The Price of Belonging

My dad used to say something to me all the time when I was growing up: “Why do you want to wear someone else’s name on your shirt? You should put your own name on it.”As a kid, I thought he just didn’t understand fashion. I would roll my eyes, desperate for the same branded hoodies, sneakers, and logos everyone else seemed to worship. I wanted the labels because the labels meant something. They meant you belonged. They meant you were cool enough, wealthy enough, accepted enough. At least that’s what I believed back then.What I didn’t understand as a child was the depth of what he was actually trying to teach me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iamashopaholic.substack.com