Could trying on clothes be good for your body image?
+ introducing our new contributing editor... Dan Ahwa
Both Rebecca and I have done our time in retail: she was a Kate Sylvester/Sister shop girl (IYKYK), and I worked part-time during uni at Max and Pumpkin Patch (I was terrible!). We’ve often talked about how those short but formative stints were the perfect training ground for the fashion industry - the shop floor is ground zero, where retail staff meet the customer face-to-face, every single day. It’s been years since we worked the floor, but especially now, as in-person retail faces fresh challenges, the value of kind, enthusiastic staff couldn’t be more clear.
So I was intrigued by Fran Barclay’s story about how retail workers are - or aren’t - trained to navigate customers’ body image concerns in the changing room. It’s a sensitive but important subject, and Fran has approached it with care, curiosity and insight that highlights both the emotional labour of retail and the need for support in the ‘back room’. Click here to read the full story.
Retail therapy or body image trap? The unseen psychology of shopping
The changing room is a new frontier for those championing greater inclusivity in fashion – and society at-large. Fran Barclay explores the importance of customer service and the subtle art of selling clothes, carefully.
* This story talks about body image and disorders; please take care
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The White Lotus made me rethink my ‘toxic’ friendships
The dysfunction of gossipy friends Laurie, Jaclyn and Kate wasn’t cringeworthy, it was recognisable, writes Arabella Peterson.
"As a younger millennial woman, I’m caught between the relentless girl-boss perfectionism of the 2010s and the morally dogmatic wellness speak of the 2020s. Somewhere along the way, the punishing self-optimisation we once reserved for our careers was repackaged as personal growth,” she writes about the conflicts of modern friendship. “This corporatisation leaked into our friendships with the idea that a bond must always 'serve you' or 'add value', otherwise it’s fair game to cut it off."
10 autumn discoveries, rated and recommended
While we try to shop mindfully, we unapologetically love discovering new things. We’re also regularly sent items from brands hoping to catch our (and your) attention. Some we’re happy to shout about; others, not so much. So, we’re starting to share more of what crosses our desks and inboxes. Some may be gifted, but if it’s featured, it’s because we genuinely think it’s good - and the opinions are all our own. (Don’t fret: we’ll still be sharing the Nice Things that we spent our own money on).
In case you missed it…
Fashion journalism! Two stories we published last week, thanks to the generosity and support of our paid subscribers:
The Ensemble Edit
Things we’ve seen, saved and shared, a (mostly) weekly column that’s (mostly) for our paid subscribers. This week we’re making it ‘free’ because we have a special guest: Ensemble’s new contributing editor, Dan Ahwa.
👔 I like a utilitarian-looking shirt and my new Rory William Docherty pocket shirt will be worn and loved with everything from black dress trousers to a pair of jeans.
🍨 While I was in town for iD Dunedin, I visited the wine bar Piccolo at St Clair Beach. Owned by local hospitality legend Katrina Toovey (who also owns the iconic Esplanade and No.7 Balmac), the cosy new venture is a great place for a cocktail and snacks. Next door, she's also opened a gelateria called Sorella Gelato - try the mint choc chip with fresh mint.
🌳 Our natural landscapes always inspire me and recently, I spoke with Ngahuia Williams about her career pivot from modelling to landscape photography, her passion. Her sprawling green photographs are a mesmerising ode to our natural world and its ability to heal. The exhibition, In the Ngahere, is on display at Allpress Studio in Auckland, for the rest of April.
📗 Who doesn't like the voyeurism that comes with peeking inside someone's personal space? New book Collecting Living with Art by Kym Elphinstone is an intimate look at the homes of 26 of Australia’s most interesting art collectors, including my old friend Angela Tiatia, who lives in a Paddington terrace home with an inspiring art collection.
❤️ There's always something new to look at every time I visit Hamilton Gardens, and a recent return allowed me to spend more time in the Chinese Scholar Garden. From its sky-high bamboo-framed paths to a contemplative hilltop pavilion, this is one of the most peaceful gardens to visit.
💎 More art as much as it is fine jewellery, Van Cleef & Arpels’ exhibition The Art of Movement has made its Oceania debut this month at the historic Watersedge at Campbell's Stores in Circular Quay West, The Rocks. Celebrating the maison's diverse collection of rare fine jewels, what stood out was how rich the brand's visual archive is and its respect to referencing. I loved the Fern Clip of 1942; its swirling lines were inspired by the fern leaf and is one of many examples of how Van Cleef & Arpels continues to embrace its whimsical spirit. As a stylist, this exhibition was an education. On display until May 8.