I just picked up these boots from the cobbler the other day after a much-needed resole and condition – and they got me thinking. See, these are my all-time favorite, never-gonna-replace-'em boots. I love them, so much so that I wore holes straight through the soles during their first three years of wear, then I covered the holes with duct tape, and kept on wearing them (much to my cobbler's chagrin). They're the best, and they weren't cheap, so of course, I'm willing to spend a little extra to keep them looking and feeling like new. Which is where all that thinking comes in: In the conversation around sustainability and fashion, why don't we talk more about caring for our clothes?
In the same way that practical undergarments, like slips, have gone out of fashion, do we not fix our clothes anymore?
Whatever your closet is stocked with, do you bring your shoes to the cobbler? Mend buttons and sew up holes? Bring your jackets to the dry cleaner? I think this is where the conversation falls short. Take this jacket for instance – I just bought it secondhand, it's possibly from the '60s or maybe '70s, and it honestly looks like new. Whoever owned it before moe took great care with it, and I'm apt to do the same. But it's been worn. The buttons show wear and need to be resewn, but it's in amazing condition. I think that's the larger issue with fast fashion (I mean, there are so many issues but here's one), for me it's not so much about the quality and it is about it changing our collective mindset to a one-and-done approach from one of appreciation and loving what we own – and being willing to care for it. Am I guilty of this? Sure. Definitely. But I'm trying to get better. I know I show plenty of new and newly-thrifted things on here and on my Instagram, but I hope I also do a good enough job of showing you how often I wear the items in my closet – and that it's OK and NORMAL to wear and rewear your clothes. Wear the heck out of 'em! Wear holes in the soles and the elbows... and patch them all up so you can wear them again.
Anyway, that's been on my mind. I love clothes, I'll always love clothes, I'll always be on the lookout for something that I love to bring more excitement to my closet (and I'll share those things with you) – but I also love being considerate about my clothes, something I'll also share with you. And I'm really happy to have my favorite boots back.
