Are you interested in learning more about the Things We Wear- like how to start a brand, how to shop responsibly and so on? Including links to some of my favorite websites and blogs!
Working in Fashion
Sew Heidi - if you’re interested in working in fashion or learning more about it, Sew Heidi has a podcast, a YouTube channel and several classes on her website to help you get started!
Lean Style Startup - Are you looking to start your own apparel brand but don’t know where to start? Lexi will point you in all the right directions and provide you with an uncomplicated way to see the bigger pictures. She’s fab. Please let her know I sent you her way!
Supply Chains & American Manufacturing
We all know that supply chains have been stressed (to say the least!) by recent, current events. Understanding how we got to this point in the way we manufacture, ship & consume is vitally important to understanding how clothes are made.
A few books I love that cover this subject and the ramifications of our global, complex, supply chains:
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Fashion Studies & History
The Gilded Gentleman - understanding fashion is also understanding history, politics & cultural movements at the time. This podcast is a great place to start if you’re interested in the Gilded Age https://thegildedgentleman.com/
HauteLeMode - a fun and thoughtful YouTube serires about fashion & design. The host is knowledgeable and has a lot to add! If you’re looking to understand fashion on a deeper level, this channel would be a great place to start!
Fashion Studies Journal: The FSJ takes a deep dive into history and culture to discuss what we are wearing and why. https://www.fashionstudiesjournal.org/
The Gilded Age (HBO Show & Companion Podcast): I just started this exciting new show from the writer of Downton Abbey! The show is meticulously researched and beautiful to look at! Watch on HBO. Listen to the companion podcast.
History Hit: My new podcast obsession! You can sign up for the app for video documentaries, or listen to the podcasts for free on whatever platform you typically listen to podcasts. They often discuss clothing, shopping and how those habits informed and affected daily life. See their podcasts here: https://www.historyhit.com/podcasts/
LulaRich: this Amazon documentary tells the wild ride of the infamous company known for brightly colored leggings.
White Hot; the Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch: Full disclosure, I worked for A&F as a technical designer from 2008 to 2010. It was a great experience working with smart & driven people; I often refer back to what I learned during my time there. However, Abercrombie, like many fashion companies, was not without it’s faults.
Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History a recently recommended to-me book from another patternmaker friend. This book discusses the deep connection between clothes, social standing & politics
The Kingdom of Prep: the Inside Story of the Rise and (near) Fall of J.Crew how could I resist this book? J.Crew was a pivotal part of my style, particularly as someone who grew up in the Midwest. What a fascinating story of a genius designer teamed with a famed merchandiser right at the height of mall culture.
Worn: a People’s History of Clothing the book I would write if I had the time to write it, all about the clothes we wear, what they are made of and where they come from!
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Skincare & Makeup
Lab Muffin Beauty Science - a blog, YouTube channel and occasional podcaster. I love how scientific this reviewer’s feedback is, I’ve truly learned so much about how to shop for beauty products in a smarter way without getting caught up in greenwashing or “clean” beauty lingo.
Patternmaking & Technical Design
The Gerber Queen: Now offering live, zoom classes to get you started in Gerber Accumark Pattern Design! The classes come with a temporary Gerber license for you to use during class.
Pattern Printing Co. - Need your 36” x 48” PDF pattern printed? They can help you with that! http://patternprintingco.com/
SkillShare - has lots of patternmaking & software videos. I’ve learned so much! https://www.skillshare.com/
Motif - Brought to you by Alvanon, Motif offers current or aspiring industry professionals access to classes to get you ready for your next workplace (or just make you better in your current one!) https://motif.org/
Digital Fashion School: online classes on CLO3D & Adobe Illustrator. Easy to follow and affordable! https://www.digitalfashionschool.com/
How Fitting Podcast: a podcast about the fashion industry, hosted by a patternmaker! https://alisonhoenes.com/how-fitting-podcast/
Bravolution: an incredible website explaining the complex nature of sizing & fit when it comes to bras and sports bras. https://www.bravolution.com/
International Stitch Operation Standards: a handy reference for knowing and understanding the various industrial sewing machines & terminology —> https://www.amefird.com/technical-tools/stitches-and-seams/
Concepts of Grading: a book recommended to me by the fabulous, Karen Lepage as a great way to get started with pattern grading. Link to book: https://amzn.to/3JZikEn or shown below (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).
Mannequin Pads: We all know that most mannequins, especially the vintage-style ones, are not very realistic or naturalistic. If you’re looking to customize your mannequin, Fabulous Fit Dress Form Pads are a great place to start! Super affordable and come in a ton of shapes and sizes! —>https://fabulousfit.com/dress-form-padding-kits
“Sustainable” Fashion
StyleWise Blog - Leah Wise of the Style Wise blog writes about sustainable fashion. She also works, goes to school and lives on a budget, just like many of us, so she can give real advice for real people.
Our Changing Climate - this YouTube channel digs deep into how you can do more for the planet. It’s thoughtful and informative!
Good On You - this website researches and rates brands based their eco & ethical efforts. As many brands use “sustainable” as a way to sell more product, this website can help you sift through who really means it.
Justine Leconte - this Youtuber is a fashion designer based in Berlin. She does videos about how to identify quality in your garments, how to shop more ethically and more! I love her thoughtful, educational videos all about the business of fashion.
Apparel Recycling
Recycle Your Sneakers - Nike retail stores in the US and Europe now accept all athletic shoes (from any brand!) for their recycling program. More info & store locations here: https://www.nike.com/help/a/recycle-shoes
“Sustainable” Shopping
*Please note, the most sustainable thing to buy is not to buy anything at all. But, sometimes you need things. Here are some places I like to shop for their eco friendly and/or ethical practices.
Plastic Free Packaging & Refillable:
Dropps: I started subscribing to Dropps to eliminate plastic from my laundry. Dropps come in cardboard boxes with minimal packaging and no plastic! I love the lavender scent. To buy, go to their website by clicking here.
Native & Co. Plastic-free, Refillable Deo: Native now offers refillable, plastic free deo in some lovely scents! https://www.nativecos.com/products/deo-plasticfree-lilac-white-tea
Sustainable Period Products: If you haven’t made the switch to reusable period products, now is the time! My fav places to shop are Thinx and Aisle. More on this soon.
Besame Cosmetics: Besame sells beautifully packaged, cruelty free beauty products that are mostly zero waste and refillable! Shop Besame Cosmetics here: https://besamecosmetics.com/
Makeup Erasers: making the switch to reusable makeup remover wipes is a no-brainer! I have found that these super soft, microfiber wipes also help reduce irritation and acne over using a wash cloth or disposable wipe —> win win! I use micellular water with my makeup eraser for the best results. Shop here: https://makeuperaser.com/
Package Free Shop: trying to reduce disposable and plastic containing products is a great way to start your journey to a zero-waste life. the Package Free website features lots of products you can switch to that are glass, metal or wooden and refillable.
Charlotte Tilbury: Beautiful packaging, high quality products and refillable! https://www.charlottetilbury.com/us/products/refillable-makeup-skincare
Emma Lewisham: Refillable packaging, product that is designed around being refillable and reusable without sacrificing quality.
Shop Second Hand
Goodfair: sells super fun second hand items. If you need a 1990s oversized sweatshirt that says “Nutcracker 1996 Dancer” (and who doesn’t?) this will be your spot. Click here to go to the website.
Poshmark: Not only is second hand shopping better for the environment, it’s also better for your wallet! Woo woo! Poshmark is my default for all things second hand. There are many sites out there for second hand shopping (eBay, Mercari), but I just love how easy it is to both buy and sell on Poshmark. I have had generally great experiences both buying and selling through their platform and if you do have an issue, Poshmark will step in. If you have extra items in your closet you want to get rid of, try selling them first! Goodwill shops have more than they can sell. Save them the trouble and find your item a happy home. You can shop my closet here: https://poshmark.com/closet/thingswewear
Shop American Made
Support your local economy. Clothes are made by a human (not robots!). Should we really be living in a world where we are paying a person thousands of miles away just pennies for a shirt that took them hours to make? Participate in the economy you live in. While certainly not all US workplaces are good ones, the US does have more stringent laws about workplace treatment, health and pollution output than in other parts of the world where our clothing comes from. If you shop US made & US materials, you’re supporting the laws that keep us all safe, healthy and our streams mostly clean.
This it not to say that things made abroad are less ethical or eco friendly. Just try to do your research on the brands you shop from before you buy.
Here are some of my favorite American made apparel brands:
Shop Natural Fibers:
Aran Sweater Market: I love shopping natural fibers from places that have a long tradition of making certain items. The Aran Islands (part of Ireland) have a history of making beautiful sweaters from local merino wool. I first heard of the Aran islands when I worked as a costume designer on a show called The Cripple of Inishmaan. For research I watched a 1934 documentary film called Man of Aran, then managed to make my way there a few months later in 2007 (it’s stunning!). I highly recommend the trip. Then support the local, Aran economy by buying a gorgeous, chunky-knit sweater (it will come in handy because it does get windy, cold and rainy!)
Shop here—> https://www.aran.com/