I know it's not fashionable but...part II

I love postcards. Especially old postcards. Perhaps it gets back to perspectives again but the older the postcard, the more unusual and interesting the angle, it seems to me. Whenever you receive a postcard now, it seems to be of the biggest landmark, the most notable thing. And, of course, you don't really receive postcards very often anymore, do you, because it seems that when people go on holidays now, they tend to send you an email, or a text, or a photo freshly snapped with their digital camera or sometimes, they even keep a blog of their travels, describing their journey to you day by day (ahem). But old postcards, yes. Sure, there's the kitsch appeal. I get that and I love it. But there's also the endearing obscurity about some of the views presented: "This is the little corner of our world which we like the best, and so we are passing it on to you to take away and remember."

I know it's not fashionable but...

Of late - and perhaps it is simply a matter of getting older - I have been increasingly unconcerned by what is fashionable. This is not to say that I have reached an age at which I don't care what I look like (does anyone really ever reach that age?), rather I am feeling more certain of what I like, less concerned about where that fits into the big scheme of popular culture and more content with how I look - in fact, who I am - in general.

One thing I do like which is definitely not fashionable is folk costume. I know, but hear me out. First, I should point out, I don't like folk costume for any peculiar or off-colour nationalistic reasons. Given my studies (see the pic in yesterday's post to give you a clue), I am more than well aware of what a disastrous and ugly path that is. No. I like folk costume for the intricate and original patterns formed in the embroidery, the careful hand-stitching which holds it all together and the eye for detail with which the garment has obviously been made. It wasn't something that popped off a production line. Someone made it. It has a history. It symbolises something of its environment, its culture. It means something. It's not disposable. It's like my love of travel, by looking at an item of folk costume, you can enjoy something that is different to who you are and what surrounds you. You'll see what I mean when you have a look at the Norwegian jacket above.

What do you like (or even love!) that's not fashionable?

1985 called and they want their cardigan back

In one of my rare acknowledgements of current fashions, I thought, while strolling through a local shopping centre last weekend, that I might buy one of the new "boyfriend cardigans" for myself. They're a good length, look comfortable but are still reasonably "with it" (I have potentially betrayed the punchline of this blog with the use of that very middle-aged phrase). Upon closer inspection, I realised I already had a very similar garment lurking in my wardrobe at home. It had been there for some time in fact. Since 1985 to be precise, when they were first in fashion.