Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline: book review
Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion is a just-been released book about today's garment industry. June 14th was the release date, and it thrills me that I got on the bandwagon right away rather than hearing about it months or even years later. (I do live on an Island, in the middle of nowhere, with the nearest book store 2 hours away ya know) I had to have this book as soon as I heard about it on the Patternreview I grabbed my iPad and downloaded the book from iBooks, then proceeded to read the book in a day.
I loved it!
In fact, I loved it so much that I had to talk about it non-stop as I was reading it, to whomever was nearby to listen.
Unfortunately, the 4 and 6 year-olds didn't really understand what I was talking about. My DH appeared to be patiently listening, but I think he was just playing Mahjong on his iPad. My mother, when she happened to call, made all the appropriate noises, and as a the person who fueled my sewing interest, was actually able to make conversation about the book, until she got onto more pressing matters such as where she was going for lunch. And the dog? She at least looked at me with a quizzical expression, but it was impossible to tell whether it was interest or if it was her 'do I get cookies if I pretend to care' look.
Undeterred, I finished the book and have ruminated over the contents for the past few days.
Perhaps the biggest reason I love the book was that it cemented in my mind the reasons that I sew. When I first took up sewing as an adult, when I was at home with my youngest on maternity leave, I decided that it was a greener way to look at clothing. My very first project was a refashion of a quick-dry shirt.
Overdressed looks at where our clothing is coming from, and explains why it is we can buy t-shirts form big-box retailers for $5 or less. The reasons are many: inferior materials, cheaper overseas labour-forces, shoddy sewing, and perhaps the most concerning of all, the fact that we, the consumers, are driving this problem by demanding cheaper clothes, and then happily buying more than we need.
I will admit that I don't always buy secondhand clothing: with two growing kids and limited access to thrift stores, it is sometimes far more practical to shop mail order. I try to purchase items which are Made in Canada, and the U.S.A., though they are very difficult to find and the prices are often prohibitive. However, I do try to limit this, and after reading Overdressed, I will try to be even more conscientious.
The end of the book does give me hope. Elizabeth Cline notes that there seems to be a shift, and clothing prices are slowly starting to rise, as labour laws become more strict overseas and some manufacturing is shifting back to North America.
So what influence will this book have in my life? For one, I will even more determinedly continue to sew most of my own wardrobe, and as much as possible for my kids. I will also be more aware of the clothing I do purchase, its origins, and whether or not it is a necessary purchase.
The only downside of this book is the fact that I purchased an ebook instead of waiting a week or two to get my hands on a hard copy. This is definitely a book that I want to pass along to others to read.
And maybe get someone to have a conversation about it with me :-)
I loved it!
In fact, I loved it so much that I had to talk about it non-stop as I was reading it, to whomever was nearby to listen.
Unfortunately, the 4 and 6 year-olds didn't really understand what I was talking about. My DH appeared to be patiently listening, but I think he was just playing Mahjong on his iPad. My mother, when she happened to call, made all the appropriate noises, and as a the person who fueled my sewing interest, was actually able to make conversation about the book, until she got onto more pressing matters such as where she was going for lunch. And the dog? She at least looked at me with a quizzical expression, but it was impossible to tell whether it was interest or if it was her 'do I get cookies if I pretend to care' look.
Undeterred, I finished the book and have ruminated over the contents for the past few days.
Perhaps the biggest reason I love the book was that it cemented in my mind the reasons that I sew. When I first took up sewing as an adult, when I was at home with my youngest on maternity leave, I decided that it was a greener way to look at clothing. My very first project was a refashion of a quick-dry shirt.
Overdressed looks at where our clothing is coming from, and explains why it is we can buy t-shirts form big-box retailers for $5 or less. The reasons are many: inferior materials, cheaper overseas labour-forces, shoddy sewing, and perhaps the most concerning of all, the fact that we, the consumers, are driving this problem by demanding cheaper clothes, and then happily buying more than we need.
I will admit that I don't always buy secondhand clothing: with two growing kids and limited access to thrift stores, it is sometimes far more practical to shop mail order. I try to purchase items which are Made in Canada, and the U.S.A., though they are very difficult to find and the prices are often prohibitive. However, I do try to limit this, and after reading Overdressed, I will try to be even more conscientious.
The end of the book does give me hope. Elizabeth Cline notes that there seems to be a shift, and clothing prices are slowly starting to rise, as labour laws become more strict overseas and some manufacturing is shifting back to North America.
So what influence will this book have in my life? For one, I will even more determinedly continue to sew most of my own wardrobe, and as much as possible for my kids. I will also be more aware of the clothing I do purchase, its origins, and whether or not it is a necessary purchase.
The only downside of this book is the fact that I purchased an ebook instead of waiting a week or two to get my hands on a hard copy. This is definitely a book that I want to pass along to others to read.
And maybe get someone to have a conversation about it with me :-)
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