Worn Wear

"True stories of people and their Patagonia gear" 

 

To illustrate the almost cult like following and durability of Patagonia clothing, the company has launched a new tumblr called Worn Wear.  Fans of the brand are encouraged to send in pictures of themselves wearing their gear, along with blurb about why they love it so much.  Many have shared photos of jackets or fleece's they've treasured for many years, others have had garments handed down from parents or older siblings.  Here's an entry from a mother and daughter:

Dear Patagonia,
My favorite story about my Patagonia clothing is the story of my old, bright orange fleece I got before leaving for New Guinea in 1981. I did some parachuting, some radical jungle trekking and climbed a 15,500 foot peak in that jacket. I also made a film for ABC sports about it all, that was aired on an adventure series in 1982.
Anyway… My orange fleece was worn quite a bit over the years and was then archived in one of my many duffels full of outdoor wear. Well my daughter, who happens to be very into “retro clothing” found this old orange fleece and started wearing it non-stop about a year ago. In the mean time she started pursuing climbing, leading very difficult hard “trad” crack climbing routes in Indian Creek, Utah… It has a torn cuff and a few little worn areas but that jacket rocks !! She is quite a lovely young woman ( if I do say so, being her mother) and I love the fact that my daughter is wearing my 30 year old Patagonia jacket , and she makes it even cooler now than it was then ! I am so psyched that she is having her own adventures in it. I especially like the fact that maybe my energy from the jacket is wrapping around her like a hug from me !!
―Catherine 

Dear Patagonia,
I often joke that this old red-orange fleece is an extension of myself. There are few other items of clothing in my wardrobe that I feel completely comfortable in no matter what situation I find myself. This little jacket has been with me on a few desert tower ascents in Southern Utah, to an awful ACDC cover band show in Denver, to numerous summer nights in the Tetons where I grew up. No matter the situation, I always feel at ease in this jacket.
I rediscovered this little gem from a duffel bag full of my parents’ retro outerwear a few years ago. Funny enough, the discovery of the jacket coincided perfectly with my discovery of my passion for climbing. Through this, I reconnected with my childhood and upbringing, in which climbing played a large role. At the same time, I unearthed this article of clothing, which to me represents the continuation of my family’s love for the mountains and climbing from one generation to the next.
―Jane