Let’s have a chat. I’ve been feeling a little less than inspired lately, and I’m trying to parse out how I can rejuvenate my creativity.
I used to dress like a badass. Not an actual badass with, like, leather and studs and stuff, but with a lot of attitude and spirit. Lately, I’ve been phoning it in big time. It bums me out, because I used to freakin’ shine, and I loved it. Getting dressed was a game of joyful expression that I got to play every single day.
I mean, look at how excited I am to wear this batshit crazy handmade outfit!
Now, I’m not so concerned with what I’m wearing each day, in spite of the fact that I’ve been adding new handmades to the closet almost weekly. What gives?
One theory:
Every time I watch Project Runway or the like with my mom, she has the same complaint. “Why do so many fashion designers dress like crap?” Not all of them do, but in general, for a creative group of people who are knowledgeable of and care specifically for fashion, they can be a bit… underwhelming in their sartorial choices.
And for the first time, I may understand it a little bit. When you’re so focused on the next thing you’re creating and dreaming up, what you put on your body today seems secondary. The creative drive moves from the present to the future. Once a garment is completed, it’s old news, and you’re already imagining your next 6 makes. I’ve been feeling like instead of each completed garment being a victory, it’s a hurdle I’ve jumped over. It was just something in the way of the next idea.
So, with that in mind, I’m going to take up the Me Made May challenge.
I know, I know: played out, excessive, no1curr, and Insta-clogging But I need the push to care about the things that I wear, to remember that the way I dress makes a difference in my mood, and that wearing my handmade garments should be a source of pride. I need to be pushed out of my default mode and take some creative fashion risks again.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much time before May to add any practical garments to my handmade stash. The priority has been a dress for a family wedding, so I’ll have to make a run of it with what I’ve got which, let’s be real, is pretty much in the spirit of the whole thing anyway.
This dress is worth all the time wasted last week!
My goal is to wear only garments that are me-made (or dramatically altered by me) for all of May. (I can’t with any kind of “pledge,” because I’m not a boy scout and all.)
Whether this works as a pick-me-up is incidental. As long as I’m engaging with something creatively, I’m not worried about closet malaise. But I would like to recapture some of my sartorial whimsy. (ALL THE WHIMSY, FOLKS.)
Floral brocade with polka dots! So much whimsy!
If anyone has any thoughts on wardrobe blindness, handmade fatigue, and the expiration date on Me-Made-May, I’d love to hear about it. And if you follow me on Instagram, prepare yourself for daily parade of poorly lit selfies. You’re welcome.
Good for you! I tend to wear the same 3-4 shirts and the same 2-3 pairs of jeans/slacks on a weekly basis. I don’t think you suffer from such wardrobe malaise. 🙂 I’m so excited to see what you come up with and that last outfit is awesome!!!!
Just wait until I’m dredging the depths of my closet by the end of the month–should be entertaining for you!
So crazy – P. just said something like this to me last night! I was trying on a couple dresses to see what I should wear to the wedding this weekend, which really means, “Which of these still fit?” He was like, “Wow, you haven’t done that in a long time.” But I realized I just don’t care anymore. If I wear a boring black dress, fine. Styling outfits isn’t the fun experience it used to be…for the exact same reason you described! Every iota of thought and time I can muster go into writing Natalie’s series. I have nothing left over for fashion. Or cooking. Or a bunch of other stuff I used to enjoy. On one hand, yay, we found something that really ignites our creative drive! On the other, life is now just two gears for me: “WRITING!” and “STUPID S*&^ I HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH UNTIL I CAN GET BACK TO WRITING.” Hopefully you aren’t this extreme…and I can’t wait to see all your May outfits. Holy crap, that orange top/pink skirt/turquoise necklace combo is awesome!
Dude, I don’t want the most fabulous person I know to not care about fashion, but I want that next book, so no shade here! Can’t wait to see what amazing thing you pull out for the wedding!
Im excited for the Insta-clogging in May! And I love all of your brightly colored ensembles from the days of yore. LOL. Sometimes we all just hit a rut. Ive been trying to get myself out of my “rarely blow dry my hair/barely any makeup/dont give 2 sh&ts” yoga pant rut. 3 weeks ago I went to the hair salon for a badly needed cut and decided to start spending the time/$ to cover up all my many greys again. The dye job and a manicure helped and Im starting to care more again, even if my husband didn’t even notice that my hair was 6 inches shorter 😉 A good outfit/haircut can give us so much more confidence to conquer the day! You’ll catch your stride in May, Im sure!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Claire! And good for you for taking care of yourself! A little self-care can do a world of good.