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Blackbird Spyplane is an insightful source for style, culture, and ethical consumerism, offering unique perspectives on fashion, individualism, and lifestyle. It discusses the impact of retail practices, promotes thoughtful consumption, highlights unique finds, and explores philosophical approaches to living and dressing well, while engaging with cultural figures and movements.

Fashion Trends Consumer Ethics Lifestyle Recommendations Cultural Commentary Personal Development Environmental Consciousness

The hottest Substack posts of Blackbird Spyplane

And their main takeaways

Bring back the Based Old Halloween Ways

1079 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Holidays Traditions Fashion Lifestyle Community
  1. Halloween used to be all about creativity, like making your own costumes with your family. Nowadays, it's more about buying cheap, mass-produced outfits from big stores.
  2. Trick-or-treating has become limited to specific areas, which takes away the fun of exploring neighborhoods and meeting neighbors.
  3. There's a push to return to the good old days of Halloween, where unique, homemade costumes and engaging with the community are the main focus.

There's a universe in your phone & a universe in a tree

899 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Music Lifestyle Arts Nature
  1. There's a lot of depth and enjoyment in nature. Taking time to stare at a tree or ride a bike can be more fulfilling than staring at your phone.
  2. Wearing what makes you happy, even if it means repeating outfits, is important. It's all about feeling good in what you wear and letting go of what others think.
  3. Good public schools can really shape someone's life. Access to music and art in school can inspire kids to chase their dreams.

Maybe God is a curious God

1958 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🎶 Music Artist interviews Album Reviews Songwriting Cultural Commentary Live performance
  1. Father John Misty thinks that writing long songs can be as effective as short ones. He usually writes big, unstructured pieces that turn into several songs later.
  2. He reflects on how fame has taught him humility and changed his perspective on music. His recent experiences as a parent have also influenced his songwriting and personal growth.
  3. The new album explores themes of identity and existence, suggesting that our experiences might be part of a larger, non-human consciousness. He sees God as a curious presence that experiences life through individual human experiences.

Do good work and your fits will follow

3277 implied HN points • 15 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Art Celebrity Style Identity
  1. Doing good work can enhance how people see your style. When you focus on creating and contributing positively, your overall vibe improves.
  2. People tend to admire others' fashion sense more when they appreciate their talents and achievements. Great style is often seen through the lens of the person's accomplishments.
  3. Fashion is evolving to include a wider range of styles that reflect individuality and personal expression. What was once considered 'normal' can now be stylish if presented well.

Sauce physics

959 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Clothing Trends Design Lifestyle Accessories
  1. Choosing the right fabric can really change how a piece of clothing feels and looks. It's important to think about material when picking out clothes.
  2. Teamwork is powerful, and sometimes big achievements come from people working together. Community connections can help create amazing things.
  3. There are unique, quality clothing pieces being made by independent designers, which can be really cool to discover and support. These designers often use sustainable materials and have interesting stories behind their creations.
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The anti-It Bag

1059 implied HN points • 20 Oct 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Design Lifestyle Trends Style
  1. There's a new bag called the 'anti-It Bag' that is stylish and practical. It's made from leftover materials, easy to clean, and looks unique.
  2. Comfortable organic-cotton sweatpants made in the USA are highlighted as a great choice for relaxing. They come with warm knit accessories perfect for the colder months.
  3. Tips are shared on how to style your existing sweaters in fresh ways. There's also a cool wool snap cardigan mentioned as a great addition to your wardrobe.

Shirts lookin' INKY!

1019 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Clothing Design Trends Style Retail
  1. James Coward has released an exclusive capsule collection that includes jackets and button-ups. The pieces are made with high-quality materials from a reputable mill.
  2. Canoe Club and Engineered Garments are launching their second collaboration featuring hooded jackets inspired by classic outdoor styles. These jackets are designed for comfort and practicality.
  3. A giveaway event is being held for four jackets from the Canoe Club x Engineered Garments collection. Interested participants can enter through a simple button click in the email.

There are weird people out there who have no identity

1538 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
📚 Literature Fiction Non-fiction Interviews Book Reviews Creative Writing
  1. Rachel Kushner's new novel, 'Creation Lake', is about a morally ambiguous spy who is unlikable, but the story remains engaging. It explores deep themes like identity and the history of humanity.
  2. The author highlights the importance of hands-on skills in today's digital age. There's value in physical creation, and those who connect with tangible things often experience richness in life.
  3. Through her writing and experiences, Kushner illustrates complex social issues, including the struggles of marginalized communities. She emphasizes the need to focus on people, not just abstract politics.

When you cop on this level you gotta enter "Acquisition Armistice" mode

1238 implied HN points • 10 Oct 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Trends Retail Events
  1. Entering 'Acquisition Armistice' mode means taking a break after making big purchases. It's about enjoying what you have rather than constantly buying more.
  2. The Blackbird Spyplane x Obōz sneaker launch was a huge success, selling out quickly. It shows the strong connection with the community and the demand for unique products.
  3. The NYC trip included fun events, art, and a vibrant party scene. It was a great mix of culture and socializing, highlighting the city's creative energy.

Is Ssense hurting the cool-clothes ecosystem?

4875 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty E-commerce Fashion Trends
  1. Ssense's heavy focus on data drives its business decisions and influences small designers with large wholesale orders.
  2. Ssense's pricing strategies, like frequent markdowns and reliance on algorithms, impact both small retailers and independent designers.
  3. Ssense's practices raise concerns about the impact on the cool-clothes ecosystem, from the narrative of brands to the market dynamics of the fashion industry.

Is 2020 back already??

1458 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Trend Analysis
  1. Fashion trends from 2020 may be making a comeback in 2024.
  2. Big pants are in style - slim pants are not the focus.
  3. Playing with color combinations like browns with deep purples is trendy.

Are we doomed or is deliverance possible??

1139 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture TV Series Art Society Philosophy Music
  1. The TV series 'The Curse' has a brilliant and bizarre finale that attempts and achieves unique things in the TV world.
  2. The show explores themes of cursed culture and the struggle for deliverance from societal decay.
  3. The finale of 'The Curse' leaves viewers debating whether the characters are doomed or have a shot at redemption.

The belts your pants deserve

779 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Clothing Accessories Style Trends
  1. Belts are a stylish way to hold up pants and can be timeless accessories.
  2. Consider storing belts in a separate collection to keep them in rotation and maintain their condition.
  3. When building a belt collection, focus on trendy styles and gender-neutral options for a versatile look.

What was Blackbird Spyplane?

2038 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🎭️ Culture Fashion Art Music Literature Design
  1. Blackbird Spyplane turned 3 years old this week and celebrated with its enlightened readers.
  2. The newsletter focused on spotting cool things, maintaining a strong moral compass, and avoiding consumerism.
  3. Blackbird Spyplane provided cultural insights, engaged with famous individuals, and promoted positivity.

Jawn Ramachandra

599 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Clothing Accessories Music Style Design
  1. Blackbird Spyplane offers various fashion and lifestyle recommendations through their posts.
  2. They have a selection of unique, single-craftsman made clothing items and accessories available for purchase.
  3. The website also features an electronic music playlist curated by Studio Nicholson.

The shirt of the year

1598 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Design Style Interview Clothing Creativity
  1. The shirt of the year is a roomy, vertical-stripe button-up that is currently on trend and in high demand.
  2. Keith Henry, a self-taught designer, creates clothes entirely by himself under the name Henry's, known for high-craft jumbo jeans and small-run pieces.
  3. Keith Henry sells his clothes through limited drops, values creative control, and finds inspiration in old army clothing to create unique, well-crafted designs.

The vintage workwear plug

499 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Vintage Japanese Shopping Style
  1. Explore a unique collection of vintage workwear, including heavy-duty canvas dusters, chore coats, and more from brands like L.L. Bean, Carhartt, Woolrich, and Levi's.
  2. Discover an under-the-radar Japanese line at Beklina's physical store, offering independent-designer selection and beautifully textured woven Japanese cotton pieces.
  3. Experience the thrill of vintage shopping by finding connections to the past through once-cherished objects, like Molly Ringwald does, creating stories and imagining characters behind the items.

How California cursed the world

1558 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture History Tech Literature Politics Fashion
  1. Malcolm Harris's book 'Palo Alto' dives into the dark side of Silicon Valley's impact on the world
  2. The California narrative of utopianism masks a history of exploitation and manipulation
  3. Resistance and liberation efforts against the colonialist-capitalist-militarist system are highlighted in the book