Premium Subscriber-Only Round Up #12
Weekly recommendations just for you.
Hi, you! Yes, you. One of my wonderful premium subscribers. Thank you for your support, it really helps me as a try to make this newsletter something I can continue to do in the future. I wanted to check in about these Friday stories and hear directly from you. Is this something you like? Are there different categories you’d like me to address? Or ones you’d rather I expand on? If you have thoughts, please reply to this email or send me a DM. As always, thanks so much for your support.
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STORY TO KNOW:
Shein is quickly becoming one of the biggest contributors to fast fashion’s overconsumption. In an unexpected turn of events though, the brand has pledged giving $15 million to textile waste workers in Ghana. According to The Guardian, Shein will donate the money to the Or Foundation. which supports textile waste workers in Accra whose jobs are extremely physically taxing. While there was plenty of fair criticism saying this was greenwashing because they are still making the clothing going into Ghana, I do think it’s a necessary piece of accountability. Generally, brands tend to shy away from the actual problem but this addresses the issue head on. More to come in a newsletter next week.
Read it: theguardian.com
RECCOMENDED READING:
I’ll be honest, I picked up Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garnus because the cover made me think it was getting a simple summer read. While it’s definitely that, it’s so much more. It’s from the point of view of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist in the 1960s who became a beloved cooking star. I was shocked to find out this is Zott’s debut novel because the writing is so witty and fun to read. It's also been picked up by Apple+ to become a series.
Read it: bookshop.org
STYLE SPOTLIGHT:
I don’t own proper sandals. I mean, I certainly have some nice shoes with a heel that are great for, say, a wedding or a nice party but I don’t have any everyday slide on sandals. I know, it’s weird. Anyway, I’m going on vacation in three weeks so I’ve been on the hunt for something I can comfortably walk around in. At first, I was a little grossed out by the idea of vintage shoes but then I realized that there are so many lightly worn pairs on websites like TheRealReal. I haven’t made the purchase yet, however just to show you what I mean here are 3 under $150 designer slides available right now. If you swipe them from under me, it’s completely my fault.
Shop it:
Prada slides, $143. therealreal.com
Creatures of the Wind mules, $103. us.vestiairecollective.com
Gucci platform sandals, $145 therealreal.com
RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT:
In New York, it’s easy to be a vegan however, sometimes I hate the feeling that I need to only go to certain places that have something I can eat. This week, I went somewhere that was the best experience I’ve had at a place that serves plenty of meat but is made for vegans. 232 Bleeker labels themselves as “plant forward” which I suppose is a play off plant based. It’s got a dozen delicious vegetable small plates. If you don’t live in New York here is a little hint of something that was on the menu that I am desperate to recreate: asparagus fries.
GOOD OUTFITS:
Just some great outfits I saw this week.
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Thank you for reading!!
This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
You can preorder my book "Worn Out: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion's Sins" here.
