Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty cover art

Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty

Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty

By: Amanda Lee McCarty
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 Host Amanda Lee McCarty (she/they) decodes and demystifies the fashion and retail industries, and takes on topics like consumerism, workers rights, personal style, and why fashion is a case study in capitalism gone awry. Your money is as powerful as your vote! "If you wear clothes, you need to listen to Clotheshorse." --Elise "If you are human and live in the world, you need to listen to Clotheshorse." --Individually Wrapped© 2025 Amanda Lee McCarty Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Episode 239: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part one

    Episode 239: I'm With The Brand (unpacking how brands influence our brains), part one
    Jul 14 2025
    This episode is part one in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism.In this episode:We’re going to break down what brand and branding mean, using fizzy water and boxed macaroni and cheese as examplesWe will walk through the history of “brands” and “branding” leading up to this century, where it evolves from a little brand on a jug to full-on marketing teams and brand theoryWhy it's so wild that food brands got obsessed with masked taste tests in the 70s and 80sHow Amanda teaches brand and branding to her small business clients and students (and why that matters for them)And Amanda will shares some brands that aren’t really who you think they are any more (or maybe never were)Additional reading:"Meet the Man Who Made a Fortune Bringing Brands Back to Life," Suzanne Kapner, The Wall Street Journal.Authentic Brands Group brand portfolioLevi Strauss & Co. Enters into Definitive Agreement to Sell Dockers to Authentic Brands Group"JCPenney Joins SPARC to Form Catalyst Brands," David Moin, WWD.Catalyst Brands"Shein signs deal with Forever 21 owner as fast-fashion majors look to boost reach," Arriana McLymore, Reuters.Learn more about the San Pedro Apparel Mart in episode 231 of Clotheshorse!ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!10/23 Seattle, WA @ Here-After10/26 Portland, OR @ HoloceneGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy.The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on ...
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Episode 238: Five Years of Clotheshorse

    Episode 238: Five Years of Clotheshorse
    Jul 6 2025
    In honor of five years of Clotheshorse, Amanda brings back the very first episode of the show (mandatory listening for any one interested in slow fashion), "Romper Drama and Useless Safety Pins, or It's a Cents Game."Before jumping into that episode, Amanda talks about what has changed over the last five years. She explains why and how Clotheshorse has given her hope and joy in dark times. And she also gives a little minisode on tariffs (and why they won't "fix" fast fashion).If you've loved listening to Clotheshorse, give the podcast the ultimate gift by leaving a rating and a review on your favorite streaming platform! And recommend it to a friend. Maybe share a post on social media!ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!10/23 Seattle, WA @ Here-After10/26 Portland, OR @ HoloceneGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy.The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet ...
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    2 hrs and 9 mins
  • Episode 237: Billionaire Boycott List, with Ariel of Cobbled Goods

    Episode 237: Billionaire Boycott List, with Ariel of Cobbled Goods
    Jun 25 2025
    Would you be surprised to hear that your favorite shoe brand is neither family-owned nor as punk as it portrays itself to be?Did you know that wealth inequality and shoes are directly connected? Could your latest shoe purchase be subsidizing lobbying efforts to fight a rise in the minimum wage or reduce taxes for the wealthiest people?Amanda is joined by Ariel, the founder of Cobbled Goods to talk about how shoes, wealth inequality, and politics are entangled. He will introduce us to his Billionaire Boycott List. In this episode, we will also cover the following topics:The environmental and ethical impacts of shoe productionCommon greenwashing tropes used by the shoe industryWho really owns a lot of the shoe companies that we might think of "heritage" brands or "countercultural"How you can make better decisions when shopping for a new pair of shoesAnd how where, when, and how often you shop are political decisions!And guess what? Ariel has a reading list for you:Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s CrisesOne of my favourite books, written by Marjorie Kelly. She really has her finger on the heart of the issue. I’d recommend listeners start by checking out her podcast interviews. I also have to add my first encounter with her work, which rocked my world — The Architecture of Enterprise: Redesigning Ownership for a Great Transition.Foot Work: What Your Shoes Tell You About GlobalisationAn incredible first-person look into shoe production around the world. Tansy Hoskins also has a great newsletter.Imagining a Decentralised Footwear Industry at the Global Fashioning AssemblyI didn’t mention this but I hosted a speculative fiction workshop last fall with Tansy and few other footwear founders where everyone shared their ideas on what the industry would look like in a world with big businesses. It ties in nicely with our conversation and the boycott list.Dispatches: The truth about Nike and AdidasThe Channel 4 investigation into recycled ocean plastic. I actually confused Nike and Adidas on the episode. Both brands are covered but the ocean plastic bit was about Adidas. The original broadcast is not available on demand: But there is an article with part of the video here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10821693/Channel-4s-Dispatches-reveals-greenwashing-trainer-brands.html License to Greenwash: How certification schemes and voluntary initiatives are fueling fossil fashionA very compelling report on greenwashing through certifications and standards. I alluded to it a bit with the HIGG index, but I meant to dive deeper because it is highly prevalent.Money Heist: COVID-19 Wage Theft in Global Garment Supply ChainsA report on how big brands dodge accountability to the workers making their products. It gives estimates on how many millions of dollars different brands owe the workers that were laid off without severance due to their cancelled orders during Covid.Nowhere to Hide: How the Fashion Industry Is Linked to Amazon Rainforest DestructionA thorough report mapping out leather supply chains connected to Amazon deforestation.ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!10/23 Seattle, WA @ Here-After10/26 Portland, OR @ HoloceneGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy.The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, ...
    Show More Show Less
    2 hrs and 3 mins

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