Reading in My Backyard

This summer, after the removal of a vinyl pool and redwood deck that pretty much encompassed my backyard for the last 23 years, I’ve been able to plant flowers and vegetables. I purchased tomato plants and bell pepper plants from the nursery, and the zucchini, sunflowers and zinnias were planted by seed. It’s been a challenge keeping the birds, squirrels, raccoons and skunks from either eating the seeds or digging the plants up looking for grubs. As of today, I’ve been quite successful in my quest…

Reading in My Garden 2017 #6_1 — Zinnias

Reading in My Garden 2017 #3 — Zinnia and Butterfly

I enjoy the process of regeneration beginning with the planting, stages of growth and the blooming of nature. I try to focus on flowers that attract birds, bees and butterflies.

Reading in My Garden 2017 #7_1 — Orange Bell Pepper

With all the physical work that goes along with planting and maintaining a garden, I decided to reap the benefits by reading a book surrounded by the ever-changing daily beauty of my garden.

Recently, in a knitting class at A Verb for Keeping Warm in Oakland, CA I overheard a conversation about slow fashion in comparison to cheap fashion. A few weeks ago, I came across a blog post discussing a book written by Elizabeth L. Cline, entitled “Over-Dressed The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.”

I immediately ordered the book online because I wanted to know what was going on. So far, I’ve read the first three chapters where Cline discusses the effects of global trade agreements on the garment industry beginning in the 1990s. In today’s world it’s chic, practical and democratic to buy cheap fashion. Cheap fashion fashionistas post their “shopping hauls” on YouTube and have thousands of followers. It’s a quantity versus quality culture…a garment expected to only last a couple of times through the wash becomes “disposable.” Cline mentions, “The wastefulness encouraged by buying cheap and chasing trends is obvious, but the hidden costs are even more galling. Disposable clothing is damaging the environment, the economy, and even our souls.”

I respect Elizabeth Cline’s non-judgmental discussion on the attraction of cheap fashion and its consumer, and she even admits to owning 354 pieces of cheap fashion clothing. After publishing the book in 2012, Cline owned 90 pieces of clothing.

As I progress through the book, I’m reminded why I began to sew again. I grew impatient with the lack of quality fabric, zippers and buttons along with shoddy garment construction used in ready to wear garments. At the time, I became increasingly aware of the relationship between ethical fashion, and the culture of “slow fashion” (which refers to sewing your own clothes with sustainable fabrics like wool and cotton).

I look forward to the reading the remaining chapters of this interesting book, while I enjoy communing with the many bees, butterflies and hummingbirds that visit my backyard.