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| Under the sea London, ON March 2012 |
When I was a lifeguard way, way back, I built up a collection of some of the weirdest shorts you could ever imagine. There was method to my madness, as a wacky pair of shorts was often a great way to get a scared little munchkin to crack a smile and dip a tentative toe into the water during swim instruction. I had shorts with polka dots, animals, unidentifiable shapes and, as you can see here, psychedelic sea creatures. They made people smile, disarmed tense situations and generally made things a little more chill, a little more human.
Somewhat unbelievably, I've continued to wear this style of clothing. I don't dare wear 'em to the mall or any other place where I might run into someone I know. But for sleeping, walking the dog or washing the car - assuming I ever actually get around to washing my car before the next millenium - they're just the thing.
Sadly, clothes don't last forever. I know, such a surprise. And given my sentimental way of looking at the world, I've tended to hold onto some of my old faves for far longer than I should. I wouldn't wear them - too tattered for that. Instead, I'd leave them buried deep in a drawer because I couldn't get myself to ditch them for good. Same goes for many of my old, now ratty t-shirts: each one has a story, and it's hard to let go.
I've come up with a strange idea to help me work through this eccentric form of separation anxiety: I'm taking pictures of them before I ditch them for good. We'll start with these. Natty, eh?
Your turn: Clothes may or may not make the man, but do you think they hold sentimental value, as well? Or am I just being weird?
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7 comments:
Not at all. I once went to an exhibit where the artist has plexi-boxed outfits she had worn to events in her life. I can remember what I wore to many events in my life--and I still own those things. They do have sentimental value. Why I have no idea, but I suspect it has to do with identity. Hanging in my closet as I write is a very flowery smockish type of jacket. Everytime I put it on I recall my first art teacher, Mrs. Stark, in elementary school who wore the same kind of smock. She was an artist. Now I'm one.
Carmi, before u ditch those ( and the others) that pattern reminds me of 'beach pants' that were in back in the 90's... they were so cool because they were relaxed.. i bought a few for my toddler son and he loved them.. You could cut out squares of the soon to be gone shorts and quilt them, that is, if you quilted.. or colage them and 'float' them in a frame.. they would look cool as well as look as a quirky art piece...
With a grandchild here for a holiday.... i really wish now that I had quilted the fabric of favourite clothes.
That reminds me I have a shedded Harley Davidson Tee from the '70s I only wear to bed when it's hot- wonder where it is...?!? N a frowning cartoon Duck screaming "Leave me alone!" I wear when the neighbors are crowded ten feet out the window...
But I really need to find the Micheal Jackson before the nose-job Tee my daughter was given when she was 5! That's worth bux, even worn out...
My daughter wears scrubs like that at the hospital desk these days(she buys the material n makes them)- Smiling tomatoes, SpongeBob, ect... Of course her shower curtain now resembles your shorts pic design...
PS, you can also make carry bags out of them easily-
I love collecting t-shirts from places we've been, sports and such the kids participated in- I can't seem to let them go so I plan to use them to make a quilt for each child to take with them off to college or whatever they choose.
Taking photos is a great idea too! :)
I need to throw away 2/3 of the things in my closet. There are things in there older than my 16 year old grand son.
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