I wasn’t sure I’d like this, based on the description- that Worn Stories is a docuseries (based on the New York Times bestseller by Emily Spivack) about personal connections that people have to certain articles of clothing. I thought, “meh.” But I was focused on the “clothing” part of the description and, happily, the series focuses on the “people” part. That’s what makes it SO good!
You can randomly stop any passerby on the street and discover, if you ask the right questions, that they invariably have a fascinating story to tell. In Worn Stories, the idea of using clothing is just a clever device to get us through the door and into the lives of a fascinating array of people.
The series of 8 half-hour episodes glides by like a breeze. Each episode has a theme (uniforms, lost and found, love, etc.) but I didn’t even pay attention to what they were – I was too busy clicking the “next episode” button and just enjoying the company.
There are some VIP’s sprinkled in the mix: Charo, an astronaut, even the muscle-bound saxophonist who those of us over 40 remember as Tina Turner’s man. He was so iconic in the 80s that he’s been parodied. He’s an archetype. Actually, he’s now an old guy with a paunch, but his spirit breaks through the screen, and the article of clothing in his story is…well, you’ll see.
Wisely, the filmmakers give the celebrities the same treatment as the guy just released from prison, or the elderly widow who’s about to go on a date – everyone is on equal ground, and everyone is equally interesting.
Even now as I watch the trailer, I think to myself, “well, maybe I’d watch, but…” It’s just one of those things that’s better to experience than to explain. So, I’ll stop.
Worn Stories is currently streaming on Netflix. Reviewed by Kyle Osborne
