How clothing and accessories bond family members through a sentimental exchange
By Bree Duwyn
On a recent trip back to my hometown, my mum cleaned out her closet, and buried deep in the back was a supple black leather jacket with flat buttons trailing the front and a soft quilted lining that she had owned since the early 90’s.
Being a fan of leather jackets, I asked to examine it further. With no cracks or damage, it was in perfect condition (my mum is very organized so I was not surprised at its pristine state). I asked her if I could add it to my closet and here I am, the proud owner of a vintage leather jacket.
Bree sporting her mum’s vintage leather jacket while posing for a photo (Photo Credits/Kellie Busch @kelvisuals).
This exchange spurred an in-depth contemplation about the journey of clothes. Clothing, jewelry, and other accessories can often get tucked away in boxes to be stored in attics or basements then forgotten about until years later when someone stumbles across them. On the opposite end of this journey, pieces can also be cherished with the intention of passing down an heirloom to a next of kin.
I have always been intrigued by the past and what it can give to us in the present; receiving clothing and accessories once loved by relatives represents this cycle. These items are often accompanied by rich stories from the past while creating an opportunity to bond in the present as these items are exchanged.
Sachin Makan, a third-year GCM student at Ryerson, recalls the first time he held his family’s prized heirloom - an engraved golden band with an inky block onyx stone that Makan had always been captivated by. The ring weighed heavily in his small hands and while he examined the inscription that read “This too shall pass” his father told him the story behind the stone.
A black onyx stone set in a gold band has been passed down for generations. (Photo Credits/Sachin Makan)
“This ring has been passed down from generation to generation when people were at their lowest moments. When the ring is passed down, it gives the recipient the strength to overcome their challenges,” said Makan while reminiscing about his father’s words.
“I come from a long lineage of jewellers, a family business that supported each generation of my ancestry. It was always ironic to me that despite working with such valuable metals, the struggle for survival has always been paramount,” he said.
Makan said that whenever he looks at the ring, he is reminded of who his family is and how their skilled workmanship and strength of character allowed him to grow up in a welcoming environment. He said the ring gives him “hope during the lowest moments,” while being a reminder that any struggle he will face will pass.
Makan hopes to one day add his own engraving to the ring before he too passes it on to his children.
Similarly, Meg Sherman, a first-year concurrent education primary/junior student at Brock University, shared the story of a ring that has been passed down to many generations of women in her family.
“My grandmother’s sister wore this ring her whole life. My birthstone, my mother’s, and my grandmother’s birthstone, as well as her sister’s are all placed within the ring,” Sherman said, adding that she recently received the ring from her mother’s cousin.
This ring is set with four different birthstones, signifying different members of Sherman’s family. (Photo Credits/Meg Sherman).
Homemade pieces can create a similar bond between the giver and the receiver.
When sharing the story of her nana’s homemade socks, Jemma Dooreleyers, a fourth-year journalism student at Ryerson, added how her nana “was a very talented, crafty person,” who could “knit, sew and crochet-like no one's business.”
“She died in January after I turned 14 and these were the last pair of socks she knitted for me that Christmas,” said Dooreleyers. “When I wear them I am reminded of the awesome person my nana was and how much she just wanted everyone to have warm feet.”
The last pair of homemade socks that Dooreleyers owns. (Photo Credits/Jemma Dooreleyers).
Clothing and accessories can also represent important milestones or achievements.
“When my parents found out they were expecting me, my dad gave my mom this diamond ring,” said Camilla Bains, a third-year journalism student at Ryerson. Twenty years later on Bains’ 20th birthday, her mother gave the ring to her reasoning that it was a sentimental gift that would last a lifetime.
The diamond ring holds deep meaning for Bains and her mother. (Photo Credits/Camilla Bains).
“Maybe I’ll pass it on to another little loved one in the future and continue the tradition,” added Bains.
These items represent the bond shared between family, a tangible display of familial love, and an opportunity to own something that holds a sentimental significance to you. These items, whether a diamond ring or a pair of knitted socks, are not a representation of their material value but instead a reflection of the relationship shared between all those who have owned the item before.