, but can see how finding one that’s reasonably comfy material- and cut-wise, aesthetically pleasing and acceptably ethical might be an issue, because my perception is that most of ‘oriental’ garments cheaply sold to immigrant populations in West and to tourists in East are poorly made (in China; or North Korea). Of course great craftsmanship exists but you need either good contacts into the right kaftan circles (!) or a stroke of luck in your local second-hand joint. Finger crossed for your kaftan coming your way!