Oh, Joey....

Oh, yes. Joey (@treuvius). I feel you. 

We all collect something: books, records, cutlery, pets, you name it, people collect it. That there are levels in that collecting? Yes, of course. But we all collect something, no matter how spartan our quarters may look. Some people collect clothes (some would call it hoarding, but when you use most of what you collect, is it really hoarding?) and there's where I kind disagree with people who would like to call it 'hoarding'. Hoarding, by definition implies that the objects are useless or worthless (to others) and that discarding them would cause distress. I would politely show them my middle finger if somebody tells me that the Gucci belt I wear most every day needs to be 'discarded' because they consider it useless. 

Even though I do not get to the heights Joey goes with the clothes (I don't have that kind of money or have had the time to start a collection like this one), I can totally see where he's coming from. For some people, clothes are utilitarian, barely necessary tools to achieve a goal: go through the day at work and be able to leave the house without getting arrested for going to Trader Joe's commando. But don't lie to yourself: even your pedestrian cargo pants from Kohl's, your tube socks or your Carhartt jacket are fashion statements. For some other people, clothes are a means of expression, a joy and sometimes a slight obsession. And nobody is in the wrong here.

I sit somehow in the middle: I like clothes because they are pretty but I also like clothes because they kind of express how I am feeling at a certain moment and in some ways allow me to be myself. I have work clothes and fun clothes and clothes I love and I wear them all, just like Joey. I do not have his penchant for expensive, collector's items, but if I had the extra money, I could be tempted to buy designer clothes. I was just browsing a thrift store last weekend and I ran into a vintage Gucci tracksuit that was way too expensive, but oh so pretty. 

Also, you can tell when a garment is made by a designer: the finishings, the materials, the feel of the cloth. Everything IS expensive and well made, full of finishing details that tell you that work went into the garment. Would I spend big money in designer items? To tell you the truth, I would feel kind of guilty, even if I had the dough to spare and taking into account that designer clothes are actually investments (their resale value is very high). Do I have designer items? I do. Kind of. I do not own any Moschino (but I would love to!) but I do have a leather bag and a pair of shoes that were kind of expensive and I wear them constantly. After all, that's why I bought them. I think I may also have a leather belt that was above what I would usually pay for one, but I also wear it a lot. I tend to balance my bougie side with a dash of practicality. I'm vers.

I think that Joey is different to the usual collector in that he actually wears most everything he collects (and  the fact that he's got some love from @JeremyScott himself!!). I am, of course, slightly jealous of this collection (I would consider selling my body to own the high tops with wings, natch), but I am also happy that someone gets to actually live his fantasy of collecting exactly what they find fabulous. And wear it, too!

You go, Joey!

XOXO

P.S. can you imagine that the person who creates the things that you so covet not only recognizes you as a collector but that they actually gift you one of those things??? I'd faint.