2nd Show

After working my second show this last Friday, I'm happy to say that it was a lot less exhuasting than the first and that I was able to hear a lot more of what the clients had to say about clothing. Like most women, these girls were concerned with how the clothing fit their bodies. Many spoke about their concern of their tall height and how it was often difficult for them to find clothing to suit this. This all highlighted the issues of manufactured clothing, and reminded me of times when I myself would wish that I could make the clothing myself to better fit my body and not a standard mannequin.

Aside from their tall heights, the girls also talked about how they felt that they had so many clothes that they hardly ever wore and had a hard time figuring out what to wear. I similarly face a problem where I will stand in front of two full closets and feel that I have absolutely nothing to wear. Interestingly, one girl mentioned how this would not be a problem if one just kept certain basic and statement pieces in his/her closet, as then one would have multiple different outfits made just with different combinations of clothing. This could easily solve the problem, but also had me think back to the purpose of handmade products. While you could make something yourself to give it certain details the you might not find on something manufactured, you could also make it so that it will be stronger and last a lot longer. A problem with manufactured clothing these days is that while it can be easily produced and bought, it may not be made very well.

Another interesting side note to make is that while on my reular weekend commute to the Humane Society, I spoke with a fellow volunteer about my project. I told her that I was looking at fashion and how we look at things differently when they are handmade versus when they are manufactured, and she told me that she has been sewing ever since she was a little girl. She also mentioned how when she was younger, it was a lot cheaper to make your own clothing items, as the manufactured items would be more expensive, but in recent times she has found that it is now cheaper and more convenient to go out and buy clothing. She also told me that it is actually quite expensive now to make your own goods, and even buying thread can be pricey. I found this interesting and completely true; buying fabric and dyes can get very expensive, and this often prevents me from making clothing for myself. I plan on looking into this a little more this upcoming week, and will give further updates when I run more shows.

Larissa :)