With the coming change of seasons,
I think about buying some new clothes, or some new old clothes. My husband recently
asked why I’ve fallen away from my regular visits to the local sprawling outlet
mall in pursuit of great deals on brand name clothing.
Although I wish I could say it has
been by purposeful design with a lofty intent to be green and spare impact on
the planet, honestly, I have become intrigued with vintage clothing. I was
hooked from my first purchase of a delightful upcycled skirt, lovingly
handcrafted by a talented seamstress from scraps of fabric from old knitted
garments. When I wear that skirt, it swishes with not only a terrific flowing
design but also from the good vibrations of every owner of every fragment. I
smile and know those folks are with me, whoever they are.
Now, I scour vintage shops with a
careful subjective method. First, the pattern of the cloth must whisper an
invitation and then, as important as the fit of the garment, is the feeling it
transfers from its previous owner—a mini magical quest so to speak. Online
shopping for vintage clothing requires greater skill and should be practiced
only after some initial direct practice. I recently purchased two skirts from a
nice woman in Hungary. I was overjoyed when the vibrations I picked up from her
photos rang true, with one skirt sweeping me around in dizzy, happy circles and
the other embracing me in a cozy hug, both just as I imagined—I can’t wait to
wear these feelings.
4 comments:
One of my wife's many endearing qualities is that she hates spending big $$$ on clothing and regularly visits the thrift shops. She recently acquired a beautiful floral print dress that had a design problem in the neckline and bust, but a few careful cuts and new seams turned it into a lovely find. I think it cost her $4.
I think some of the good vibrations she gets from her clothing come from her favorite sewing machine. It is a 1925 treadle, and it still works amazingly well.
Daniel, those old sewing machines are so special. My mother regularly used one built in the late 1920s, the first electric model, up until she broke it during her struggle with dementia last year. I still have it and can feel the magic and her love.
This is a beautiful post, Marsha. How lucky you are to have an eye for feelings. Magical indeed.
Thanks so much, Wendy!
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