What Your Grandmother's Quilt Knows That Fast Fashion Doesn't

What Your Grandmother's Quilt Knows That Fast Fashion Doesn't

Styled Clean | Episode 12] Every Square Inch: What Your Closet Has to Do with Justice, Creation, and the Breadth of Grace with Beatrice Shackelford "Do you want it to not matter? Because if we're serious about what Jesus does on the cross — we want it to matter what we wear." — Beatrice Shackelford What does redlining in Cleveland have to do with the blouse hanging in your closet? More than you'd think. In this episode, Kathleen sits down with Beatrice Shackelford — environmental scientist, Kuyper Prize scholar, and incoming Yale Master of Environmental Management student — for a conversation that moves from the East Side of Cleveland to the floors of COP29 to your grandmother's quilt made from flour sacks. And somehow, it all lands back in the fitting room. Beatrice brings a rare combination: rigorous academic thinking about environmental justice and a deep, joyful faith that refuses to split the sacred from the everyday. She'll make you want to read Abraham Kuyper. She'll also make you want to call your grandmother. This one stays with you. What your grandmother's quilt knows that fast fashion doesn't Beatrice spent time with her grandparents this summer and stood in her grandmother's living room surrounded by things with provenance — a table with wooden wheels, a quilt made from Depression-era flour sack fabric. She connects that rootedness to the stewardship calling we've quietly outsourced to algorithms and Amazon carts. The conversation gets stuck at the individual consumer — and why that's a problem Companies love to make this a you problem. But Beatrice argues it's also a community problem, a skills problem, and yes, an industry and government accountability problem. She makes the case for rebuilding a culture of thriftiness — without romanticizing poverty. Beatrice Shackelford * Instagram: @beamae212 * BioLogos Creators for Creation cohort — https://biologos.org/creators-for-creation Abraham Kuyper * Common Grace Volumes 1–3 — https://stylists.shop/Q49 * "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!" Rena [last name] — Ugandan sustainable fashion designer, met at COP29 * [LINK TO HER WORK / INSTAGRAM when available] COP29 — United Nations Climate Change Conference * [https://unfccc.int/event/cop-29] The Lie of the Donation Bin — Kathleen's article * [https://allegorystyling.com/creation-care/the-donation-bin-lie-and-what-were-really-afraid-to-ask/] Joshua Becker — minimalism writer, The More of Less * [LINK — https://stylists.shop/Q4a Bezalel — the first named artist in Scripture (Exodus 31:1–5), filled with the Spirit of God for the work of his role in the construction of the Temple: https://biblehub.com/topical/b/bezalel.htm Food Deserts — [USDA Food Access Research Atlas https://www.aecf.org/blog/food-deserts-in-america] Redlining — [https://legalclarity.org/what-is-redlining-definition-history-and-laws/

The Stories Our Clothes Tell by Faith & Embodiment

What does it mean to be a Christian on planet earth — and what does that have to do with what's in your closet? Kathleen sits down with author, speaker, and Earthbound Christian host Caleb Cray Haynes for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, embodiment, imago Dei, fast fashion, and the radical idea that how we show up in the world — dressed and otherwise — is a theological act. From Leviticus 19 to lint traps, this episode covers unexpected ground and leaves you with a lot to think about before you get dressed tomorrow. About Caleb Cray Haynes Caleb Cray Haynes is a speaker, author, and creator whose work explores what it means to follow Christ in the material, embodied, everyday world. He is the author of Garbage Theology and Earthbound Christian, and works with churches and communities on themes of creation care, consumer culture, faith, and presence. He and Kathleen connected in Tennessee — he was asking what it means to be a Christian on planet earth; she was asking what it means to be a good steward of your closet. The conversation you're about to hear is what happens when those two questions meet. In This Episode Creativity isn't for a select few — it's baked into being human. Caleb unpacks the way our culture has "subcontracted" creativity to a certain kind of person — the artsy kid, the school of the arts type — when in fact being made in the image of the Creator means creativity is part of everyone's DNA. Kathleen connects this directly to her work with clients: many women arrive convinced they're not creative, that style is for someone else. The real work is resurfacing what's already there. Kathleen names what drives Allegory Styling at its core: you are an image-bearer of God, and how you show up in the world reflects that. What does it look like to dress as someone who bears the image of the Creator — not to impress, but to represent? This question, she argues, is not superficial. It is deeply theological.  Caleb takes the conversation somewhere unexpected: the Holiness Code. "Love your neighbor as yourself" appears in the same chapter as instructions about sideburns, clothing, and how you pay workers at harvest. It all belongs together. The assignment has never been "dress to impress" — it's been "what does it look like to express love in the world through how we live, consume, and move?"  Caleb's phrase — "the assignment was never to dress to impress, but to dress to follow Christ" — is one of the most quotable moments in the episode. This lands squarely at the heart of the Allegory Styling brand: dressing for approval versus dressing as an image-bearer. Kathleen articulates her underlying hope for clients: to help them get dressed in a way that lets them forget what they're wearing and be other-centered. The goal is freedom, not fixation. Confidence in how you've shown up so you can actually show up for others. Resources and References * Earthbound Christian [https://stylists.shop/PdK] by Caleb Cray Haynes * Garbage Theology [https://stylists.shop/PdJ] by Caleb Cray Haynes * Falling Upward [https://stylists.shop/PdI] by Richard Rohr * The Anxious Generation [https://stylists.shop/PdH] by Jonathan Haidt * Soles 4 Souls [https://stylists.shop/PdE] * Trashie [https://shop.trashie.io/products/take-back-bag] (sustainable fashion brand) * ThredUp [https://stylists.shop/PdG] * Allegory Styling [https://allegorystyling.com/] — Kathleen's faith-integrated image consulting practice * The Wardrobe Values Quiz [https://allegorystyling.com/start-here/] at AllegoryStyling.com "Does your style speak to your identity, or does your identity let people know what you're styling?" — Caleb Cray Haynes "I help women stop dressing for approval and start dressing as image-bearers — because how you show up in the world matters to God." — Kathleen Audet "Dress the body you have." — Kathleen Audet "Joy is the super ingredient. If it's not pouring out in your life, the recipe might be off — put it back in the oven." — Caleb Cray Haynes "You are God's, and you belong." — Caleb Cray Haynes Connect with Caleb Cray Haynes * [Caleb Cray Haynes website [https://calebcrayhaynes.com/about/]] * Instagram: [@CalebCrayHaynes [https://www.instagram.com/calebcrayhaynes/]] Connect with Kathleen * AllegoryStyling.com [https://allegorystyling.com/] * Take the free Wardrobe Values Quiz [https://allegorystyling.com/start-here/] * Instagram: @allegorystyling [https://www.instagram.com/allegorystyling/] * Styled Clean podcast — available wherever you listen

Beyond the Buzzwords: A Faith-Filled Conversation on Creation Care and Climate Hope

What does a blouse made for twelve dollars have in common with gleaning laws in the Old Testament? More than you might think. In this episode, Kathleen sits down with Aislynn Patrick, co-host of the podcast Rivers in the Desert (with Beatrice May Shackelford), to explore the rich and sometimes overlooked biblical mandate for creation care — and what it has to do with the clothes we wear every day. Aislynn brings a warm, story-driven perspective to the often-charged conversation around climate change, drawing from her background in ministry, her time studying at a Bible college in the UK, and a deep love of being outside. She and Kathleen find surprising common ground between regenerative farming, bird apps, fire escape planters, and the calling to be faithful image bearers in the world God made. In This Episode: * The origin of the name Rivers in the Desert — drawn from Isaiah 43 and a theology of hope and restoration * Why vulnerability matters in climate conversations — and how to discern when to share and when to hold back * A plain-language definition of creation care as both a heart posture and a practical way of life * How spending time in nature has deepened Aislynn's awareness of God — including a windswept beech tree on a hillside in England * The surprising parallel between regenerative farming weeds in a parking lot and the ones on working farmland * Common misconceptions about creation care in Christian spaces — including the idea that it's "a forced addition to scripture," too politically charged, or only for people who are already into it * Why Revelation's statement that "God will destroy those who destroy the earth" is more serious than most of us treat it * The Merlin Bird ID app — and how naming things in creation changes how much you notice and care about them * Practical, low-barrier ways to reconnect with creation, starting with prayer and your own interests * Clothing as a creation care issue: Aislynn reflects on fast fashion, greenwashing, and what it looks like to buy in alignment with your values when resources are limited * A sneak peek at Kathleen's Wardrobe Values Quiz, launching soon on the Allegory Styling website About Aislynn Patrick Aislynn Patrick is the co-host of Rivers in the Desert, a podcast about faith and the environment, alongside Beatrice May Shackelford. She works in ministry and is passionate about bringing the hope of the gospel to conversations about climate change and environmental stewardship. 🎙️ Find Rivers in the Desert [link [https://www.riversinthedesertpodcast.com/]] Resources Mentioned * Rivers in the Desert Podcast — [link [https://www.riversinthedesertpodcast.com/]] * Merlin Bird ID App (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — [link [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673]] * Isaiah 43 — the scripture behind the podcast name is Isaiah 43:19 * Revelation passage: Revelation 11:18 * Wardrobe Values Quiz — [link [https://allegorystyling.com/start-here/]] * Kathleen's appearance on Rivers in the Desert — [link [https://www.riversinthedesertpodcast.com/]] Connect with Kathleen * Allegory Styling: allegorystyling.com [https://allegorystyling.com/] * Styled Clean Podcast: [link [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UQ2Cb3YqmFA87jDVMTk5D?si=N9n4wY3CTgufr5XXbCJzrQ]] * Instagram: [Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/allegorystyling/]]

The Hidden Story in What You Wear

The Hidden Story in What You Wear is a podcast about style, sustainability, identity, and the deeper meaning behind the clothes we choose every day. Hosted by Kathleen Audet, each episode explores how fashion can become more than trends or consumption — it can become a reflection of our values, beliefs, memories, and sense of self. Through thoughtful solo episodes and meaningful conversations, Kathleen unpacks the connection between personal style, ethical fashion, storytelling, and intentional living. If you’ve ever felt like getting dressed is about more than just looking good, this podcast will help you discover the hidden story your wardrobe is already telling.

The Dirt Beneath Your Clothes - with Joel Salatin

What if your wardrobe and your dinner plate are telling the same story? This week Kathleen sits down with Joel Salatin — farmer, author, provocateur, and co-owner of Polyface Farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley — to ask a question the fashion industry hasn't thought to ask a regenerative farmer: what does soil health have to do with what we wear? The answer turns out to be everything. Joel and Kathleen cover a lot of ground in this conversation (pun intended) — from the philosophy of minimalism to the theology of dualism, from Australian merino microns to the cobbler who could make shoes that last a lifetime. But underneath all of it runs a single conviction: there is no part of life outside the interests of God, including what hangs in your closet. In this episode: * Why Joel asks people to "look through their plate" — and why the same question applies to your wardrobe * The Western dualism problem: how St. Augustine's body/spirit split quietly shaped how we think (and don't think) about consumption * Why the faith community threw the baby out with the bathwater on environmental stewardship * The difference between worrying about clothes and thinking about them — and why it matters * How fast fashion got its start on the runway in the 1860s and where it ends up today (hint: Uganda) * Australian wool, merino microns, and why quality fiber is worth every penny * What true wealth looks like on a farm — and why it might apply to your closet too This week's thread to follow: Pick three pieces from your closet and read the fiber labels. Ask yourself what those fibers required — what soil, what chemicals, what labor. Stewardship starts with attention. About Joel Salatin: Joel is the co-owner of Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, and the author of 16 books on regenerative agriculture. He's been featured in Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and the documentary Food, Inc.Learn more at polyfacefarms.com [https://www.polyfacefarms.com/].