In Praise of Hand - Me - Downs

This post was inspired by a large box of clothes that recently arrived from my sister. They are the cutest of items that her almost two year old has outgrown. The day they arrived it was like it was someone's birthday. It was a big production for Quin and I to go through the clothes for her little sister. Quin was down right envious about some of the items her sister was going to get to wear. Now, some people would never consider clothing their children in hand-me-downs, just like some people would never consider eating reheated leftovers from yesterday's meal. I am not some people. If I liked my meal, I am happy to open the fridge and see it again. And if I like a piece of clothing I could care less who wore it before me. I love passing around clothes, both as the giver and the receiver, for all to share and wear. Maybe it was different in the old days, I do know people who whine about the hand-me-downs they had to wear. I was the first and only girl in my family, so I am assuming I never had to wear them but I would like to think I would have been excited to wear such and such's clothes, the way my oldest loves to tell people she is wearing "Jorga's shoes" or "Lucy's shorts" or something from another friend. And of course, her little sister gets all of her clothes, some of which belonged to the children of my friends before they belonged to her. I look at some of these clothes, especially the few handmade items, and I smile about how many kiddos may have worn them, and the loving hands that made them. I long for the days when handing down clothing was a necessity and each piece was made knowing it would have to clothe several kids. It is not like that today. Clothing is so easy to come by that most people I know have way more of it than they need. It is possible to buy new clothing on sale for a couple of bucks. Some of this clothing is bought and never worn only to be available at yard sales and thrift stores. There is good clothing everywhere including the landfills. I know MANY people who will not mend any item of clothing, who claim they don't even know how to sew on a button! I try to mend clothing once a month, both to be able to save items we love, and also to reflect on what all the generations before us both knew how and needed to do. And I think of the state of our environment when I think of our world of abundance. Handing down clothing is a great way to recycle. I give many of my favorite and best kid's items to friends even though I may have another child. It is fun to see their kids in my kids' favorite clothes. If I have another girl, they will give me these items back. And if I don't they will pass them on. Adults can get in on the action, too. I have both attended and hosted clothing swaps for adults. I even wrote about how you can do the same here. So I will close this rant with a big thank you to my sister for keeping the hand-me-down cycle going. I promise to pass these lovely items on...