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Storied Shelves: The Shoe 'Thing'

5/31/2019

0 Comments

 
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Love these boots. All from The Pink Alligator in Hanover, NH
 I wore these
boots from November
to May this year. Finally, a few weeks
ago, they went into the storage box, from which my 
summer sandals and other cooler shoes emerged. Time for the
seasonal assessment. If I haven't worn something for 
a year or if it doesn't work anymore,
it goes in the spring give
away pile.
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cause blisters, too frumpy...
You might
think, with 26 pairs
of work boots, athletic shoes,
dress shoes and casual shoes, I'd have
enough. But I don't. My athletic shoes are worn out
and I've never really found the 'just right' pair
of casual sneakers...and with this
trip to London, it became 
clear that I needed
some upgrades.
But...
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Window, The Third Estate, London
These days
I'm focused on shoes
and clothes with a story. If they
haven't been well worn by another before
me, I want to  know that the materials
used are ethically sourced, the
​stitches made with care,
and the resources
used, ​fair.
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The Third Estate, Kentish Town, London
So yesterday,
there I was, in Kentish
Town, London, at The Third Estate,
on whose racks and shelves are clothes, shoes,
bags and socks made with love. Each
brand, it seems, has its own
​story to tell.
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Storied Shoes at The Third Estate, London
So I had some fun.
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White Fair Trainer from Ethletic
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Black Fair Trainer from Ethletic
Light or dark Ethletic Fair Trade Vegan Sustainable Trainers?
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These are cute.
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These are cute and comfy.
Funky Kalakar 
Breathable and light
"BreLite Collection" shoes
whose soles come from recycled
tires and uppers are handspun cotton.
They truly are the lightest shoes
ever - - only 250 grams!
A perfect travel 
companion.
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dark, cute and comfy from The Third Estate, London
I ended
up with dark, cute,
comfy and filled with love.
They make me feel like I'm flying.
Maybe that's why The Third
Estate has a bird on
its window
.
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But here's
what I'm learning
about this thing called
"Slow Fashion." It's not about
how fast something is made, it's about the
stories embedded in each fiber and ​in the transaction
itself. Angela, who helped me, wanted me to
feel good. She knew about each
shoe company and
why they
​cared. 
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Another kind of 'green' window
And the
coolest thing?

Most shopping expeditions
leave me exhausted, but after I left yesterday,
I found myself in an unexpected area, ready to explore.
Who knew that by going to The Third Estate,
​I would also experience this
colorful and nuanced
​part of town?
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Cool apartments on a canal
This canal
seemed so quiet and
peaceful, but then I followed

the curve of and light 
on this living building...
curious as 
I tend to be, about the
relationship between 
the
built environment
and nature...

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Living building in Camden Town
...and I found
myself in an entirely
unexpected place, where the
buildings were alive in
a different kind
​of way.
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Cool building in Camden Town, London
So I guess
shoes really are a
thing for me. Comfortable
feet matter but so does my actual
footprint. I think it's cool
when I can care
​for both.
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Loving my new Ethletic Fair Trainers.
3 cheers
for slow fashion,
meandering explorations, and
the simple joy of taking
time to care.

Happy June!

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Re-Imagining Gram's Gowns

5/20/2019

1 Comment

 
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Our grandmother's
dresses out for a dance
​in 2007.
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My sister
and I played dress-up.
Our mother ​took
​photographs.
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And then
they hung in my
attic for over a decade...
until ​it was time to
let ​them live
​again.
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Some
went to our
local theater company
and others went to goodwill.
A few stayed behind
though, because,
well, they just
​needed
​to.
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How could
I resist those colors,
textures and the spirit of my
grandmother?
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Well...
Not exactly me.
But what
if...
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I'm a mender
(see last week's blog
post
), not a maker or re-maker, but
maybe there was a costume designer with
the imagination I needed to help
re-create these in my
own image?
Picture
Picture
Picture
Along came
Rebecca Sewart, owner of
Pins & Needles Garment Company. She
saw the potential and, probably with her upcoming
work with Joseph and the Amazing Techni-Color
Dream Coat in mind, started with the
dress. The entire process
​was magic.
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What a 
gift to have an
energetic, creative
person who loves fiber
come to my house and lovingly
​transform a complicated fabric into the 
coolest pair of 'retro' trousers
​a gal could own.
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Gram must 
approve, because I feel
her spirit when I wear her re-imagined
evening gowns, which now contain Rebecca's energy
as well. Stay tuned for our next shared
​creation...It seems that
patience pays. 

Notes:
My sister is the incredible maker, Sarah Swett, who plays with fiber and is currently enamored with making her own clothes. My mother is Shiela Swett, who loves to take photographs of nature out her back door. I learned about Rebecca from the owners of The Pink Alligator, a consignment store in Lebanon and Hanover, NH. Rebecca is now creating costumes for a production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat for a theater company in Massachusetts.  

Final thought: I have to assume that those who made my grandmother's clothes and the fabric from which they came earned a living wage, since they were either hand made or couture, but I don't know for sure since working conditions varied fifty years ago. In today's world of fast fashion, though, I am trying hard to use the fabrics I have and keep things as local as possible. This project brings me complete joy because it honors my grandmother's standard of owning well-made clothes that last and my standard of embracing the ethic of slow, sustainable fashion. And in the process, I have clothes that make me feel powerful and beautiful, but which I never would have bought off any rack in any store. Thank you, Gram.
1 Comment

It's Just a T-Shirt

5/11/2019

5 Comments

 
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A 26-year-old
cotton object that rips
when I touch it. It's
just a ​t-shirt,
​right?
Picture
No. It's more.
It contains memories:
My first years of marriage; 
Playing squash with my husband;
Being in my 20's and feeling
invincible; It's so much
more than just
​a t-shirt.
Picture
Inspired
by menders
near and far, I got
out a needle, some light
purple thread, and got to work.
I want to wear this fragile
cotton shirt again.

Because...​
Picture
Because, well,
I love it. It's
just so
​soft.
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Because
in our throw-away
society, mending matters.
And because it's cool
to mend. 
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Think 
the art of 
Japanese Boro
also known as Sashiko
​mending.
Picture
Picture
Think 
slow fashion
sustainable fashion
​re-use.

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When I love
something, I care for it.
When I love someone, I care
for them. Love takes time and patience.
It can be messy and slow and it
is always imperfect. But
it's possible. We just
have to show up
and try.

Picture
Oh.
​And always
have a sense of humor.
For 26 years, I have only seen
colors, shapes, & an artist's signature.
When I told my husband about this project,
he asked: "Oh, your dancer shirt?"...
"My what? No, the one with
cool colors and
shapes." 
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Who knew?
It turns 
out I had never
actually paid as close attention to
this shirt 
I love as much as my husband had.
Sometimes 
I guess we just see what we see. What's
cool 
is that I didn't feel anything like a
dancer back in the 1990's, but

I definitely do today. It's
now 
more perfect
​than ever.
Picture
Also,
I'm grateful
to my mother for
teaching me how to sew.
Happy Mother's Day
to all!

5 Comments
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**Let's ReFrame is a weekly newsletter that hopefully inspires joy & new ways of being.
It will include links to recent blog posts, updates about my work, and, best of all, inspirational action prompts
​for you to explore your creativity and passion for the world you love. 
  • By Degrees
  • Portfolio
    • Compost Compositions
    • Reframing the Narrative
  • Join Me!
    • Upcoming Events
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    • Profits for the Planet