Abigail Rose & Lily Too

Selvedge Issue 121 - Adorable

$25

As this issue goes to press, memes about being “mindful and demure” are flooding the internet. But kawaii, the Japanese culture of cute, arguably a cousin of demure, has held a paradoxically strong cultural presence for decades, incorporating the non-threatening traits of shyness, embarrassment, vulnerability, darlingness, and lovability. It is a significant influence on social media – driven trends, with a reach that rivals Cottagecore and Coquette. Visitor numbers at Cute, an exhibition that explored the extraordinary and complex power of cuteness in contemporary culture earlier in the year at Somerset House, testify to this popularity. The cute aesthetic that drives a protective instinct over babies and small dogs has been commercialised to the point where it “reduces price sensitivity, which makes us happier to hand over money,” suggests Rhik Samadder in the Observer. The recent sold-out Selfridge’s popup installation, Jellycat’s Fish & Chips London Van, where a full “meal” costs around £200, proves this point.

In this issue, we explore the phenomenon from a textile perspective. Cute has a set of identifiable characteristics, one of which is scale. A fascination with small and childlike miniaturisation is seen at its zenith in Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, mini-me mother-and-daughter dressing, and the slippery softness of petroleum plushies. Jonathan Faiers chronicles the evolution of faux fur from its origins in Titus Salt’s experiments with brushed alpaca at the Saltaire Mill in Yorkshire to the Unreal Fur x Sans Beast collaboration, inspired by Where The Wild Things Are. Cute takes different forms in different regions and can be represented in the familiarity of folk culture, Latvian mittens, Scottish bonnets, and Mexican piñatas.
 
This is where things get complex. Cuteness is a manipulation designed to activate our protective instinct, but not only small babies and animals trigger it. Deena Beverly explores how anthropomorphic representations in everything from teddy bears to taxidermy can be repellent and appealing at the same time. Like the funniest jokes, the ones with a grain of truth make the unpalatable palatable. Cuteness offers us a way to conceal and expose, to be perfect and vulnerable, and to be irresistible yet anarchic simultaneously. It is also tied up with a sexless femininity, originating in Japanese schoolgirls’ innocent love of stationery in the 1990s. Feminine romanticism in saccharine palettes, pretty embroidery, and coquette silhouettes are all celebrated in collections of brands worldwide, from Illogical Poetry to La Casita de Wendy. When the latter’s founder, Ines Aguilar, chose to adopt AI technology to produce an economically and environmentally sustainable sampling strategy, she also added to the sense of unease, both innovative and disturbing, drawing in the viewer in an unsettling way. 

The zeitgeist of a troubling world has brought cute to the forefront, where it has infiltrated our society. There is no sign of it shifting as demure sweeps paranoid social media this summer. We retreat to a safe space where the emoji rules.

 

Polly Leonard

Editor

Note that the following information is intended for use as a general guideline. Sizing and fit are approximate and may vary by designer.

Women's clothing size conversion chart

Size (US) Numeric Size 
(US)
France Italy UK Japan Denim
XXS 0 34 36 4 3 23
XS 2 36 38 6 5 24-25
S 4 38 40 8 7 26-27
M 6 40 42 10 9 27-28
L 8 42 44 12 11 29-30
XL 10 44 46 14 13 31-32
XXL 12 46 48 16 15 32-33

 

Women's clothing measurement guide

Shown in inches

Size (US) Bust Waist Hip
0 32" 25" 35"
2 33" 26" 36"
4 34" 27" 37"
6 35" 28" 38"
8 36" 29" 39"
10 37" 30" 40"
12 38.5" 31.5" 41.5"
Shown in centimeters
Size (US) Bust Waist Hip
0 80 62.5 87.5
2 82.5 65 90
4 85 67.5 92.5
6 87.5 70 95
8 90 72.5 97.5
10 92.5 75 100
12 96.25 78.75 103.75

Infant clothing size guide

Size Age Height (in) Height (cm) Weight (kg) Weight (lbs)
XX-Small 0–3 Month 22"–24" 56–62 cm 5.7 kg 12.6 lbs
X-Small 3–6 Month 24"–27" 62–68 cm 7.4 kg 16.3 lbs
Small 6-9 Month 27"–29" 68–74 cm 8.8 kg 19.4 lbs
Medium 9–12 Month 29"–32" 74–80 cm 9.9 kg 21.8 lbs
Large 12–18 Month 32"–34" 80–86 cm 11.3 kg 24.9 lbs
X-Large 18–24 Month 34"–36" 86–92 cm 12.4 kg 27.3 lbs
XX-Large 24-36 Month 36"–38" 92–98 cm 13.9 kg 30.6 lbs

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If you are not completely satisfied you may initiate a return or exchange. Items must be returned in their original unused, unwashed condition and with tags still attached. Upon request, time extensions can be made available for holiday gifts and special circumstances. 

Any item purchased on sale is considered FINAL SALE and is not eligible for return, exchange or store credit, including items sold at promotional discount. We do not offer price adjustments for prior purchases. 

Our in-store returns policy is for store credit or exchange only within 14 days of purchase. Store credit can be used both in-store and online and does not expire.

We understand the need to try on clothing and shoes which is why we offer refunds for online returns. 

Initiate an Online Return or Exchange Here

For online orders, items must be shipped within 7 business days of receipt. 

Refunds will be initiated to your original form of payment when we receive your return. Due to the nature of our small business, any return shipping and promotional "free shipping" that we have paid will be deducted from the refund. Similarly, if you paid shipping, we will not refund your shipping costs. Store credit and exchanges will be initiated upon receipt of returned items (in above - stated condition).

Thank you for shopping small and supporting women-owned, small scale family businesses. We appreciate your support! 

If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact us at abigailrosestore@gmail.com or 845-359-4649

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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