November: a final thought

Please enjoy our November back cover, along with a seasonal haiku

Some of the things we’ve enjoyed most about our November issue have been finding out about fabulous bookshops from around the world, creating nooks in which to read alone, perusing essays on autumn, and cooking comforting things perfect for a Sunday afternoon in with a rip-roaring novel.

Here’s our November haiku in homage to all that.

Reading a good book

Is so much more rewarding

With a good biscuit.

That’s all from our November The Simple Things, but our December issue should be in the shops any day now and we’re feeling rather festively excited about it.

We publish a back cover chalkboard most months and have turned some of them into postcards that you can buy here http://www.icebergpress.co.uk/shop/chalkboard-postcards-pre-order-

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Hanger: the struggle is real

Do thoughts of delicious food bring out the hulk in you when hungry?

If you know someone who suffers from ‘hanger’ (the condition of becoming particularly irritable when hungry), it might be time to cut them some slack. Or perhaps just cut them a slice of cake. It may sound like an excuse to either fly off the handle, or snack at will for the sake of peace, but scientists say ‘hanger’ is a genuine phenomenon.

Sophie Medlin, lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College, London, told Radio Four’s Woman’s Hour recently: “We’ve long recognised that hunger leads to irritability, but the wonderful world of social media has merged the two words and we now know it as ‘hanger’.”

And (here comes the science bit) “When our blood sugars drop, cortisol and adrenaline rise up in our bodies - our fight or flight hormones.” These then cause the release of neuropeptides, which affect the way the brain works. “The ones that trigger for hunger are the same ones that trigger for anger and rage. So that’s why you get that sort of same response,” she explains.

So now you know.

And if all that has made you hungry, well, we wouldn’t want you to leave in a bad mood. Please enjoy this recipe for Crunchy Indian Spiced Chickpeas (pictured above), which appears in our November issue and is taken from Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, Sound: A New Way to Cook by Sybil Kapoor, (Pavilion) with photography by Keiko Oikawa.

Crunchy Indian Spiced Chickpeas

Makes 2 bowls

1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained  and rinsed

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp amchoor powder (dried sour mango), optional

1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

1 tbsp cold-pressed sunflower oil

½ tsp lemon juice, or to taste

1. At least 30 mins before cooking, rinse, drain and pat dry the chickpeas on paper towels. Spread them out in a single layer on a plate.

2. Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl.

3. Place the chickpeas and oil in a separate bowl and mix well, before adding the spice mixture. Toss until completely coated, then tip onto  a non-stick baking sheet and spread the chickpeas into a single layer.

4. Bake for 35 mins, giving the tray the odd shake. If you prefer your chickpeas floury inside, remove after 35 mins. If you prefer them crunchy throughout, turn the oven off after 35 mins and leave inside for a further 15 mins.

5. Once done, leave the chickpeas in their roasting pan and season with the lemon juice. Leave until cold, then serve as needed.

These make a great snack for a chilly November evening. We recommend serving them with friends and your choice of drink, and our November Playlist, all about food, on in the background. Feeling calmer yet?... Good.

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Playlist | Songs about snow

In the meadow we can build a snowman…

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Our favourite fictional dogs

We all love a dog, so here we’ve rounded up some of favourites from fiction TV and film.

Dog Show: 1961-1978 by Shirley Baker. Cover photograph: Shirley Baker

To honour the publication of Dog Show, showcasing the work of photographer Shirley Baker, which is featured in November’s The Simple Things, we’ve made a list of our top five fictional dogs. Now, SIT! (And read and enjoy our best in show).

Snoopy (beagle*)

A real case of the side-act stealing the show, Snoopy was the pet of Charlie Brown, anti-hero of the Peanuts comic strip. But there’s no denying he was the real star. Known for sleeping on the uncomfy-looking roof of his kennel rather than the inside, having several alter-egos including college student, Joe Cool and a First World War Flying Ace, as well as his unlikely friendship with a yellow bird, Snoopy is world-famous and has appealed to generations of children (and beagle-loving adults). An icon in his own right, the first drawings of Snoopy were based on Charles M Schulz’s dog, Spike. *He’s always referred to as ‘a beagle’ but Schulz once said he wasn’t, he just thought ‘beagle’ was a funny-sounding word.

Snowy (wire fox terrier)

Tintin’s faithful friend Snowy is the only other character to appear in all the comic albums, he even occasionally addresses his internal monologue to the reader. Very postmodern. His original name in the French was Milou, the name of Herge’s first girlfriend, and short for Marie-Louise. He was called Snowy in the English translation for his white colour (and the fact that Snowy was short enough to fit easily into the speech balloons.

Lassie (rough collie)

Lassie first featured in a short story by Eric Knight, which later (in 1940) became a full novel, Lassie Come Home, and was made into a film by MGM in 1943, with a dog named ‘Pal’ acting in the title role. The story may well have been based on a fictional dog called Lassie depicted by Elizabeth Gaskell. Pal’s descendants continued to play Lassie in TV series over the next 20-odd years, scampering off to rescue many a child from a mine shaft or well. GOOD GIRL, Lassie.

Scooby-Doo (great dane)

Comrade and crime-busting partner of Shaggy Rogers, Scooby-Doo is the true hero of the Hanna-Barbera series that began in 1969. Famously named for a line in the Frank Sinatra song, Strangers in the Night, Scoobs has been foxing fairground thieves and eating multi-layered club sandwiches for years and continues to delight children to this day.

Argos from The Odyssey (breed unknown)

Hankies at the ready. Argos was Odysseus’s dog before he left home to fight in the Trojan war for ten years, and then spent a further decade returning home. When he finally returns, disguised as a beggar to fool his wife’s suitors, he sees Argos, his faithful, strong and speedy hound, sitting in pile of cow muck. As he walks by, Argos drops his ears and wags his tail but is physically unable to greet his master. Odysseus cries as he passes him, unable to go to his faithful friend. And Argos dies, having fulfilled his destiny of welcoming his master home to his own hall.

Jumble from The William stories (mongrel)

Jumble originally belonged to an artist and his daughter and the daughter gave Jumble to William in exchange for a kiss. Knowing William’s liquorice-water-encrusted chops as we do, we think William got the better end of the deal there and Jumble went on to be (almost) the fifth member of The Outlaws.

Toto from The Wizard of Oz (some sort of Terrier)

Toto belongs to Dorothy Gale of ‘there’s no place like home’ fame. He’s been variously thought to be either a Cairn, Yorkshire or Boston Terrier and he accompanies Dorothy on her trips to the Land of Oz. Toto does not let on in the early books - not until TikTok of Oz - that he can speak! Really, you might have mentioned this before. Toto!

Gnasher from The Beano (Abyssinian Wire-haired Tripe Hound)

Dennis the Menace’s faithful and (very) furry friend Gnasher first appeared in The Beano in 1968. He was based on the idea that dogs look like their owners and it was suggested to the illustrator that he simply drew Dennis’s hair and added arms, legs and eyes. And that is (more or less) how Gnasher remains to this day, with just a little more of his own character.

Gromit from Wallace and Gromit (Beagle)

The bright, sensitive, brainier half of Wallace and Gromit, this is a mutt with a hardcore fanbase. His birthday is 12th February (and it is marked every year in The Telegraph’s classified section), he’s known to be left-handed (a sign of his creativity and intelligence) and a NASA robot sent to probe Mars was named after him in 2005. He also loves cheese (who doesn’t?).

Pilot from Jane Eyre (Newfoundland)

Mistaken on first meeting, by Jane, as some sort of ghost-dog or dog-goblin (a doblin, perhaps?) Pilot foreshadows Mr Rochester’s entrances throughout the novel and is the first to call Jane to Mr Rochester’s aid as his horse slips on icy ground. Rewarded with so little as a cursory ‘DOWN, PILOT’ the dog is peeved as always, while Victorian women swooned, as one.

Our fictional dogs were inspired by a gallery in our November issue, taken from the book Dog Show: 1961-1978 by Shirley Baker, published this month by Hoxton Mini Press.

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A Simple Thing for November | writing your name with a sparkler

Photography: Jonathan Cherry Styling: Gemma Cherry

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Nothing quite says ‘November’ to us like the moment your name hovers in the dark air behind your fizzing sparkler, held tightly in a mitten. If you’re lucky enough to have a short name, such as Jen or Tim,  you will know the pleasure of seeing the whole thing, frozen there for a split second, before it fades. If you’re called Scheherazade, we recommend you instead enjoy drawing some simple but satisfying loops and circles with your sparkler.  

Either way, that moment, dying even as it is begun, is a once-a-year joyous thing, the memory of which makes us smile long after the sparkler itself has fizzled out to black.

We’ve more ideas on simple but beautiful ways to celebrate Bonfire Night in the November issue, on sale now.

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Meet a lesser known Guy Fawkes

An homage to a forgotten bonfire night (anti)hero

Photography: Jonathan Cherry Styling: Gemma Cherry

Every dog has his day, and every dastardly plot has its poster boy. But we do think Guy Fawkes unfairly got all the glory where the - let’s not forget, murderous but poorly organised - Gunpowder Plot of 1605 is concerned.

For starters, it was Robert Catesby, rather than Fawkes himself, that orchestrated the plan. Fawkes may have been in charge of the explosives, but really he is Robin to Catesby’s Batman. It seems odd Fawkes should be the one to emerge with a national celebration named for him.

But most schoolchildren could name Catesby and Fawkes with little strain. What of the other Gunpowder Plotters*?

We at The Simple Things love an underdog, so here are a few words in celebration of Francis Tresham. Tresham was a key part of the plot and possibly was himself the undoing of the entire thing. So, if you think about it, he changed the course of British history (there might have been no English Civil War for starters).

Tresham had been imprisoned for his part in the failed rebellion against the Government in 1601. He got in on the Gunpowder Plot quite late - in October 1605. He was asked to provide a large sum of cash and use of property to the plotters, but refused, instead coughing up a rather more menial amount. Clearly he had concerns about the whole shebang from the off.

It is thought that Tresham was the author of ‘the Monteagle letter’, a note penned to Lord Monteagle (Tresham’s brother-in-law) which was passed to the Secretary of State, warning Monteagle not to attend parliament on the day of the plot, and thus tipping off the Government. It’s historically been accepted that Tresham wrote the letter, though he denied it to his co-conspirators, and never mentioned it, even at the moment of his death (of natural causes) in the Tower of London.

So, did Tresham single-handedly alter the course of history with his alleged anonymous note? Well, not entirely. Yes, it was the catalyst that blew the plot apart (pun intended) but in fact, by November 5th, the gunpowder the plotters had stored away had gone the way of all gunpowder and split into its component parts, rendering it completely harmless. Had Fawkes managed to get a light to it under Parliament, it’s safe to say it would have gone off not with a bang but a whimper. It had been stored too long to do any damage.

So on Guy Fawkes’ night, let’s hear it for slightly reticent, fearful tell-tales who may not have changed history but played their part. And didn’t get caught with their hand in the gunpowder and a guilty look on their face.

Happy Francis Tresham Night! And if you’re celebrating this weekend, in the November issue of The Simple Things we have Bonfire Night recipes that will garner oohs and aahs galore, from pumpkin scones, through popcorn, to pesto for your hotdog. Sure to create more of a spark than Guy Fawkes’s November 5th efforts did, at any rate.

*The other plotters, in case you are interested, or are attending a pub quiz tonight, were: John Wright, Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, Robert Wintour, Christopher Wright, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood and Sir Everard Digby.

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Put a sock in it

The etymology of telling folk to keep it down a bit

Photography: Getty Images

At this time of year, our thoughts turn naturally to warmer footwear. In fact, we think cosy toes are so vital, we have a feature on the importance of stylish sockage in the November issue.

What we at The Simple Things don’t know about socks and how to wear them frankly is not worth knowing, but we were fascinated to learn the etymology of the phrase ‘to put a sock in it’.

As one might expect, the expression, meaning ‘oh, really, do pipe down a bit’, refers to the filling of an orifice with a sock in order to muffle a sound. What we did not know was that it refers specifically to the gramophone.

There was, of course, no volume control on gramophones (they didn’t answer to ‘Alexa’, either… Halcyon days…) so there was no way of making your music any quieter while you were getting down to the latest Tchaikovsky.

The solution was to keep a nice thick pair of socks by the gramophone so that if one was requested to keep it a bit quieter the socks could be stuffed into the horn. Hence, ‘put a sock in it’.
In fact, if you visit the National Trust’s Bateman’s in Sussex, you might see Rudyard Kipling’s own gramophone and be invited to experience putting a sock in it for yourself. Socks are supplied. We don’t think they are Kipling’s own. Though we imagine he really did wear exceedingly good socks.

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Halloween | Five great ghouls

We love scary stories, especially in the chill nights of autumn. From Frankenstein to Freddy Krueger, monsters are enduringly fascinating. It seems we can’t get enough of scaring ourselves silly. Here are five great ghouls

DRACULA

The vampire as seductive killer has become one of horror’s (and, latterly, romance’s) staples. These days Dracula is often reduced to a campy stereotype, but bloodsucking parasites are constantly reinvented for their age – as in Justin Cronin’s saga The Passage, where virus- carrying vampires ravage a post- apocalyptic wasteland.

FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER

Another figure more often seen in pastiche, the monster is a tragic figure, man’s hubris made real and deadly. In an age when science is once again taking over what was once seen as ‘God’s work’ (with cloning, genetic modification, etc) it’s no surprise this idea sees multiple revivals on TV, film and stage.

FREDDY KRUEGER

Razor-clawed, pizza-faced Freddy has been sanitised into a clownish Halloween costume over the years (people often forget he started out as a child killer), but his unforgettable look, plus his ability to enter our very dreams and prey on our subconscious fears, make him one of cinema’s great monsters.

HANNIBAL LECTER

Most famously played by Anthony Hopkins, and recently reinvented by Mads Mikkelsen in the blood-soaked TV series Hannibal, this suave, cunning and ruthless cannibal set the template for the sophisticated serial killer, able to charm his victims – and captors – despite being guilty of the most horrible crimes.

THE ARMITAGES

Easygoing and friendly, the urbane, intellectual family in Get Out welcome their daughter’s black boyfriend into their home – but when their sinister reasons become apparent, the terror begins. They could be your neighbours, your friends, and you wouldn’t ever know...

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Know a thing or two... Trees and druid traditions

Druids revere the natural world above all else. Trees, particularly oaks (‘Druid’ is thought to have meant ‘knowledge of the oak’), are considered sacred, and meetings are held in forest groves.

Druids believe in the interconnectedness of all life and in an afterlife. Some of their traditional beliefs and rituals are still around in altered forms:

The Yule Log

Druids believed that the sun stood still for 12 days at midwinter, and so they burnt a log throughout this period to banish the darkness and to keep evil spirits at bay.

Mistletoe

The cream berries of the mistletoe in the depths of winter were seen as a symbol of life. Pliny the Elder records a moonlit ceremony in which a priest would cut the bough of mistletoe with a golden sickle, and catch it in a white cloak.

Wassailing

This Twelfth Night tradition has Celtic roots and is upheld in druidry, offering a gift of cider and baked apples to fruit trees to ensure the coming year’s bountiful harvest (see issue 67).

Turn to page 85 of October's The Simple Things for more of our arboreal lore and legend feature including secrets of our autumn woodlands and nine native British trees.

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Playlist | A Menu of Songs

Don’t know about you, but we’re dining out on these

Listen to our songs about food

More playlists…

Happy talk

Using more positive language can make a big difference to your life, reawakening your confidence and boosting your happiness

Say positive things at every opportunity. Say thank you; give praise, pay compliments.

Focus on your strengths and write three affirmations that begin “I am...” They needn’t be true (yet).

Monitor your speech over a day. Note the patterns you fall into and start rephrasing.

Try some simple switches:

I’m hopeless at... I’m learning to

It’s impossible... It’s a real challenge No problem... You’re welcome

I messed up... I can do better

I’m stressed... I have a lot on

More on using positive language on page 76 of October’s The Simple Things.

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In what way is this a gift?

Domestic disasters, terrible weather, awkward family situations – whatever life throws at you, try reframing it with the question above. Not only does it make you feel more optimistic just by asking it, you’ll find it doesn’t take you long to see the positive side. Jot down some things that are niggling you at the moment and see if you can turn them around.

Eg, our TV is broken = We have more time to talk/read/listen to music.

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Happy mail | 5 newsletters to subscribe to

Frances Ambler shares her top five newsletters from our September issue feature on the new breed of newsletters: writing that moves, informs and inspires, that you definitely won’t want to leave unread

Domestic Sluttery, domesticsluttery.com

I used to write for Domestic Sluttery when it was a website. Now it’s in a newsletter format, I can’t wait to see what treats they have discovered each day. From inspiring women to the best bargain on the high street, it really does live up to its promise to make your inbox more fabulous.

Thread, bit.ly/jhethread

I’ve started reading more newsletters to read the personal stories and reflection that I used to find in blogs. It’s hard to pick a favourite tinyletter but I’m always pleased when Jean Hannah Edelstein’s Thread arrives. She relates stories from her life so beautifully – it’s always a refreshing pause for thought in my inbox (and her current book, This Really Isn’t About You, is fantastic too).

Laura Olin, lauraolin.com/newsletter

I don’t know how Laura does it, but her weekly newsletter always links to fascinating things on the internet that I just don’t come across elsewhere – things that make you smile, things that make you think. On days when the internet seems to just be people yelling at each other, it’s a reminder how it can be an inspiring, positive space as well.

Black Cardigan Edit, blackcardiganedit.com

“Advices and enthusiasm related to writing, books and creativity”. I don’t think the author of Black Cardigan Edit, Carrie Frye, has featured a book without me immediately clicking ‘buy’ – it’s almost as if her recommendations are specifically tailored for me. It’s a good job it’s infrequent, as otherwise I’d be broke.

Quartz Obsession, qz.com/newsletters/quartz-obsession

A daily dive into something you’ll likely have overlooked, packed with facts and stats. Thanks to Obsession, I’ve learned about vanilla, venus flytraps, sheds, lettuce and the colour purple. It’s the most pleasurably geeky moment of my day.

Turn to page 44 of September's The Simple Things for more newsletters worth reading. 
 

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Listen | Songs from the crypt

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Listen to our songs from the crypt playlist now.

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What I treasure | My inherited recipe books

My most treasured books lie hidden. They’re shrinking violets in my kitchen, spines frayed and indecipherable, found among modern volumes from celebrity kitchens and heavyweight classics from renowned masters. My favourite cookery books are often rediscovered by accident and, as I ease them from the shelves, they transport me to half-forgotten times and places in my past.

My Mother’s Be-Ro book, a slim booklet produced by the flour manufacturer, still falls open at the pages consulted by her, and sticky fingerprints offer clues to the ingredients of coconut macaroons and jam tarts. It conjures up memories of my scratchy bottle-green school jumper and toasting bread with my brother in front of a smoky coal fire, Blue Peter on the television.
The Farmer’s Wife book evokes my teenage years. The spicy aroma of the sticky gingerbread contained within gives way to Aqua Manda, the heady fragrance that I applied liberally on Saturday nights.

The Hamlyn All Colour Cook Book heralds early married life and, with its curried eggs and tuna bake, a new and sophisticated period along my culinary journey. As I browse the faded pages, it’s our trendy brown and orange kitchen and primrose bathroom suite (how I longed for avocado) that elbow their way through the mists of time. Fast forward ten years and the Food Aid book from which I make mushroom pâté each Christmas reminds me of the Live Aid concert that inspired its publication.

There are more, each with their own special memories, but it is a small blue book bulging with handwritten notes that means the most. These are the family recipes handed down to me over the years. One glance at the looped script and I am back in the kitchen of my childhood. It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and my mother and aunts are chatting as they assemble bridge rolls stuffed with tinned salmon, and arrange their specialities – fruit scones, cream meringues and chocolate eclairs – on doilies. I can smell their soap and hear their gentle scolding as my cousins and I play underfoot.

I doubt I’ll be able to resist the new, glossy cookery tomes that will appear this Christmas but, as they join the rest of my collection, I know that my memories will be hiding in their midst.

We’d like to know what you treasure - whether it’s a sentimental artefact, a person, a place or something else. Tell us in 500 words what means a lot to you - email thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.uk

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Handwriting taster

When we put pen to paper, we may not realise it but our personality is there in every stroke and mark we make.

Handwriting analysis, or graphology, studies the unique features of writing, from the spaces between letters to the curliness of a ‘g’, to reveal our individual traits and how we interact with the world, cope with stress and express emotions.

HANDWRITING OR BRAINWRITING?

Handwriting, as with all fine motor coordination, is a physical process; the brain sends signals to the arm, the hand and the fingers to manipulate a writing tool (the pen or pencil you are holding). The brain is very much the main control room, which is why our writing can be described as the X-ray of the mind. It is therefore not surprising that no two handwriting styles are the same and they are as unique as a fingerprint.

Before you start, write a few sentences on blank paper – avoid copying text as it will slow down your natural speed – and then sign your name under the text.

Turn to page 74 of September's The Simple Things to analyse your own handwriting. 
 

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Know a thing or two... Ethical fashion

On the eve of London Fashion Week, here are some starting points for dressing with a conscience

ON DEMAND & CUSTOM MADE
Encompassing made-to-order, tailormade, and DIY. Campaigners believe that the fashion industry should be more responsive to consumer demands, rather than make in bulk. Consumers can put this into practice, too. If we play a role in the production of our clothing, we’re more likely to look after it and hang onto it. Getting custom-made is an increasingly affordable option, thanks to the likes of Fox in a Glove, foxinaglove.com, offering modern styles made in Europe, and Brighton-based Dig For Victory, digforvictoryclothing.com, which specialises in vintage-inspired shapes. Clever sewers can make their own clothes. For fashionable patterns, try the Sewing Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe project book by Arianna Cadwallader and Cathy McKinnon (Kyle Books), Sew Over It (sewoverit.co.uk) and Tilly and the Buttons (tillyandthebuttons.com).

GREEN & CLEAN
Try to buy green, where you can – and ideally items that are green through every step of the process. The textile certification helps identification, but in general look for organic, natural fibres, such as wool, cotton, silk, lyocell and hemp, rather than the likes of petroleum-derived polyester, nylon or acrylic, which don’t typically degrade in nature. Ideally you’d be able to track a garment’s credentials at every stage of production – virtually impossible at the moment, so join the campaign for greater transparency from clothing brands at fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency.

HIGH QUALITY & TIMELESS DESIGN
When you buy, try to buy better. The WRAP Love Your Clothes campaign offers best buy guides at loveyourclothes.org.uk/guides/best-buy-guides that highlight what to look for to get the most from an item of clothing. Livia Firth’s #30wears campaign is simply a prompt to ask yourself before buying if you’ll wear something at least 30 times – it’s surprising how many garments won’t reach this criterion.

FAIR & ETHICAL
Referring to traditional production, artisan crafts and animal rights. As with the Green & Clean, try to find out who made your clothes – and if anybody or anything has been harmed in the process. This can feel impossible to ascertain, so demand better and join in Fashion Revolution Day on 24 April by asking companies, Who Made My Clothes? To educate yourself further, try a copy of Fashion Revolution Zine (fashionrevolution.org), or a free course exploring the subject; futurelearn.com/courses/who-made-my-clothes.

REMAKE, REPAIR OR UPCYCLE
Extending the life of a garment by nine months reduces its impact on the environment by 20–30%. Learn the quick fixes – replacing a broken zip, sorting a wayward hem – to keep a garment in use, or up the ante and try remaking your clothes entirely. Dressmaking courses around the UK are listed at thesewingdirectory.co.uk/workshops-and-courses/ – or take advantage of the skills of a local tailor to keep beloved items in use.

RENT, LOAN OR SWAP
There’s a wealth of desirable clothing that won’t cost you a penny, if you decide to borrow from friends and family. ‘Swishing’ parties – pooling donated clothing and accessories – are a social way to share unworn clothes. And for big occasions, consider hiring rather than buying
an unlikely to be worn again frock: wearthewalk.co.uk and girlmeetsdress.com offer fashionable rental options.

SECONDHAND OR VINTAGE
Extend the life of an item of clothing by buying secondhand or vintage. See issue 63 of The Simple Things for pleasurable ways to shop secondhand, from car boots to charity shops. On Instagram @knickers_models_own offers plentiful inspiration on how to style pre-loved clothes: Caroline Jones did a full year of only dressing in clothes sourced from Cancer Research shops. And it goes both ways: hand on your own items, rather than throw away. Even garments that are no longer wearable can go for textile recycling.

Green Strategy, a Swedish consultancy on improving sustainability, suggested these seven ways we can start to shop and dress more sustainably. You can read all about it by searching ‘seven’ at their website, greenstrategy.se.

Turn to page 89 of September's The Simple Things for more on our ethical fashion feature.

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September horoscopes | Virgo

The start of a new season is a natural time of transition, where we pause to reflect and plan for the next phase of the year. Astrologer Donna Taylor looks at the coming season in your star sign and offers her guidance on how to find balance and contentment in the months ahead

Virgo

23 August – 22 September

“If you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy anywhere else,” said actress, Angie Harmon. Your domestic life may have been a theme for some time now, from your home to your family ties. This year is likely to have seen a lessening of difficulties but the real turning point comes in November when a much happier phase begins. Why is this important? Because the more happy and secure you feel in your foundations, the more able you’ll be to go out into the world and shine your light. This autumn is about new beginnings after which you’ll find it easier to make progress.

Turn to page 125 of September's The Simple Things for the other twelve star signs.

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Listen | Songs of the streets

Do you want to go where the streets have no name? Us neither.

Listen to our songs of the streets playlist now.

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Join our lending library

As you're travelling around this holiday season, consider leaving a book you've enjoyed for someone else - on a park bench, in a cafe or bar, on a train, at the hotel, cottage or campsite.

July's The Simple Things came with our bookshare book plates - maybe your book will touch someone's life. Not got a copy? Order yours today!

Many of us love books; we collect them, build a library at home, accumulate a pile by the bed of those we will get around to reading. And occasionally we have a clear out and take a box to the charity shop. When we move home, it sometimes means a purge. But what if, instead of keeping all our books, we pass a few on, recommending them in absentia to others by leaving them behind when we are out and about?

As you’re travelling around this holiday season, consider leaving a book you've enjoyed for someone else - on a park bench, in a cafe or bar, on a train, at the hotel, cottage or campsite. Some railway stations even have bookshelves for people to help themselves.

Download our free book plates so you can let people know what’s going on.
Maybe your book will touch someone’s life. It may introduce someone to a new writer they then fall for, let someone travel the world via its pages, or inspire someone to pen their own story. You’ll wonder at its journey and who picks it up next.

BECOME A LIBRARIAN

1 Choose a book to pass on.
2 Find a place you’d like to leave it.
3 Stick one of our book plates in the first page.
4 Write in your name, date and where you’re leaving it.
5 Leave it for someone else to enjoy.
6 Share socially: say where you left it and tag @simplethingsmag on Instagram.

Borrow a book from us! We’ll be taking a mini lending library with us to The Good Life Experience in September, so feel free to bring and borrow a book.

Lending Library etiquette

• Make sure any book you leave is clean and in good condition.
• Stick a book plate in the first page so people know they can take it.
• Don’t leave anything inappropriate where it could be picked up by children.
• If you are leaving it outdoors, remember the British weather is fickle.
• Don’t pass on a book that belongs to someone else.
• Avoid leaving in bookshops, libraries or places with high security.

NEED MORE BOOKPLATES?

Download them at thesimplethings.com/blog/bookplates.
You’ll be able to print them at home, A4 size, to cut and paste them into your books.

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

More from the August issue:

More food for thought: