The modern Irish Republic celebrates its first 100 years 2016. What better time to to hear from the first Irish female ambassador to Washington. Plus, a Donegal Tweed handspinner, a Connemara wedding designer & an Irishwoman whose knitting needles stared a national business in America.

Music used in this episode:

Atlan - The Cat That Ate the Candle

Slainte - Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy

The Poozies - Crooked Road to Dublin

The Poozies - Mr. Grapes

Niamh Parsons - Katie Campell

Meisce - Sean Reilly live at KEXP

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

The Seams is produced by Katie McAuliffe. Our show is edited by Kitty Eisele with production help from Ramona Martinez, Elaine Heinzman and Georgi Goldstein.

In honor of Veterans Day, we hear about the style signatures of a modern mercenary, Airborne Ranger, and D.C. alpha male; talk camouflage sports uniforms with ESPN's Paul Lukas; and get war stories from war reporters, whose memories have been turned into works of art.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

"My Life Extra," DJ Technics, amzn.to/20JKjfD;

"Paper Moon," David Schulman, bit.ly/1kmNFVo;

"Miss You," Trentemøller, bit.ly/1AST5fF;

"Masquerade Suite," Neeme Järvi and Scottish National Orchestra, amzn.to/1M3Q14m;

"The Planets Op. 32: Mars, Bringer of War," James Levine and Chicago Symphony Orchestra," amzn.to/1lizpNI;

"Blood Bitch," Cocteau Twins, amzn.to/1RLbHnv;

"Take It As It Come (Afrodisiac Soundsystem Remix)," Sugarman 3 & Co. featuring Charles Bradley, bit.ly/1kmOEVM;

"March: Semper Fidelis," U.S. Marine Band, bit.ly/1RLc8yc;

"Infogee's Cakewalk," Vijay Iyer, amzn.to/1MxA9sv.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Marcus Rosenbaum. Intern: Georgi Goldstein.

We explore the transformative force that is fashion in conversations with Joe Zee, the stylist-reality TV guy-Yahoo! Style editor, who’s just published a memoir; the women on the catwalk and in the audience of the Ebony Fashion Fair; and E.P. Cutler, the historian and critic behind the new book Art + Fashion: Collaborations and Connections between Icons.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

“Café Con Sangre (Bombafunk 'n Salsa),” Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, apple.co/1Wk9UfA;

“Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud),” James Brown, amzn.to/1RCRBeT;

“We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up,” Ice Cube, apple.co/1WlYr9T;

“Gentleman,” Fela Kuti, bit.ly/1NDzRiC;

“Dress You Up,” Madonna, amzn.to/20dT3ub.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Cindy Carpien. Intern: Georgi Goldstein.

Support for this episode comes from Feel Good Yarn Company, a Martha Stewart American Made finalist, and the creator of SilverSpun, an American made cotton yarn spun with pure silver. SilverSpun: the strength of cotton, the feeling of cashmere, the healing properties of silver. Learn more at FeelGoodYarnCompany.com.

Previewing the New York spring 2016 collections, both creativity- and business-wise, with Maureen Callahan of the New York Post; talking high-low fashion from Madison Avenue to Jamaica Avenue, Queens, with Cintra Wilson; and looking forward and backward at futuristic fashion predictions with Véronique Hyland of New York magazine.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

"Champagne Supernova," matt pond PA, bit.ly/1XKtuQa;

"The Fifth Element (A Bomb in the Hôtel)," Hollywood Pictures Orchestra, amzn.to/1JSMGSm.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Marcus Rosenbaum. Intern: Georgi Goldstein.

Support for this episode comes from Feel Good Yarn Company, a Martha Stewart American Made finalist, and the creator of SilverSpun, an American made cotton yarn spun with pure silver. SilverSpun: the strength of cotton, the feeling of cashmere, the healing properties of silver. Learn more at FeelGoodYarnCompany.com.

Fall style statements, from football uniforms (like the University of Oregon's new glow-in-the-dark ones) to best sellers for kids and who men are dressing to impress.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

"Yeah (Pretentious Mix)," LCD Soundsystem, bit.ly/1JmFeyB;

"In Summer," bit.ly/1JzIZAb;

"The Game," Common, amzn.to/1F0RaUX;

"Ladyshave," Gus Gus, amzn.to/1PBe7Uf.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Marcus Rosenbaum. Intern: Georgi Goldstein. Web designer: Jess D'Amico.

Support for this episode comes from Feel Good Yarn Company, a Martha Stewart American Made finalist, and the creator of SilverSpun, an American made cotton yarn spun with pure silver. SilverSpun: the strength of cotton, the feeling of cashmere, the healing properties of silver. Learn more at FeelGoodYarnCo.com.

From the U.S. presidential race to the Vanity Fair International Best-Dressed List, we explore fashion as political science.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

“Hail to the Chief," Network Music Ensemble, apple.co/1Leza0T; “1901,” Phoenix, apple.co/1JZtfLx;

"1st Rhapsody for Violin and Piano, Part 2," Matt Haimovitz, amzn.to/1PsvGGH.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Marcus Rosenbaum. Intern: Georgi Goldstein.

Support for this episode comes from Feel Good Yarn Company, a Martha Stewart American Made finalist, and the creator of SilverSpun, an American made cotton yarn spun with pure silver. SilverSpun: the strength of cotton, the feeling of cashmere, the healing properties of silver. Learn more at FeelGoodYarnCompany.com.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has mandated better access for the disabled in so many areas, but what about fashion? Advocates and student designers discuss what the fashion industry is, or could be, doing for differently abled bodies.

Our theme song, "Fortune Cookie," is by Los Straitjackets from their album The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets and is used on The Seams with permission from the band: bit.ly/1IbUNth.

Music used in this episode:

“Portland,” Benzos, amzn.to/1KIO24o;

“Hard to Feel,” Benzos, amzn.to/1KIO24o;

“Cadê O Clayton,” Antonio Pinto, apple.co/1OHxr1U;

“Happiness,” MarchFourth Marching Band, cdbaby.com/cd/marchfourth4.

Write us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Producer: Elaine Heinzman. Editor: Cindy Carpien. Intern: Georgi Goldstein.

Support for this episode comes from Feel Good Yarn Company, a Martha Stewart American Made finalist, and the creator of SilverSpun, an American made cotton yarn spun with pure silver. SilverSpun: the strength of cotton, the feeling of cashmere, the healing properties of silver. Learn more at FeelGoodYarnCo.com.