In view of the president’s state of the union
address, our nation is facing a crisis. It is a crisis of apathy on all
fronts really- warfare, elections, healthcare, unemployment and yes, even
fashion. We all have our areas of expertise. I will not pretend to
be a political or social expert and waste your time with my trivial opinion on
the state of the nation with regard to these important areas. I am a
fashion editor and therefore my focus will be on the crisis of apathy towards
one’s personal style. This is one of the few things we have direct and
immediate control over and yet it is being shamelessly neglected by a good
majority of the people. The fashion that I am writing about is not the outfits
you find on the Parisian catwalks, rather it's the clothes you wear every
day. The thing that most people fail to realize is that fashion is a
reflection of who you are on the inside. Just as your feelings are an
indicator of your internal environment, your fashion also speaks volumes on how
you see yourself and how the world sees you as well. The context for your
fashion choice is also essential. For example, if fashion could speak on
your behalf, what would an old flannel shirt, shorts and dingy sneakers
say? If you were wearing them to go hiking or to do some garden work, it
would say, ‘I enjoy the outdoors and being around nature’- perfectly
acceptable. But if you wore that same outfit to a fine restaurant, it
would state (in a low and depressing voice), ‘Deep down I’m ashamed of how I
look. Maybe if I pretend that I don’t care about how I look, people will
think it’s cool. I’ll make up for it with my wit and sparkling personality.’
I
am not talking about wearing Dolce or Armani. What you wear is a personal
statement that reveals your uniqueness and creativity and has nothing to do
with expensive brand names. Good taste and impeccable style are gifts
that we each hold. Somewhere along the line, we have built apathy towards
our outer appearance believing for some God forsaken reason that it does not
matter. You dressed up for that job interview and, once hired, dressed up
for the first few days of work. Through fashion, you told your work peers
that you were sharp, on it and completely put together. Then you became
more complacent about your appearance, eventually wearing wrinkled, mismatched
clothes thinking no one would notice. Business attire turned casual until
one day, and every day after, you started bringing that big, comfy, ugly
sweater to the office. Your fashion is now screaming, ‘I don’t give a
flying duck (spelling auto-correct) about work. Put me out of my misery
and fire me already.’ Another example: You finally found someone
that you are really into. You take your time getting ready for the first
date, picking the perfect outfit. Maybe you went shopping for new clothes
or shoes or maybe you took your favorite outfit to the cleaners. Whatever
the case, you made sure your outfit said loud and clear, ‘I am hot. If
you choose to be with me out of the millions of other people out there, you
won’t ever look back baby.’ Flash forward a year later when you seem to
live in t-shirts and sweats and your partner can’t even remember the last time
you got dressed up. Your clothes, and you yourself are saying, ‘Things
have become routine, boring and stagnant. Maybe we should take a break
from each other for a little while…’
Do
the clothes make the man or does the man make the clothes? Maybe it is a
‘which came first, the chicken or the egg’ kind of question, in which case, who
really gives a ship (spelling auto-correct). What matters is that they
are definitely related. It is time to choose the clothes that are an
exact representation of who you want to be; correction, of who you really are.
Why? For the sake of career advancement and opportunity, for the sake of
a long and stimulating relationship, for the sake of your child who dies of
embarrassment every time you pick him up from school, and so that arrogant
Maître D will stop giving you that beady eyed glare already.
Now
that I have given you the ‘why,’ it is time to start listing the ‘how.’
FASHION
TIPS:
1.
Take an hour to look through your closet. Your closet is where you house
the clothes that you have collected over the years, some you currently wear,
some you would not be caught dead in now, and others that just do not really
speak to you anymore. It is time to turn your closet into a functioning
wardrobe. Separate the clothes that know you will never wear anymore and
donate them. I do not think I need to tell you to throw away any shirts,
socks or underwear with stains or holes on them, but just in case. TMI, I
know.
2.
Now that you have pared down your clothes some, perhaps you will need to shop
for a few items to complete your wardrobe. Have fun shopping and do not
rush the experience. Let the pieces call to you. Avoid the sales
racks or online shopping at this time because you will just be setting yourself
up for acquiring a so-so article of clothing that will go to the donation pile
in the near future.
3.
Wear clothes that give you confidence. Nothing says more confidence than
clothes that fit perfectly. Find the right size so it is not too tight or
loose and that it is the perfect length- right below the ankle for pants and
right below the hip for suit jackets. For shirts and blazers, make sure
that the shoulder measurements are correct. If needed, find a good,
inexpensive tailor to make the necessary adjustments. Note: The cost of
tailoring the outfit should not be more than the outfit itself.
4.
Do not be afraid to be daring and original. As long as the end style is a
true reflection of who you really are, feel free to diverge from what is
trending now. Like Macklemore said in his Thrift Shop song, do not be one
of those dozen people at a party who pays fifty dollars for the same damn
t-shirt. Choose the clothes that you want to wear and put your own
personal swag into it. By swag, I do not mean ‘silly wild ass
guess.’ While it is difficult to describe, it definitely embodies style,
confidence and a willingness to be different and you just know it when you see
it. I typed in the search word ‘swag’ and came across this link to Millennium,
a music group: www.WhoIsMillennium.com/photo. After
checking out their photos, well, let's just say you get a sense of just how
adventurous personal fashion can get. It is important to note that your
personal style may change over time. That is okay because it means that
you are changing and growing as well and that is a good thing.
It is time to collectively shake off
the sweats and the mounting lethargy. To go from a country of stagnation
to Swag-Nation. To begin to know in our hearts that we can change the
world for the better, one article of clothing at a time. Once our personal
truths are no longer suppressed but reflected in our style, we may be better
equipped, not to mention better dressed, to tackle our nation’s issues.
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