Recent Faves: Sensory Edition II

I did one of these posts back in August (click here to read), so I thought it was time for an update!

Touch: Howlin’ Four Eyes Cardigan

Sensory experience is important to me when it comes to clothing and it is one of the reasons I wear all black - remove the distraction of colour, and I find I am better able to focus on fabric, feel and fit. Feeling different textures helps ground me, and I find it enjoyable combining different textures and fabrics in the same outfit. I picked up this cardigan recently from Howlin’ (I wrote a post about their Autumn/Winter 2022 collection, which you can read here), and am absolutely loving it.

The cardigan is made of pure Scottish new wool, with a brushed exterior and smooth knitted interior - super soft and cosy. My mother said it reminded her of the Shetland wool sweaters she used to wear when she was younger, so clearly this cardigan has parental approval. I like the higher closure of the baseball cardigan design, because it works well with either a collared shirt or a t-shirt. The arms are long enough for me without sacrificing the fit of the body, which is often an issue for me, so definitely happy with this.

Sight: Exiles by Josef Koudelka

“To be in exile is simply to have left one’s country and to be unable to return. Every exile is a different, personal experience. Myself, I wanted to see the world and photograph it. That’s forty-five years I’ve been travelling. I’ve never stayed anywhere more than three months. When I found no more to photograph, it was time to go.”

I was recently gifted the book Exiles by Josef Koudelka, who is a photographer I am obsessed with. There is a romance to his nomadic photographer philosophy that appeals to me, even as he captured brooding images of harsh realities. While his book on the Roma people (titled Gypsies), is an almost anthropological study, this book is far more personal and meaningful to Koudelka’s life. The photographs were taken in his 20 year exile from Czechoslovakia following the invasion of Prague in 1968.

While I could talk about how beautiful I find the examples of dress in these photographs, I am drawn more towards the humanity of the people - their characters, their lives, all the imagined stories you form upon seeing these photographs. I do find when it comes to photography away from fashion, I am still drawn towards images of people, because as much as I am an introvert, I am fascinated by humanity and what makes us who we are.

Smell: Marrakech Intense (EdP) by Aesop

Introduced by Aesop in 2014, this darkly spiced oriental was composed by Barnabe Fillion. To sum it up - camphorous clove, crushed cardamom, a smooth sandalwood (although the official notes state cedarwood, it smells creamy enough to be a sandalwood to my nose), and a light rose and jasmine floral combination to round it out. The main reason I enjoy this is because it reminds me of my late maternal grandfather. To be specific it reminds me of him chewing paan masala after dinner. Throw a bit of tobacco leaf or smoke in there and I could close my eyes and imagine him standing in the room with me.

I love perfumery and its ability to transport us away with scent memories. I have been in a nostalgic mood as of late, re-exploring my childhood memories and finding the small joys. Scent plays a large role in that process for me, and this perfume evokes personal emotion on a visceral level. I doubt it is for everyone, because the spices are rather punchy and loud, but I plan on wearing this heavily for the next few months.

Taste: Fresh Lychee

When it comes to the battle between lychee and rambutan, lychee wins hands down for me. Nothing much to say here - I have been buying a lot of lychees recently and enjoying the heck out of them. Eat more fruit, drink more water, you know the vibes.

Sound: Noise Reduction Bliss

I never knew how much I enjoy noise reduction until I experienced noise reduction, and now I cannot imagine my life without it. I bought some noise-cancelling headphones a while back after resisting for many years, and I have to say it blew my mind. Yes, I realise I am massively late to the party, but it really was such a beautiful experience the first time I wore them outside for a walk, or wore them while sitting at home and working. It turns out I am far more comfortable in the world when I can dial down the volume a little and get rid of a lot of that low level background noise.

This is where the Loop Quiet earplugs come into play. They are a fully silicone earplug that fit essentially like an in-ear heaphone, but lie fully flat against the ear (meaning those loops do not stick out - you insert the tip and then lay it against your ear). I am not sponsored by this company, but I would if they offered it to be honest, I love these things. They reduce noise by around -27 to -30 dB, so with them in you can still hear if someone is talking to you, but it will be muffled. The real strength of these for me is the ability to cut out a lot of the low level hum of modern life. For me at home it cuts out the noise of the boiler and the fridge and any sound that reaches me from the road and outside world. I also find these comfortable enough to sleep in.

If you are expecting total silence, look elsewhere, but as a means of just taking the edge off, I think these are well worth the price.

xxxx