shorts, then and now
I bought the shorts in 2018. In 2018, I was still fresh from taking a year off from work, and just getting the hang of a new job. My younger sister was planning her wedding. My mother was alive. One of the first times I wore the shorts, was on a scuba diving trip in Timor Leste with four of my best friends.
Three years on, my younger sister is now pregnant with her first child. I got married, and am planning a move to Australia, where my husband is from. I am contemplating a job change. My mother has passed on. One of my friends on the diving trip now has two young children. We are living in a pandemic.
Not to get too sentimental, but these shorts have become a marker of time. What else will they see?
Meanwhile, other comings and goings. I bought a pair of beige vintage Lee jeans on Etsy a while back...I love the material but after a couple wears, I found the fit awkward, so I've decided to sell them.
But the itch for a pair of light-coloured jeans remained, so I bought a pair of white jeans from Esby (secondhand), which were going for a reasonable price on Noihsaf Bazaar (not always the case on NB!). The fabric is thinner than the heavy denim I prefer, and I might have been disappointed if I bought them new, but the fit is excellent for me.
I also sold a pair of high-waist jeans that became too tight for me, and splurged on a pair of Lemaire jeans I found on The RealReal, with original tags still attached. They are the most heavenly indigo and fit just right.
My Bimba & Lola sandals fell apart at the soles...they're not great quality to start with, so I wasn't that surprised after three years of wear. But I took them to a cobbler and he peeled off the bottom sole, cleaned off the old glue, added reinforcements, and glued them together afresh for $40. I thought it was nice that he cared enough to fix them, not everyone bothers when they think the shoes are cheaply made.
And last weekend, I tried to dye an old white blouse black. It came out dark grey but I like it, and I will definitely dye more stuff in future, especially my older tees.
Right now I'm wearing an old gingham tank top from Muji, and a pair of black shorts from Uniqlo. What I wear when there's nowhere to go. I love the two pairs of jeans I bought. I have another vintage pair flying my way as I type. But how much wear will I get out of them this year?
Maybe I shop because I am bored. Maybe I shop because my clothes are too tight. Maybe I hope because I am hopeful. It is probably all three.
What I am at enjoying at the moment:
- Dog-sitting for my sisters' doggos and bringing them on long walks
- Stalking men's vintage jeans online
- Reading books about faraway places (currently reading The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts)
- A trio of glass tumblers I ordered in January, made in Afghanistan. They're all slightly different, and remind me of all the things out there I have yet to see.
Hope everyone is well, wherever you are.
Comments
I have a coat that's really nice shape and fabric (wool) but that particular shade of camel makes me look ill so I am considering dyeing it.
The brand I used is called Dylon, because it was easily available where I live. I see a lot of influencers plugging Rit Dye, but I've not tried it personally.
If you're dying an item as large as a coat, you may need a lot of dye and a really big tub! Some dyes can be put into washing machines to dye large items, so look out for those.