Ashima Shiraishi Instagram – I often find myself in a love-hate struggle with material objects — on one hand, I love how clothing can be a vehicle for self-expression, and on the other, I feel guilty of the clutter and materialistic overconsumption. But I’ve gradually settled upon a happy medium; I enjoy a deep connection with very special items and try to Marie Kondo the rest. Through each decluttering phase I go through, I come to appreciate, with fresh eyes, the objects that mean so much to me. This oversized TNF “men’s” puffy may just be a jacket, but for me it’s more of a physical manifestation of the emotional journey I’ve been on with it — it’s given me the comfort of being hugged by its thermal layer, the gift of serving looks 👀🔥, and has been a key part of many fond memories of city + outdoor adventures that carries a special place in my heart. “Buy experiences instead of things” is a pretty solid rule of thumb to follow, but in some cases, there are exceptions to that saying. My new interpretation is “buy objects that will help you to have experiences you love”. It’s rare to find items that you hold an intimate connection with, but the few that we do can mean so much to us. What memories+stories do you have with your @thenorthface jacket? #morethanajacket Photos by my skilled friends: @lindsay_dad and @banana_wat3r