Worn Wear

I'll be the first to admit that I love new things. New experiences, new friends, and of course.. new clothes. There's always something gratifying about finding that great deal, the perfect pair of jeans, or a great gift, and Black Friday was made for that desire of the new. But as I get older, my motivation to have new 'things,' give 'things'  as gifts, or wake up at 5am to beat the crowds, stand in line, and empty my wallet has dwindled. On Thanksgiving we usually take a step back and reflect on what we're thankful for, and the majority of the thank you's I heard yesterday were for togetherness and quality time spent with new friends, old family, or even yourself - away from the bustle of everyday life. Then today we race to the stores, fight over that last size M sweater, and buy more things to be thankful for? I'm not trying to make a judgement, I've certainly been there and more than likely will be again, but it's an observation I'm just beginning to see the irony of. SO - am I going to boycott gift-giving and the new Dave Eggers book I've been wanting to read? No, but I am going to challenge myself to think outside the box this holiday season (and beyond!) and invest in gifts that give experience or memory. Hopefully I can expand on this as ideas develop, but I'm thinking things like pottery classes, yoga punch cards, digitizing old photo albums, mother-daughter dates, weekend getaways and so on... And as far as new things for me? Clothing shopping is a major weakness of mine, and I'd like to make a conscious effort to invest only in wardrobe staples as opposed to trendy pieces, in an attempt to build a closet of well fitting, well made, and timeless pieces that will last me many years to come. And finally, I want to celebrate what I do have. 

So does Yvon Chouinard - released as an antidote to Black Friday, this little video explores quality in the the life we live, and the things we have. (Yes, I'm on a bit of a video kick, but it's worth it!)