About the Recipe
Our clothes are physical objects. But they also carry our memories and personal and family stories.
Have you ever wondered what the story is behind our clothes?
Perhaps you or a friend or family member has kept a clothing item that they no longer wear? Perhaps they own clothing that has a special meaning?
Let’s investigate the hidden narratives (stories) behind our clothes!
Participatory Learning
Learning Through Doing
Critical and Creative Thinking
Learning Goals
Understanding clothing as tangible manifestations of our memories, capturing immaterial experiences through materiality.
Encouraging and increasing emotional durability and longevity
of our clothing.
Nurturing practices of care and compassion towards our clothing
as an extension of the self.
Emphasising the importance of fashion as a communicative and connective tool.
Further Explanation
Our garments hold hidden narratives and are incredibly important in the telling and constructing of our histories, as a personal archaeology, autobiographical tool and tactile and tangible mixtape of memories.
By examining our and our family’s wardrobe and wardrobe practices, we can recognise clothing as a mechanism for connecting us to our past, as well as shaping our future identity and self.
Ingredients
A peer, friend or family member and their chosen item of clothing, shoes, or accessory.
Optional: Recording device
Optional: The person the player is interviewing can provide photos of them wearing their chosen clothing.
Designed Resources
You can use these resources digitally or printed:
Hidden Narratives Interview Activity Sheet
Hidden Narratives Reflection Sheet
Optional: Presentation Slides
Recipe Prep & Play-Space Set Up
RECIPE PREP
This educator-led recipe works well as a take-home activity, with a group discussion and reflection of findings in the classroom/workshop setting.
However, it can also be played in a classroom or workshop setting, interviewing each other. Make sure players bring in their clothing item in advance.
For those wanting versions only for the home, please see the ‘Adult-Led - Parent/Carer/Family/Friend’ or ‘Child/Young Person’ versions.
The ‘Hidden Narratives Interview Activity Sheet’ and the ‘Hidden Narratives Reflection Sheet’ are needed and can be used either printed or digitally. The questions and answers can also be written in the players’ notebooks or computers.
PLAY-SPACE SET-UP
If at home for the interview, tell the players that their Play-Space should be a safe and comfortable space for both the interviewer and interviewee. It should be a quiet and calm space.
If in the classroom/workshop for the interview, ensure players have a space of their own to conduct their interview.
For the group discussion, arrange the classroom/workshop Play-Space, so you are all seated in a circle.
Method
LET’S EXPLORE!
Introduce players to the recipe - see the ‘About’ section.
INTERVIEW
This section can be played both in the classroom/workshop or at home:
1. Explain to the players that they need to find a friend or family member they would like to interview. They need to ask them if they are happy to be interviewed.
If you are playing in the classroom, you could allocate them each a partner, so they interview each other in pairs.
2. Explain to them that the player’s peer, friend or family member will need to choose and provide a clothing item, shoes or accessory that is important to them.
If you are playing in the classroom, they will need to have brought in this item already.
This item of clothing they choose could be:
Something they love to wear very often.
Something they have owned for a very long time.
Something they have kept but no longer wear.
Something they wore to a special occasion/event
or to celebrate a milestone.
Something that was given to them by a family member or friend.
But there are many other reasons why they might choose a clothing item!
3. Explain that players need to interview their peer, friend or family member about this clothing item.
Players use the Hidden Narratives Interview Sheet for the questions to ask the friend/family member.
The interviewee needs to have this clothing item in front of them while the player interviews them.
TIPS!
During the interview, they can either:
Write their answers down on the activity sheet straight away.
OR
Take notes first in a notebook. Afterwards, they can write their answers
on this sheet, either printed or digitally or on other paper.
These questions are just a guide.
As the players ask the interviewee the questions on the sheet, more questions will arise.
Encourage players to keep asking their own questions while they are conducting their interview.
Optional:
Players can record their interview. They can use a recording device so that they can rewatch or relisten to the interview afterwards. You (the adult) might need to help them record the interview.
Players can take photos or videos of the garment to document their interview.
REFLECT
This can be completed in class or by themselves.
4. Players use the Hidden Narratives Reflection Sheet after their interview to reflect on their discoveries.
DISCUSS
This section should be played together as a group:
5. Facilitate a group discussion with the players in a group setting. Use the questions from the interview sheet as prompts.
Players can show everyone their activity sheet, reflection sheet, interview findings/notes and/or the interview recording.
LET’S KEEP COOKING!
Players can use these interview questions to explore one of their own clothing items. They can fill out the questions themselves, or have someone else interview them.
This could be another recipe you could complete!