When it comes to fashion (and perhaps most things, if I'm being honest), I am partial to a certain kind of eclectic whimsy. A step into my living room will reveal Kirk and Spock plush toys, battered copies of Into the Wild and Brief Interview With Hideous Men, a print of Renoir's "Dance in the Country," a bright red leather couch and a Frozen blanket — all mismatched in a slightly infantile but "this is home" kind of way. I love wearing polka dots and stripes. I enjoy things many would deem "too much." And my head always turns whenever I see traditionally "ugly" labeled things (like the dearly beloved ugly Christmas sweater) turned into something special. Thus seems to be happening again, upon discovering the notion of crochet blanket shorts — thanks to Stylite's feature on Etsy shop Lord Von Schmitt's repurposed collection of Boho style shorts.
Stylite writer Hannah Ongley writes, "These are pants for 'finding yourself' in," whilst referencing Ghandi as a potential lover of the repurposed Afghan blankets. And upon first reading this claim, it seems like pure hyperbole. These rainbow-worthy artisanal designs probably won't help us make any more sense out of constructs surrounding the "self," right? But at the same time, I sort of get where Ongley is coming from. There's no pretense to these handcrafted short shorts. They're not trying to be cool or making some kind of attempt at being grown up. Although hardly simple in aesthetics, there is a simplicity to their mantra. And that's a rare gem in fashion today.
Whilst I have my doubts about crochet blanket shorts becoming the next big thing, I love the feeling they evoke. They remind me of unadulterated music festivals. The kinds that don't tend to exist anymore outside of the U.K. or Burning Man, during which people could sit around in circles playing folk music and getting stoned without it seeming ironic or pretentious.
And just in case you were wondering, shop owner Schuyler Eller does make more than shorts:
LIKE THIS ONESIE:
Custom Order Crochet Bodysuit, $199, etsy.com
AND THIS PSYCHEDELIC BODY SUIT:
Crochet Barbarella Custom Order Bodysuit, $199, etsy.com
NOT TO MENTION THIS EFFORTLESSLY CHIC ROBE:
Fringed Sweater Robe Upcycled Vintage Crochet, $99, etsy.com
AND NOW, BACK TO THOSE SHORTS:
Crochet Shorts Custom Order Men's, $45, etsy.com
Images: Etsy/Lord Von Schmitt
