When I write a post, I most often hear from readers who say they understood what I was getting at because they’ve felt the same. The ideas they share to describe this are similar to the ones I wrote about, but from their own experience. I love receiving this kind of feedback, as it speaks our common humanity, and it helps me not feel alone, especially when sharing something vulnerable like I did last week, about spilling food on myself.
This week, I want to share with you a provocative comment I received that got me thinking in a fresh new way about spilling food all over myself. The comment was from my California grandson, Jonah. He emailed saying that the post about spilling food all over myself was not only interesting, but “somewhat connected to contemporary fashion.”
I wasn’t surprised to get this comment from him, because we have video calls once a month to discuss life in all its complicated details. One of the topics we explore often is how we’re both enamored with fashion.
I wasn’t surprised, but I was curious! How would he connect his grandma’s sloppy eating to contemporary fashion?
I kept reading Jonah’s words. He proposed that in the last ten years fashion has developed an appreciation for used and distressed clothing. Using examples, such as clothes with holes or grass stains, he mentioned that such clothes sell for many times the price of new comparative pieces! Apparently, it costs a lot to artificially create wear on a garment.
And he didn’t stop there, but wondered why exactly stained clothes would be desirable? I was wondering about that myself and eagerly read on to see what he thought. He speculated that used clothing becomes valuable because it represents the enjoyment and appreciation clothes bring us. Maybe that includes a relished meal with no thought of the damage it might cause to my shirt? Perhaps clothes with holes demonstrate that we are living life to the fullest?
Thanks, Jonah! It will now be easier to forgive myself for the spots that appear on my clothing. One last question: do you think I can resell them as distressed?
IMAGE: Another image from photoshoot a few months ago. I may not have known it then but I bet I was looking out for the latest fashion trend.
