A random update: I saw this job ad in my neighborhood in Rīga this January – ‘seamstresses and pressers needed’. My fantasy is that this is one of those ‘designed in [some cool country], made in EU‘ things. I know, I know it’s much better when businesses outsource to the EU periphery instead of Bangladesh, but it still feels weird when my country is the much-cheaper-and-we-can-still-say-it’s-made-in-EU country. On the other hand, it could be a workshop for an up-and-coming Latvian textile endeavor, who knows…
And brain food to keep the little gray cells round and happy:
Outfit repeating is *in* on the red carpet! And seems that all it took was a couple of persons being unapologetic about the ‘you’ve worn it already’ taboo: Once a Faux Pas, Outfit Repeating Was the Talk of Oscars Fashion and Kate Middleton Isn’t the Only One Repeating Outfits: Vogue Editors on How to Wear a Look Again . . . And Again. Oh, we are such ridiculous animals!
If you need a reminder that community is at least as important as all the constructive steps e can do on our own, here’s George for you: Commonhealth.
The Spark Joy podcast ladies dedicated one to all the derision and myths around KonMari. As I realized after reading all three books, only the third – Spark Joy – actually describes all the way how to stretch Kondo’s system to fit each person. And it is amusing to read passionate criticism from those that clearly (1) have read only the Life Changing Magic if any, (2) have taken it in with the ‘my way or the high way’ tone that that book has, and (3) might have had other expectations for it. This is how you get people who apply it partly but then title their review Why I Absolutely Refuse to KonMari My Life or people who accuse Kondo of not being minimalist or sustainability-focused (something she has never claimed) while suggesting applying her method ruthlessly but with a slightly different overarching question. Relax, it’s a tool not a cult – you can infuse it with your own meaning and take what you need!
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Are you transitioning to spring these days? What are layers you are most eager to shed? (For me the return to canvas sneakers felt especially pleasant this year!) And what are you looking forward to wear?
I can’t wait to prepare my spring shoes(I’m wearing my boots today, but it’s too warm for them).
I got last autumn a pair of Clif shoes(second hand) and they felt so easy to wear and so comfortable…can’t wait to use them.
Regarding the margins of EU, I am from Romania and these days I’m actually glad when I find something sewn here.(second hand). From friends that make dresses as a business, I know that a good seamstress is hard to find and is quite expensive.
Hi, Dori!
I take your point about seamstresses and it was never my intention to suggest that the garments are worse if made in the EU periphery. However, it makes me uneasy inside – I truly prefer vertically integrated businesses that don’t do the sneaky ‘let’s bring this work to places where it’s acceptable to take it while paying people several times less than if we would have to do in the country of design’. But the locals at least in Latvia are still acting as if they wouldn’t have any competitive advantage in the sustainable fashion business, instead of doing serious linen or hemp plantations accompanied by local artwork and production in our dying-out countryside, people mostly import and resell. Ugh. But, yeah, I’m not doing about it either…
And may weather for your spring shoes come soon!
I did understand your point about the periphery (didn’t think you wanted to imply anything by it). Around here, most of the clothes are imported, even the few sustainable ones. People enter second hand shops and start commenting about how expensive the clothes are, saying they will go buy the ones brought from China.But seeing the number of second hand shops, I think it work in the end (they are still open, so there must be people that buy from them).
And our country side is doing well now, once it was sold to foreign investors.(interesting how businesses flourish around here, when they are bought by foreign investors)…sad story, that we can’t produce enough on our land and others have to come to use our lands.And we buy afterwards the processed products.
The second hand shopping is a very interesting thing for countries that have known it as ‘humanitary aid’: there’s both a big market because for several reasons (money, unique style, sustainability) people shop there and some stigma linked to not being able to afford new things. I do think that we live it differently than in countries where for decades they’ve had community charity or consignment shops where it’s stuff from the same neighborhood circulating. And, obviously, when there appear new things that are cheaper than the functionally equivalent second-hand, it’s clear that we have an acute fast fashion problem!