Fashion: the pros and cons of a constantly changing world.
I don't know about you, but I've never been particularly attached to fashion.
It doesn't mean I ignore it completely. Because, as in all things, there are pros and cons.
Let's look at them together, but let's focus on our soft world of knitting, wools, yarns, and everything our hands can create with knitting needles and crochet hooks.
The pros of following fashion:
1. Following trends is definitely an important impulse, thanks to which we get the urge to renew our wardrobe, the desire to buy new wool and make a new sweater, a new scarf, a new hat... choosing new colors, ones that, perhaps, you've never considered before...
2. Following fashion trends encourages us to learn and experiment. It awakens our creative side. And that's something very, very valuable, regardless of whether we are beginners or experts in knitting.
For example: if braids are in fashion (and this year all 3D knitwear will be in fashion, including braids), if you want to follow fashion and you don't know how to make them, you'll want to learn. Right? So fashion pushes you to learn.
If, on the other hand, you are an expert and you know how to make braids very well, you can certainly invent original and personal patterns. Your creativity can be unleashed precisely thanks to new trends.
3. Following some fashion trends, even by making a simple accessory in wool: a scarf or a hat can give us a wonderful feeling of security and self-esteem.
"I made it myself, with my own hands," you'll proudly say to anyone who compliments you on what you've created.
There are also cons. Let's see what they are.
1. To follow fashion to the letter, you need a lot of money. How many of us can afford to change a lot in our wardrobe... and do it at least once a year. Very few. We usually try to enrich our wardrobe with a new sweater. And that's perfectly fine!
I can't afford to buy a new coat every year, but I can always have a new scarf or hat. The costs of wool, even fine wool or, indeed, cashmere, or cashmere blend are not that high (check the prices on the Hircus Filati website)... and those who know how to knit and crochet should consider themselves truly fortunate.
2. The fashion industry is, unfortunately, one of the most polluting in the world.
For example, the production of 1 kg of cotton has a very high cost. The data is truly frightening.
Doing research, I discovered that producing 1 kg of cotton requires 7,000 to 29,000 liters of water... not to mention pesticides and fertilizers, and greenhouse gas emissions.
For this reason, recycling (including creative recycling) is, I believe, very important. I prefer to buy wool, cashmere, ecocashmere or fine yarns like, for example, alpaca, etc., which I can always reuse. Years ago, our grandmothers never threw away an old sweater; it was unravelled to recover the yarn and make another garment.
3. Social pressure: "You're not fashionably dressed, you might feel like a second-class person." Unfortunately, in certain environments, this pressure is considerable. But we, ordinary people, know that "clothes don't make the man," right? So let's get knitting and crush these feelings of inadequacy.
4. Fashion changes quickly, and what was good a few years ago might be completely out of fashion today... so what do I do? Throw it away? Of course not!!! Fortunately, in the world of knitting, these changes are not so radical. Just look at old fashion magazines.
The moral of the story? Let's observe fashion, yes, but let's only take what enriches us internally, what makes us feel good and cultivate our passion for knitting, and then... let's be honest, some models are truly extravagant.
Alicja Kwartnik for Hircus Filati
The pros of following fashion:
1. Following trends is definitely an important impulse, thanks to which we get the urge to renew our wardrobe, the desire to buy new wool and make a new sweater, a new scarf, a new hat... choosing new colors, ones that, perhaps, you've never considered before...
2. Following fashion trends encourages us to learn and experiment. It awakens our creative side. And that's something very, very valuable, regardless of whether we are beginners or experts in knitting.
For example: if braids are in fashion (and this year all 3D knitwear will be in fashion, including braids), if you want to follow fashion and you don't know how to make them, you'll want to learn. Right? So fashion pushes you to learn.
If, on the other hand, you are an expert and you know how to make braids very well, you can certainly invent original and personal patterns. Your creativity can be unleashed precisely thanks to new trends.
3. Following some fashion trends, even by making a simple accessory in wool: a scarf or a hat can give us a wonderful feeling of security and self-esteem.
"I made it myself, with my own hands," you'll proudly say to anyone who compliments you on what you've created.
There are also cons. Let's see what they are.
1. To follow fashion to the letter, you need a lot of money. How many of us can afford to change a lot in our wardrobe... and do it at least once a year. Very few. We usually try to enrich our wardrobe with a new sweater. And that's perfectly fine!
I can't afford to buy a new coat every year, but I can always have a new scarf or hat. The costs of wool, even fine wool or, indeed, cashmere, or cashmere blend are not that high (check the prices on the Hircus Filati website)... and those who know how to knit and crochet should consider themselves truly fortunate.
2. The fashion industry is, unfortunately, one of the most polluting in the world.
For example, the production of 1 kg of cotton has a very high cost. The data is truly frightening.
Doing research, I discovered that producing 1 kg of cotton requires 7,000 to 29,000 liters of water... not to mention pesticides and fertilizers, and greenhouse gas emissions.
For this reason, recycling (including creative recycling) is, I believe, very important. I prefer to buy wool, cashmere, ecocashmere or fine yarns like, for example, alpaca, etc., which I can always reuse. Years ago, our grandmothers never threw away an old sweater; it was unravelled to recover the yarn and make another garment.
3. Social pressure: "You're not fashionably dressed, you might feel like a second-class person." Unfortunately, in certain environments, this pressure is considerable. But we, ordinary people, know that "clothes don't make the man," right? So let's get knitting and crush these feelings of inadequacy.
4. Fashion changes quickly, and what was good a few years ago might be completely out of fashion today... so what do I do? Throw it away? Of course not!!! Fortunately, in the world of knitting, these changes are not so radical. Just look at old fashion magazines.
The moral of the story? Let's observe fashion, yes, but let's only take what enriches us internally, what makes us feel good and cultivate our passion for knitting, and then... let's be honest, some models are truly extravagant.
Alicja Kwartnik for Hircus Filati