If you’re a longtime 99PI listener, Avery Trufelman needs no introduction, and all you need to hear is: there’s a new season of Articles of Interest.
But for those who aren’t familiar, I guarantee, if you enjoy 99PI, then Articles of Interest is for you. It’s a spin off show created by Avery when she worked here, but it’s now completely independent. It’s a brilliant and compelling exploration about what we wear. Pockets, plaid, sunglasses, zippers – there’s a fascinating story behind all of them.
The latest season, “Gear”, is about the surprising intersection of the military and the outdoor goods industry. Brands you wouldn’t expect, like REI, Patagonia, LL Bean, and Eddie Bauer, all have their roots in military surplus and design. Although the civilian/military divide has never been bigger, the military is everywhere in our daily lives. This episode starts with Avery being invited by Buck Mason to their “militaria room.” Explores the deep entanglement of military aesthetics with fashion and culture, from luxury buckskin suits, once a form of Indigenous wear, to the idea that America is fundamentally a nation of shoppers.
In this new season, Over seven chapters, Avery explores how these two industries shaped so much of our attitudes about nature, and about our nation.
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I have been listening to 99% for virtually as long as you have been doing it
But I have to say this is the first time I have actually been scolded for being a “white man”
Many, many layers of disapproval are dripping because Avery seems to be angry that we wear clothes that derive from history.
The politics of this is why people get mad at Democrats.
Horrors
Alan Barrington (a citizen of the U.S.A.)