Allgemein, Daring fashion, Fashion, Fashion history, Social Commentary

Daring to be YOU

“What it means to wear whatever you want and everyone’s reaction to it.”

All my life I have been on the quest to be authentically and unapologetically myself and not care if I am completely mainstream or so far off of sanity island that a straight jacket is waiting for me.

But actually, not caring is hard y’all!

It’s a long road of self doubt and even self hatred at times. Every little thing I was insecure about, especially with my clothing, was on full display when I threw caution to the wind.

So why did I put myself through that? Why have a neon sign over my head that said “COME JUDGE ME!”?

Because once all of the insecurities lifted, I felt invincible. Even side glances and snarky remarks rolled off of me. My own reassurance was enough to make me happy and confident. When people started to notice my changed attitude the compliments came tumbling in. As if all of the doubt was a test to see if I could stand my ground and having now earned the compliment they were withholding for so long.

I’m going to be honest, the road to not giving a F**k is going to be long and rough, but it is worth every second of suffering. At the end of that sometimes seemingly endless tunnel is a beautiful view of yourself, unfiltered by the hate of the own body.

Loving yourself means being your very own drill sergeant, pushing and pulling to make you better and booty camp ain’t glamorous. It is necessary for the road of self discovery and advancing within ourselves.

Dare to be yourself, not a copy of another image. The You who is bold, the You who is shy, the You who is scared, and the You who is taking the world by storm.

And you never know maybe that You will inspire someone else to become their own version.

Allgemein, Fashion, Social Commentary

“Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.”

How the media shapes and influences the fashion industry

We all know the famous quote by Miranda Priestly in the Devil wears Prada but its not just a fun gimmick made up for a perfectly quotable movie. It goes much deeper than that, so much so that movies like that have not only become a fun recreational activity but influence the people who are being targeted by the Fashion Industry, the Consumer. Wether its Chers’ amazing plaid two piece from Clueless or Andreas Chanel Boots in the Devil wears Prada, movies and the media shape the collective mind of a generation of consumers.

In the last ten years it even extended into the social media sites where Ootds’ are posted in fabulous locations, instagrams influencers being marketed as ambassadors to brands to reach the new customer wave. The glitz and glam of the Fashion industry has become both more accessible and more out of reach than ever before. Since these influencers are paid to make it look like they are out in their own element and portraying their every day lives. A super saturated version of their everyday lives. Nonetheless it is infectious to believe in the smoke screen of these fabulous clothes and events, in the make believe that we too could wear that and have amazing adventures if we only buy those just dropped Balenciaga shoes.

As consumers we buy as much the illusion as the item of our dreams, and in a sense that has always been the truth about fashion. We clothe ourselves in exquisite fabrics to dream and to interpret an artists vision. Clothes are only a small fragment of the actual fashion industry, the Art behind it all is the actual selling point. What makes a designer a success is the whimsical way they create their unique illusions and make us as consumers want to take part in their Dreams.

Allgemein, Social Commentary

Exit Signs and Identity Crisis

Are we looking for our next exit out of an uncomfortable situation? I think the question should be: When are we not?

For most of us Life has a way of making good choices nearly impossible. We plan to clean our apartments. We plan to get the groceries. We plan to work in the field we’ve studied. But mostly there is a hurdle in the way to everyday life, and that hurdle is our own minds.

Okay. So maybe our minds aren’t stopping us from getting groceries (although I’ve definitely been too lazy to go, even though I had no food in the house) but isn’t it the underlying factor to every decision we make where we choose the safe route. That we stick it out a bit longer until we go for that other job, since the tips at the restaurant are really good right now. We block the success we could have because we are afraid to be left with even less than before. So how do we get out of this cycle of broken dreams and coffee stained blouses from another shift at the local Coffee Shop?

The answer to that is next to impossible to pin down. Whereas some people are born risk takers and have no shame in asking for financial support, I am of a different breed. Rather eating cream cheese out of a carton than ask for help from parents or friends, is probably not the best way to go about in life. Yet here I am struggling with multiple jobs as if I was trying to collect shells on the beach, each one serving a specific purpose. Can I learn to let go and fill my life not only with the worry of failure and go on to live life to its full potential?

The answer to that should be yes, but every time I have to submit an article or read an essay aloud in class, I am terrified of what people may think of me. Because the writing is not just a part of me, it is me. Fully and completely inhabiting me; using me as a vessel to get the story out.

So as I sit at a coffee shop editing, or on my bed writing something completely new, there are always thoughts of insecurity. The only difference to my younger self is that I have learned to acknowledge it and then throw it out the metaphorical window. Even though the doubts and fear are ever present I have not stopped writing. Bravery doesn’t come from the absence of fear, it is our choice to be brave.

So be brave and believe in who you are.

Life may be blocking some roads for you and if your mind gangs up with it, remind it who’s the boss. Don’t let your insecurities stop you from accomplishing your goals, there are always people who will do that for you.