The Staple, July 12th
From the Editor
As we slip into midsummer, I’ve been pulling out a lot of my favorite vintage pieces. I have some dresses (from a dear friend, originally made for her mother-in-law) that date from the 1960s. The fabric is still so good after all these decades. Wearing one of them recently made me wonder what else, clothing-wise, gets better with age?
It’s not a secret that clothing is no longer made to last. I have some pieces that have disintegrated in the scant handful of years I’ve owned them, while pieces from the same brand ten years earlier are still going strong. And cost isn’t a guarantee as to what you’ll get: I was browsing a new brand earlier with extremely hefty prices, and the majority of their fabrics were made from viscose or polyester. Why would I pay $450 for a pair of pants that are 79% acetate and 21% viscose? So many of these pieces are inspired by vintage silhouettes but without the vintage fabric composition. There’s a reason why my shift dresses, for instance, are still going strong sixty years later.
I started thinking about this—less from a sustainability standpoint and more from a style standpoint—after three things crossed my path: 1)
The Perfect published Issue Ten and prompted me to think of “the tennis skirts time forgot”; 2) a new show is being filmed at our club, reminding me of past movie-turn appearances there (The Age of Innocence; The Great Gatsby); and 3) photos of my family enjoying the same spaces I do now in so many of the same clothes.
I am extremely averse to wearing “performance” fabric, and I’ve often wondered why. When sailing, for instance, I always, always wear natural fibers: khaki shorts and cotton polos. Why don’t I wear “performance” polos? What about performance skorts or leggings? My fleece is often the only man-made fabric I wear on the water, and even then, I generally prefer a cotton roll-neck sweater.
So of course, on one of my can’t-get-back-to-sleep nights, I started thinking about this. And, as is the case for many things in life, I have a multi-part answer. It’s partially about the environment and sustainability—it’s just not good to manufacture all these clothes out of material that won’t last and won’t eventually degrade (this post was mind-blowing). But more than that, it’s about style. Things just look different nowadays, and while some of that is good, I really reject a lot of it. I want tailored clothing that fits well without elastic or drawstrings! I want to look nice while sailing or playing tennis, even when getting drenched by wind and water or by vigorous exercise! Why do we have to resign ourselves to things that just don’t look as nice in the name of moisture-wicking “performance fabrics”? Cotton, linen, and silk can keep you just as cool and comfortable, and the actual shape of the fabric and cut of the cloth is, in my opinion, far superior. To return to the original example, how chic is this tennis skirt compared to this one?
This summer, for me, has been a return to the simple things that I truly enjoy about where I live, and I’m realizing that clothes play such an important role in that. Not for what they cost, or if they’re on-trend, but as a crucial part of memory. And the simpler and better-made the clothes are, the longer they—and the memories—will last.
The #NSALE Edit
I’m not one for shopping sales just for the sake of sales, but I do find the summer sales a good time to fill wardrobe gaps in my fall and winter wardrobes, as well as stock up on “beauty empties” (not that I use many beauty products!) Here are my five top picks for Nordstrom’s sale.
I’m finally coming to the realization that my Barbours aren’t going to cut it much longer for our cold northeast winters, and a new wool coat is on my list. This one is a wool/cashmere blend with NO polyester or anything else at a really great price… plus it’s reversible!
I use these bags every day in the fall/winter and this is a great autumn color! There’s also an expandable version on sale.
This is my one beauty indulgence and it’s available at an incredible price during the sale!
I’ve had my eye on this sweater for years and now is the time to buy: it’s perfectly elevated for a work outfit.
A quilted jacket is a forever wardrobe staple, and I have a version of this one for early fall days!
Hello once again! The photograph of the two women at the top of this post could be any of the women in my extended family at the family places on the Chesapeake and/or Carolina coast between the 1940s and 2020s. Albeit with slight differences in hair styles and colors of course. But always dark glasses. My very Midwestern wife recently chuckled and admitted one recent evening on our back porch that I have done an admirable job of providing her with nice (-er) looking summer (and winter) casual attire. Timeless, classic, and quality (natural fiber) pieces in other words.
Happy mid-summer!
Kind Regards,
H-U