Friday, December 08, 2006

this is what happens when you're popular

First thing in the morning, you walk into the Gap sporting all your handmade goods. You feel empowered because even though you're still not safe from zigzag stitching your thumb when using your sewing machine, you truly believe that if you see something cool in the store, you can truck on home and whip it up. And how. You stroll along awhile, feeling stylish and capable. You finger the knitted accessories, flip a couple over to check the construction (call me foolhardy, but I think I've got the skills to knock off most of these babies). Before long, you notice these:

And by god, look what you happen to be wearing:

Your very own non-Gap inspired version of the jeans-to-skirt recon. Yours is of course made of a pair of Levi's you got for 9 bucks at Ross three years ago, thus earning you a net savings of 30 bucks.

But money saved isn't what's got you so excited. It's the fact that, thanks to crafting, you've finally stepped up to claim some small corner of the world as yours. At last, you've wiggled at least part way out of the door of consumerism and you can see your own creativity waving to you from a red convertible parked near the curb. It's revving the engine, ready to roll as soon as you jump the passenger door, and you feel your heart going thump thump because you know for sure that you're this close to being free. You feel the hot breath of manufactured goods on the back of your neck and you know it's coming after you, but you look up and there's the sun, and you don't even give that beast the time of day. Instead, you take one more sure step toward that curb.

And you plan your next project.

10 comments:

Sachi said...

How does it feel to be a rock star, daaaaahling?

Faith said...

Go on with yourself - you're so awesome!!!

Anonymous said...

AWESOME WRITING GURL! Love it!

Nik said...

Don't it feel good?

Ellen Bloom said...

WE all know you have a terrific design sense....so up-to-the-minute!

Anonymous said...

I have to laugh, although without mirth. A generation ago, it was de riguer for all the crunchy girls in my high school to make the same skirt from their jeans. If you didn't have a sewing machine, no matter, you sewed by hand. And don't forget the political patches. And The Gap wouldn't waste their time. They made enough money selling Levi's. My, how things change.

Now they are selling the same look to a generation of girls with no patience to sew. Easy credit killed creativity.

I'm glad you claimed a small part of the creative universe for yourself.

carlita dee said...

Aw. Thanks goils, for the kind words.

Anonymous said...

ROFLOL! LOVE IT! I have a long version of that made from some Levi's! LOL

Anonymous said...

You rule the Gap.

And what's with the faux mud/baby poo/sulphur crap on all denim these days (except your skirt, of course)? I was trying to find decent jeans for my husband, who is a builder, and I'll be damned if the $70 jeans in the stores didn't look crappier than the ones he comes home from work in.

Sheila said...

Came across your blog via Nik's Knits...Love the skirt... your posts are hilarious... keep it coming.