Cheryl Shops

As much as I poke fun at the New York Times' Styles section for being a bit behind on news (hey, did you hear bloggers go to fashion shows?), I must give them props for their reporting, which is what truly gives the Gray Lady her strong reputation. And the Times dropped a doozy on H&M today with this article on how H&M mutilates unsold clothing and then leaves it out in the garbage. The blogosphere reaction has ranged from outrage to "Everybody does it", and H&M has already issued a statement on their Facebook page (which, by the way, is filled with countless "Shame on you" comments), explaining that this is not company practice, and they're looking into it. Of course, the obvious reaction is disgust, especially considering the thousands of homeless and/or impoverished people out there who could use a warm coat and clean clothes; even if throwing out clothes seems like a cheaper option (than, say, shipping them back to a warehouse somewhere), most charities will come pick up a sizable donation and give you a form so you can deduct the expense on your taxes. In other words, there's really no excuse for this. Whether or not it's standard industry practice, hopefully this incident will force retailers to become more responsible.

On a happier note, I'm always pleased to see my fellow bloggers hit the big time, so props to Bryanboy for his charming article in Paper about his trip to Michigan last fall. Bryanboy is fabulous enough to sit front row at Dolce & Gabbana, yes, but he's also witty and sweet and, as this article reveals, entirely human.