Parish
Apple Defines Her Activities
RECEIVED Mon., May 1, 2006
Hello,
While I'm extremely appreciative of the nice things Stephen MacMillan Moser writes about me in his blurb about my Web site, www.foundclothing.blogspot.com, and the recent New York Times article about it, it seems that he somewhat misses the point of both the article and my hobby (finding clothes and accessories, washing them, then wearing them) [“After a Fashion,” Arts, April 28]. I don't think of what I'm doing as a "trend," as he calls it, and I don't think that other people who find clothes do, either. That's like calling garage-sale hopping or thrift-store shopping "trends." In other words, I think that people have been doing these things for decades – I was just the first person (maybe) to produce an online archive of found clothing and items. (Also, I don't understand why he puts "found" in quotes. I mean, the clothing is exactly that: found. I mean, it's not a brand name or euphemism! Then again, maybe my nit-picking is just the future trademark lawyer in me coming out.)
As I explained to the Times, my reasons for finding and wearing clothes have nothing to do with being trendy (at 30, I'm a little too old to be so concerned with what's cool, don't you think?) and everything to do with recycling, conservation, spontaneity, and thrift. People, especially New Yorkers, throw tons and tons of perfectly useful items on the street every day. It's enough to make even the most casual environmentalist wince.
That said, thanks for the coverage! Please eat some good salsa for me; up here the salsa's like baby food or something.
While I'm extremely appreciative of the nice things Stephen MacMillan Moser writes about me in his blurb about my Web site, www.foundclothing.blogspot.com, and the recent New York Times article about it, it seems that he somewhat misses the point of both the article and my hobby (finding clothes and accessories, washing them, then wearing them) [“After a Fashion,” Arts, April 28]. I don't think of what I'm doing as a "trend," as he calls it, and I don't think that other people who find clothes do, either. That's like calling garage-sale hopping or thrift-store shopping "trends." In other words, I think that people have been doing these things for decades – I was just the first person (maybe) to produce an online archive of found clothing and items. (Also, I don't understand why he puts "found" in quotes. I mean, the clothing is exactly that: found. I mean, it's not a brand name or euphemism! Then again, maybe my nit-picking is just the future trademark lawyer in me coming out.)
As I explained to the Times, my reasons for finding and wearing clothes have nothing to do with being trendy (at 30, I'm a little too old to be so concerned with what's cool, don't you think?) and everything to do with recycling, conservation, spontaneity, and thrift. People, especially New Yorkers, throw tons and tons of perfectly useful items on the street every day. It's enough to make even the most casual environmentalist wince.
That said, thanks for the coverage! Please eat some good salsa for me; up here the salsa's like baby food or something.
Lauri Apple
New York, N.Y.
New York, N.Y.
[Stephen Moser replies: I'm not sure what Mlle. Apple was expecting when she sent me the link to the New York Times article about her, but her letter fails to mention what the article did mention, and that is that her hobby of "finding" clothing includes digging through garbage for them. At 30 years old, I think everyone, except the homeless or mentally disturbed, is too old to be digging in the garbage for their clothing. Ideally when Mlle. Apple becomes a trademark lawyer, she will be able to afford to start purchasing her clothes.]
