Premium Subscriber-Only Round Up #13

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.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

STORY TO KNOW:

via asos.com

British retailer ASOS reported an uptick in returns this month, according to Reuters. The brand says it's due to people shopping more clothing such as dresses, which have a higher return rate. It makes sense considering that loungewear (which everyone was buying last year) is less fitted which leads to less returns. But as I mentioned a few months ago in this story with Jane Wells, many returns won't end up back online - they end up in landfills. Online brands need to come up with better strategies to reduce returns through transparent or easy to understand sizing.

Read it: Reuters.com

RECCOMENDED READING:

When I read non-fiction that's not memoir, I love something that can give me a history lesson that feels like a story. Tim Mohr's Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall explores the punk movement before the fall of the Berlin wall. It's narrative in the sense that it takes you to a time that feels almost made up, while also giving a unique perspective on that moment in history. It is a little long and it took me a few months to get through, but ultimately, a worthwhile read.

Buy it: Bookshop.org

STYLE TRICKS:

Good vintage t-shirts are all about fabric, which is why unfortunately, I will never buy them online. I have to actually feel the cotton to see if it's been perfectly worn in. The problem is that in vintage shops, a perfectly worn in tee is usually too expensive. So here is a trick I found out about (shockingly not on TikTok): salt. All you have to do is soak a t-shirt in salt water for a day or two, and it breaks down starchiness. It's what I did with a newer-feeling AC/DC shirt pictured above.

Try it: onegoodthing.com

GOOD FOOD:

Since we're on a DIY kick, I thought maybe this section could be a recipe. One of my favorite, super-easy things to make is Farinata. It's essentially a chickpea pancake that can be served with anything. It's vegan and gluten-free so it's good for parties or just to have on hand. During lockdown, I embarrassingly tried to make recipe videos, so below is one I made for this using my nonna's recipe.

Make it:

GOOD OUTFITS:

Three really great looks for you to feast your eyes on.

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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.