001 garment love
I love acquiring clothes. My interest in clothing and fabrication began at a young age, when my wonderful mother taught me how to sew. Learning the process of textile joinery made me aware of garments as deeper objects. I sometimes add to my wardrobe purely based on if i lack the garment’s materials or pattern styles. All a product of my delight in working with textiles. It seems now, people aren't as interested in the makeup of the fabrics they wear, but to me it is necessary to enjoy both the physicality of a garment and the feeling you get from wearing it.
Adding pieces to a closet purely based on self fulfillment is a difficult milestone. Not every person is privileged enough to know themself thoroughly, much more live in an environment where it is safe to know and express themself. But it's a privilege I do not want to squander. I started exploring clothing more seriously in 2020. Beginning with finding pieces I never thought to own, then editing and remaking pieces to look like something I liked online. As I expanded beyond my initial curiosity, my outlook on presentation began to switch. I wanted to be happy in all the clothes I owned, even on an off day or when I didn't plan an outfit. I wanted to not necessarily look good, but feel good. So I started making cuts to my wardrobe and opened auditions for my closet.
Now, when I go shopping I think of some nebulous rules when considering a potential addition: IS IT UGLY? IS IT COMFY? WHAT ELSE DOES IT EMULATE? DO I NEED IT? IS IT NEW TO ME? These questions help my mind stay open to new things and prompt me to think about where a garment would fit in my expanding collection. It's important to me that my wardrobe has longevity. Only getting things you think are ‘forever pieces’ is a good way to not fall victim to trend tunnel-vision, with the added bonus that those pieces will likely last you longer materially. So often, people get lost in the density of media they are shown. It's a pillar of the fast fashion machine. Overstimulating the public with trends, influences, and ads. Show off the social capital they would gain from acquiring new clothes and subscribing to the current moment. People hyperfocus on one style or a specific garment, and overconsume when they find it. But do you truly get use out of thirty ultra specific, seasonal items in slightly different makes? No. After buying multiples of a trendy item, the storm passes, you suddenly realize there is nothing to participate in the current trend. A corporation gets your money and the cycle repeats. This is not to say that some ‘trendy’ clothes don't hold longevity or are all bad, but it highlights the benefits of prioritized personal style. Getting one or a few of a garment style that truly makes you happy is not affected by trends, but your own evolution in what makes you happy.
Focusing on personal style is a growing topic, and despite the buzz, I hope it is a real shift in how we interact with clothes. I love seeing people just wear exactly what makes them feel happy. I want designers to be designers, not idea machines bastardized for profit. Getting the clothes that make you happy is getting the clothes you need. And the best way to fight fast fashion is simply not consuming as many garments as you are told you need. I want to enjoy every aspect of my expression, and for me, that often starts with garments I love. So, start experimenting with your clothes. It might make you happier or attract cooler people or find an entirely new look or maybe, just maybe, exacerbate your superiority complex.
p.s. if you think somethings ugly u should probably get it ;0