By Elizabeth McLaughlin...
“When I grow up, I want to be a cobbler!”
This is not a conversation between an elf and a little boy in a 19th-century fairytale. But, in all honesty, who really says that anymore? In this age of throwaway fashion, how many of us utilize all the resources & tools at our disposal before calling it quits on a garment?
Cobblers, or professional shoe menders, still exist, even though we, as a collective, don’t support them enough. But, we never hear about them, or tailors, or any of the unsung heroes of the fashion industry, for that matter, so let’s discuss: Who are the people who help keep our clothes lasting longer? Also, where can I find local cobblers/tailors (in 5 major U.S. cities) when the strap of my heel inevitably snaps, or when the seam on my favorite dress comes undone?
The people who make shoes are called cordwainers, and the people who repair shoes are called cobblers. It’s hard to trace how long this profession has been around because it would make sense that the answer is simply however long we’ve been wearing shoes. So, for quite some time, dedicated artisans have devoted their crafts to repairing all different kinds of shoes when they break, because that’s what you do when something you need starts to show signs of wear: you take care of it.
I have a feeling that sometime within the last 75 years, the term “cobbler” has been pushed into near obscurity due to the simple fact that we don’t take care of our garments anymore. Why should we, when a t-shirt costs $5 and I can get a Louboutin dupe for under $50? Waste has been woven into the very fabric of the fashion industry, and the diminishing presence of cobblers is a byproduct of this acceleration towards fast, easy, and cheap.
Cobblers can replace the soles of your shoes, or mend broken straps, buckles, etc. The easier question is more likely, “What can’t a cobbler do?” For vintage lovers, maintaining your investments is a wise move, and it’s probably much cheaper than you might think.
The best clothes are worth repairing. For avid vintage buyers, it’s easy to tell good quality from bad quality, and those of us reading this probably already take durability into account when buying new clothes. But, every now and then, something happens and our clothes need some TLC.
Just as with cobblers, I’ve found that the cost of repairs when you take your clothing to a tailor turns out to be much cheaper than you'd expect. Maybe we’re just conditioned to think that good quality clothes have to cost tons of money, but in my experience, tailors seem to undercharge for their much-needed work.
Or, you can learn how to sew/tailor your own clothes (it’s easier than you might think), with the help of creators like @tannerfrostbowen on TikTok. In our experience, there are fewer hobbies more gratifying and enjoyable than learning how to sew.
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