This episode is part four in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism. In this episode, we will explore three more "emotional branding" trends of this century: convenience, nostalgia, and hope. This episode includes the following topics:

 * An explanation of trend forecasting and why most large brands are selling essentially the same stuff
 * WGSN and how "big trend forecasting" might be bad for fashion, workers, and customers
 * The Ouroboros of hustle culture and convenience marketing, along with all of the products and industries that have thrived in a time when people are working more than ever
 * Why we can't have something that is fast, cheap, and good
 * How and why nostalgia gets us to open our wallets
 * Why hope was a good marketing tool through the 2010s
 * Identifying the upcoming emotional branding trends.

Additional reading:
"The Future of Fashion Forecasting," [https://industry.notjustalabel.com/editorial/future-fashion-forecasting]Kate Hart, Not Just A Label.
"Uber fares are cheap, thanks to venture capital. But is that free riding ending?" [https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-uber-ipo-lyft-fare-increase-20190511-story.html#:~:text=Uber%20fares%20are%20cheap%2C%20thanks,Lyft%20to%20stop%20the%20bleeding.] Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times.
"Polly Pockets Are Making a Comeback and They Are Just as Good as You Remember," [https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/polly-pockets-are-making-a-comeback] Kate Reggev, Architectural Digest.
Future Consumer 2027: Emotions [https://mlp.wgsn.com/future-consumer-2027-emotions.html]

JOIN AMANDA FOR THE CLOTHESHORSE BIRTHDAY CRAFTERNOON ON SEPTEMBER 21 [https://thethirdplace.is/event/clotheshorse-bday-crafternoon]!!!

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23  Seattle, WA @ Here-After [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/clotheshorse-podcast-w-amanda-lee-here-after-tickets/13805024?pl=crocodile]
10/26  Portland, OR @ Holocene [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/90107639/the-clotheshorse-podcast-21-portland-holocene]


Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy [http://www.slowfashion.academy/].


The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style —

Episode 242: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part four

This episode is part three in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism.
In this episode we will be unpacking and exploring various examples of "cause marketing:"

 * The flaws in the "buy one, give one" model,
 * How brands engineer fundraiser collections to be profitable,
 * The effectiveness of "round up" at checkout campaigns,
 * Why B Corp certification doesn't mean as much as it once did,
 * The real reason companies do fundraisers for charity and causes,
 * And we will do the math to get to what a 1% giveback really means.

Additional reading:
"Melania Trump says 'don't care' jacket was a message," [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45853364] BBC.
"T-shirt makers riff on Melania Trump’s jacket with their own message and donate proceeds to refugee services," [https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/22/us/i-do-care-shirt-reaction-melania-trump-jacket-trnd] Lindsay Ellefson, CNN.
"The Broken 'Buy-One, Give-On" Model: 3 ways to save TOMS Shoes," [https://www.fastcompany.com/1679628/the-broken-buy-one-give-one-model-three-ways-to-save-toms-shoes] Cheryl Davenport, Fast Company.
"The Impact of TOMS Shoes," [https://www.acrosstwoworlds.net/the-impact-of-TOMS-shoes-on-kids/?ref=coryames.com] Bruce Wydick.
"Shoeing the Children: The Impact of the TOMS Shoe Donation Program in Rural El Salvador." [https://academic.oup.com/wber/article-abstract/32/3/727/2669760?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false]
Dr. Bronner’s Statement on Dropping B Corp Certification [https://info.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/2025/02/dr-bronners-statement-on-dropping-b-corp-certification/]
"The B Corp Standard is at Risk," [https://fairworldproject.org/the-b-corp-standard-is-at-risk/] Fair World Project.
"Nespresso: Known for Human Rights Violations, Now B Corp Certified," [https://fairworldproject.org/b-corp-nespresso-human-rights/] Fair World Project.
"How Nespresso's coffee revolution got ground down," [https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/14/nespresso-coffee-capsule-pods-branding-clooney-nestle-recycling-environment] Ed Cumming, The Guardian.
Rio Tinto Corporate Rap Sheet [https://www.corp-research.org/rio-tinto]

JOIN AMANDA FOR THE CLOTHESHORSE BIRTHDAY CRAFTERNOON ON SEPTEMBER 21 [https://thethirdplace.is/event/clotheshorse-bday-crafternoon]!!!

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23  Seattle, WA @ Here-After [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/clotheshorse-podcast-w-amanda-lee-here-after-tickets/13805024?pl=crocodile]
10/26  Portland, OR @ Holocene [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/90107639/the-clotheshorse-podcast-21-portland-holocene]


Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerg

Episode 241: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part three

This episode is part two in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism.
In this episode:

 * We are going to hopefully answer the question “why might someone get so caught up in a brand that they start fighting with strangers about it on social media?”
 * Amanda explains where "off price" stores like TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack really get their inventory
 * We examine why it's more important than ever to support small businesses (and how we can do that)
 * We will explore the background and influence of Marc Gobés 2000s book Emotional Branding, [https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/emotional-branding-the-new-paradigm-for-connecting-brands-to-people_sergio-zyman_marc-gobxe9/278640/item/2581369/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_shopping_zombies_hvbl_22798464369&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=764383471566&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=22798464369&gbraid=0AAAAADwY45iXix2ZdNiRkbNFdzRmyuYSp&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkILEBhDeARIsAL--pjz_5keK6nGdYb7q1RRkPshEkmqyrSKlosYx-ABxlQyS538mkNiIYkwaAg-KEALw_wcB#idiq=2581369&edition=2478197] considered “the bible” of contemporary marketing and branding
 * Why is Lululemon kind of like a cult?
 * We will walk through the “10 commandments of emotional branding” and examples of how they have been applied
 * We will realize that Supreme isn't as cool as it seems
 * We explore why people join brand fan groups on Facebook
 * How Nooworks made a major fan out of Amanda after seeing how the brand handled a crisis
 * Amanda explains why taste is a classist construct

And so much more!

Additional reading:
"Getting Emotional With Marc Gobé, [https://www.design-emotion.com/en/interviews/interview_marc_gobe.html?AdminoSessieId=14bb9002ab47a7957d07cb1dff18be34]" Design Emotion.
"Why Do People Join Cults? Linguist and 'Cultish' Author Amanda Montell on the 'Invisible Power of Language,'" [https://parade.com/1222232/dillondodson/amanda-montell-cultish-the-language-of-fanaticism-interview/#:~:text=I%20want%20to%20implicate%20us,and%20see%20themselves%20in%20it] Dillon Dodson, Parade.
Cultish by Amanda Montell
"The Cult-Like Following Of Lululemon Is Stronger Than Ever — Despite Controversies," [https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/10/210728/lululemon-culture-cult-like-seawheeze-2018#:~:text=But%20long%20before%20Potdevin%20made,emblematic%20of%20the%20Lululemon%20ethoshttps://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/10/210728/lululemon-culture-cult-like-seawheeze-2018#:~:text=But%20long%20before%20Potdevin%20made,emblematic%20of%20the%20Lululemon%20ethos]Cory Stieg, Refinery29.
Business Insider piece about working for Lululemon [https://www.businessinsider.com/lululemon-retail-employees-describe-toxic-culture-2021-3]

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23  Seattle, WA @ Here-After [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/clotheshorse-podcast-w-amanda-lee-here-after-tickets/13805024?pl=crocodile]
10/26  Portland, OR @ Holocene [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/90107639/the-clotheshorse-podcast-21-portland-holocene]


Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Episode 240: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part two

This episode is part one in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism.

In this episode:

 * We’re going to break down what brand and branding mean, using fizzy water and boxed macaroni and cheese as examples
 * We will walk through the history of “brands” and “branding” leading up to this century, where it evolves from a little brand on a jug to full-on marketing teams and brand theory
 * Why it's so wild that food brands got obsessed with masked taste tests in the 70s and 80s
 * How Amanda teaches brand and branding to her small business clients and students (and why that matters for them)
 * And Amanda will shares some brands that aren’t really who you think they are any more (or maybe never were)



Additional reading:

"Meet the Man Who Made a Fortune Bringing Brands Back to Life, [https://www.wsj.com/style/authentic-brands-group-jamie-salter-c75d07e1?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAh8-gk-B6g4t2Q-RX6BPlIa2pDO3Hpx6aPXAs_zrkKejdeE-Dkvc1eenK9f9Kg%3D&gaa_ts=687441ab&gaa_sig=GONJDcW6AapH9DKhU2dHj3_hbh8vK2ui14xN83BrHTG-XHV5YLL6B-q_3-5F81WD7CsRmgMN-leIBRhjznB0ag%3D%3D]" Suzanne Kapner, The Wall Street Journal.
Authentic Brands Group brand portfolio [https://corporate.authentic.com/brand-portfolio]
Levi Strauss & Co. Enters into Definitive Agreement to Sell Dockers to Authentic Brands Group [https://investors.levistrauss.com/news/financial-news/news-details/2025/Levi-Strauss--Co--Enters-into-Definitive-Agreement-to-Sell-Dockers-to-Authentic-Brands-Group/default.aspx]
"JCPenney Joins SPARC to Form Catalyst Brands," [https://wwd.com/business-news/retail/jcpenney-integrates-into-sparc-to-form-catalyst-brands-123679] David Moin, WWD.
Catalyst Brands [https://www.catalystbrands.com/]
"Shein signs deal with Forever 21 owner as fast-fashion majors look to boost reach," [https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/shein-inks-deal-with-forever-21-owner-fast-fashion-majors-look-boost-reach-2023-08-24/] Arriana McLymore, Reuters.

Learn more about the San Pedro Apparel Mart in episode 231 of Clotheshorse! [https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/shein-inks-deal-with-forever-21-owner-fast-fashion-majors-look-boost-reach-2023-08-24/]

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23  Seattle, WA @ Here-After [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/clotheshorse-podcast-w-amanda-lee-here-after-tickets/13805024?pl=crocodile]
10/26  Portland, OR @ Holocene [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/90107639/the-clotheshorse-podcast-21-portland-holocene]


Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original desi

Episode 239: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part one

In honor of five years of Clotheshorse, Amanda brings back the very first episode of the show (mandatory listening for any one interested in slow fashion), "Romper Drama and Useless Safety Pins, or It's a Cents Game."

Before jumping into that episode, Amanda talks about what has changed over the last five years.  She explains why and how Clotheshorse has given her hope and joy in dark times.  And she also gives a little minisode on tariffs (and why they won't "fix" fast fashion).

If you've loved listening to Clotheshorse, give the podcast the ultimate gift by leaving a rating and a review on your favorite streaming platform! And recommend it to a friend.  Maybe share a post on social media!

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23  Seattle, WA @ Here-After [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/clotheshorse-podcast-w-amanda-lee-here-after-tickets/13805024?pl=crocodile]
10/26  Portland, OR @ Holocene [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/90107639/the-clotheshorse-podcast-21-portland-holocene]


Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy [http://www.slowfashion.academy/].


The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble [https://www.instagram.com/thepewterthimble/]). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com [http://thepewterthimble.com/]


St. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month.  New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, [https://wearstevens.com/] with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens. [https://www.instagram.com/wear_st.evens/]


Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories

Episode 238: Five Years of Clotheshorse

Would you be surprised to hear that your favorite shoe brand is neither family-owned nor as punk as it portrays itself to be?
Did you know that wealth inequality and shoes are directly connected? 

Could your latest shoe purchase be subsidizing lobbying efforts to fight a rise in the minimum wage or reduce taxes for the wealthiest people?

Amanda is joined by Ariel, the founder of Cobbled Goods [https://cobbledgoods.com/] to talk about how shoes, wealth inequality, and politics are entangled.  He will introduce us to his Billionaire Boycott List. [https://cobbledgoods.com/billionaire-boycott-list-for-footwear/]  In this episode, we will also cover the following topics:

 * The environmental and ethical impacts of shoe production
 * Common greenwashing tropes used by the shoe industry
 * Who really owns a lot of the shoe companies that we might think of "heritage" brands or "countercultural"
 * How you can make better decisions when shopping for a new pair of shoes
 * And how where, when, and how often you shop are political decisions!

And guess what? Ariel has a reading list for you:

Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlamulpXPXLF0sQwAE8DEi/https%3A%2F%2Fmarjoriekelly.org%2Fwealthsupremacy%2F]

One of my favourite books, written by Marjorie Kelly. She really has her finger on the heart of the issue. I’d recommend listeners start by checking out her podcast interviews. I also have to add my first encounter with her work, which rocked my world — The Architecture of Enterprise: Redesigning Ownership for a Great Transition [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlaHjg4AShIvuNhAhL8E9p/https%3A%2F%2Fgreattransition.org%2Farchives%2Fperspectives%2FPerspective_Architecture_of_Enterprise.pdf].



Foot Work: What Your Shoes Tell You About Globalisation [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlaHTaWmPA0V4BFAQm841r/https%3A%2F%2Ftansyhoskins.org%2Fbooks%2F%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DFOOT%2520WORK%2520%252D%2520WHAT%2520YOUR%2520SHOES%2520TELL%2520YOU%2520ABOUT%2520GLOBALISATION]

An incredible first-person look into shoe production around the world. Tansy Hoskins also has a great newsletter [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlaHTFxc6nenYreQIdiMCM/https%3A%2F%2Ftansyhoskins.org%2Fsubscribe%2F].



Imagining a Decentralised Footwear Industry at the Global Fashioning Assembly [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlaHXwsFoFDAdnYwN06RfO/https%3A%2F%2Fglobalfashioningassembly.com%2F2024%2F10%2F04%2Fcobbled-goods-imagining-a-decentralised-footwear-industry-gfa24%2F]

I didn’t mention this but I hosted a speculative fiction workshop last fall with Tansy and few other footwear founders where everyone shared their ideas on what the industry would look like in a world with big businesses. It ties in nicely with our conversation and the boycott list.



Dispatches: The truth about Nike and Adidas [https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-truth-about-nike-and-adidas-dispatches]

The Channel 4 investigation into recycled ocean plastic. I actually confused Nike and Adidas on the episode. Both brands are covered but the ocean plastic bit was about Adidas. The original broadcast is not available on demand: But there is an article with part of the video here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10821693/Channel-4s-Dispatches-reveals-greenwashing-trainer-brands.html 



License to Gree [https://32aad473.streaklinks.com/CbUlaHPSEhD-4RLi7Qi7aDeQ/https%3A%2F%2Fchangingmarkets.org%2Freport%2Ftake-back-trickery-an-investigation-into-clothing-take-back-schemes%2F]

Episode 237: Billionaire Boycott List, with Ariel of Cobbled Goods

In this episode, Amanda explores and explains a few different topics that are “ripped from the headlines,” including some news submitted from listeners:

 * A recap of Amanda's day at the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network [https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/action-networks/fashion-and-lifestyle-network] Annual Meeting
 * An update on the Fashion Act [https://www.thefashionact.org/]
 * How boycotts are affecting Target (and their nightmare 2025 Pride collection) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Target/comments/1kw8aot/new_pride_collection/]
 * What Joann has in common with Toys R US, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Nasty Gal
 * Why Torrid is closing a ton of stores [https://www.retaildive.com/news/torrid-closing-180-stores-30-percent-fleet-digital-first/750041/] (and why this is a problem)

And so much more!

JOIN AMANDA FOR THE CLOTHESHORSE BIRTHDAY CRAFTERNOON ON JULY 20! [https://thethirdplace.is/event/clotheshorse-bday-crafternoon]

Additional Reading:
"Dear Fashion CEOs, Stop Undermining Climate Action," [https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/fashion-ceos-lobbying-undermining-climate-action/]Maxine Bédat, Business of Fashion.
"Target sales fall sharply in 1st quarter and retailer warns they will slip for all of 2025," [https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/target-sales-fall-sharply-1st-quarter-2025/] CBS News.
"Target Moves Pride Merchandise Aside To Spotlight Father’s Day And July 4th Holidays," [https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2025/06/07/target-moves-pride-merchandise-aside-to-spotlight-fathers-day-and-july-4th-holidays/]Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.
"'Cowardcore:' Everyone Is Noticing The Same Thing About Target's Pride Merch," [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/targets-lackluster-pride-merch_l_683f2e29e4b0908fdbe0b611]Brittany Wong, HuffPost.
"Nervous Corporate Sponsors Retreat From New York Pride," [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/nyregion/nyc-pride-sponsors-trump-tariffs.html] Liam Stack, The New York Times.
"Michaels acquires Joann brand: What it means for store inventories," [https://finance.yahoo.com/news/michaels-acquires-joann-brand-means-141804379.html] Lori Comstock, USA Today Network.

Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy [http://www.slowfashion.academy/].


The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pr

Episode 236: Ripped From the Headlines...

This week you are going to meet Molly and Jane of Content Queen [https://contentqueenzine.com/], a two-person Bay Area-based zine publisher. And we are going to talk about all kinds of very hot topics (including literally Hot Topic):



 * Why do Jane and Molly make physical zines rather than virtual/online content in 2025? The answer is important and might get you thinking…
 * How has the kind of “content” we consume (especially the content we READ) changed in the social media era?
 * Two of Content Queen’s zines that are explicitly fashion-related:  Stressful, Awkward, Envied: ‘90s and ‘00s Brands From Those Who Wore the Clothes, Worked the Registers, and Modeled for the Catalogs AND Wendy’s World, “an immersion into the early-’90s downtown New York world of the ultimate cult indie fashion label, Built by Wendy.”



Along the way Molly and Jane will tell us what it’s like to vend at a zine fair in 2025 (and why it’s different than it used to be).  And we’ll wrap it all up by making our trend predictions.  Amanda gets things started with explaining why something as simple as reading is a radical act of resistance in 2025 (and why we need to protect books and libraries).


Go order and read Molly and Jane's zines so we can talk about them: contentqueenzine.com [https://contentqueenzine.com/]
Find them on IG: @contentqueenzine [https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenzine/]
JOIN AMANDA FOR THE CLOTHESHORSE BIRTHDAY CRAFTERNOON ON JULY 20! [https://thethirdplace.is/event/clotheshorse-bday-crafternoon]


Additional reading:
"It’s so boring’: Gen Z parents don’t like reading to their kids - and educators are worried," [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jun/02/gen-z-parents-reading-kids] Alaina Demopoulos, The Guardian.
"The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books," [https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/] Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic.
Banned and Challenged Books dashboard [https://www.ala.org/bbooks], American Library Association.

Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:

Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy [http://www.slowfashion.academy].


The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your spa

Episode 235: Reading, Writing, and Hanging out at the mall, with Jane and Molly of Content Queen

What happened to Jo-Ann (the massive fabric/craft store chain)?  In many places, it was the only game in town.  It had a captive audience.  And sewing and mending are on the rise.   So Amanda set out to find out who killed Jo-Ann.  It’s a lot more complicated than you think! In this episode we take a journey full of twists and turns:

 * Was it just private equity? And WTF is private equity anyway?
 * What do Jo-Ann and Red Lobster have in common? Unfortunately it's not Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
 * How has society's relationship with sewing changed over the last 80 years?
 * Who is Faith Popcorn and why is Amanda obsessed with her?
 * Where are the mechanized hugging booths?
 * Does anyone remember Cargo Express?
 * Where did Jo-Ann's leadership go wrong?
 * How would Amanda "save" Jo-Ann?
 * What is the future of fabric stores? And how are we all a part of it?

So many sources and so many links for this episode.

First: some suggested fabric stores from Amanda:
Firecracker Fabrics [https://www.firecrackerfabrics.com/]
L'Etoffe Fabrics [https://letoffefabrics.com/]
Nacho Ann's Fabrics
[https://www.nachoanns.com/]Make & Mend [https://makeandmendshop.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooi0KUUiyIpFSgZltYg8S2Ud5-NXjqdmoFfbDMBWGY2Amzd4wmv]

Check out Oddly Specific with Meredith Lynch [https://www.meredithlynch.com/podcast]

Sources and additional reading:
"How private equity rolled Red Lobster," [https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/private-equity-rolled-red-lobster-rcna153397]Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News.
"How trend forecasting keeps the biggest brands on top," [https://www.cityam.com/how-trend-forecasting-keeps-biggest-brands-top/] Peter Firth, City AM.

"Faith Popcorn’s predictions five years later," [https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-popcorn-predicts01-2008oct01-story.html]Patrick Kevin Day, Los Angeles Times.
"The Essence of Cocooning," [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-07-vw-1202-story.html] Beth Ann Krier, Los Angeles Times.
"Cloth World stores sold to chain," [https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/10/29/cloth-world-stores-sold-to-chain/] Alan Goldstein, Tampa Bay Times.
"Fabri-Centers Agrees to Pay $3 Million to Settle Charges," [https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/19/business/fabri-centers-agrees-to-pay-3-million-to-settle-charges.html] Leslie Eaton, The New York Times.
"Staff Said The Free Mask Kits At Jo-Ann Fabrics Are Just Scraps From The Clearance Bin," [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/amberjamieson/jo-ann-joann-fabric-masks-coronavirus-staff-speak-out] Amber Jamieson, Buzzfeed.
"Did private equity kill Joann fabrics?" [https://www.fastcompany.com/91287686/joann-fabrics-closing-private-equity-kill-reason-market-forces] Sam Becker, Fast Company.
"How Joann Fabrics went from a cult-favorite retail darling to a bankruptcy disaster," [https://fortune.com/2025/03/29/joann-fabrics-transformation-retail-darling-bankruptcy-disaster/]Lila Maclellan, Fortune.
"Sixty-seven years of fabrics and crafts," [https://www.cleveland.com/pdextra/2010/12/the_history_of_jo-ann_stores_i.html] Janet H. Cho, The Plain Dealer.
"Sixty Years of Serving Creativity," [http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/nys/jas/inforequest/JAS_Mag_60th%20Anniv_0703.pdf] Marsha McGregor.

Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consi

Episode 234: Who killed Jo-Ann?

A better future for our planet means most people buying secondhand clothing most of the time. Right now we live in a “golden era” of shopping secondhand…if you’re the customer! But the infrastructure as it exists right now for the people doing the work of finding, repairing, cleaning, and selling secondhand clothing needs a lot of improvement.  This week, Amanda is joined by Valeria Brenner of Thryft Ship [https://thryftship.com/] to dissect how and why the current state of secondhand resale isn’t equitable for the people doing the work:

 * We will break down the reality of the fees that these platforms are charging (and how it makes running a financially sustainable business nearly impossible for secondhand resellers),
 * We will talk about how the socially ingrained expectation of free shipping makes that even more difficult, 
 * And we will discuss how this system could be better! Maybe it will get some of you thinking about new tools and systems for the secondhand economy!
 * Also, Valeria will explain why the secondhand reseller community is so amazing.

Find Thryft Ship:
IG: @thryftship [https://www.instagram.com/thryftship/]

Website: thryftship.com [https://thryftship.com/]

Read Alex's Substack (1-800-Vintage) about why she no longer calls herself a reseller [https://1800vintage.substack.com/p/dont-call-me-a-reseller]

Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/

If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.world

Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse [https://ko-fi.com/clotheshorse]

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:


The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble [https://www.instagram.com/thepewterthimble/]). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com [http://thepewterthimble.com/]


St. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month.  New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, [https://wearstevens.com/] with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens. [https://www.instagram.com/wear_st.evens/]


Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at

Episode 233: Making the secondhand economy more equitable, with Valeria of Thryft Ship

Host Amanda (with the help of her friends) decodes and demystifies the fashion
and retail industries, and takes on topics like consumerism, workers rights,
personal style, and why fashion is a case study in capitalism gone awry. Your
money is as powerful as your vote! "If you wear clothes, you need to listen to
Clotheshorse." --Elise "If you are human and live in the world, you need to
listen to Clotheshorse." --Individually Wrapped

amanda mccarty

Shows