Feeding your Fashion Psyche Part I
After almost a two month break, I've finally set aside a few minutes of my day for blogging. During the hiatus, I spent weeks reflecting on feeding my lackluster fashion mind. Immersed in this era of fast fashion, paired with the abundance of revolutionary technology, I couldn't help but feel a lack of genuine, jaw-dropping, heart pounding inspiration. Where are those butterflies in my stomach? What about those goosebumps I felt after seeing my first sketch come to life? I caught myself browsing through millions of blogs and never feeling satisfied. Every image was better than the latter. More importantly, it was somewhat of a passive behavior that had encompassed and almost hindered my creativity. Yet, it sounds counterproductive doesn't it? Access to a surplus of fashion should fill your mind with endless variations of colors, prints and above all, successful design.What is the problem? Well, I think you end up losing yourself in a world of constant stimuli and stop creating.
In the field of psychology, the word psyche refers to the "totality of the mind, conscious and unconscious". So, how to you feed your fashion psyche? In my opinion, its a three step process.
Step 1: Get off the internet for a few hours. ( this especially applies to addicts like me, that spend hours on fashion blogs) Perhaps you can begin by gradually diminishing the amount of time you are online each day.
Step 2: Pamper yourself & Exercise
( I know you might be thinking...what does this have to do with fashion? )
( I know you might be thinking...what does this have to do with fashion? )
 |
| Bath & Body Works Stress Relief Collection |
In my experience I felt bombarded with stressors ( work, school, etc.) and I tried to compensate with shopping or online window shopping. But the most helpful ritual for me was taking my time with the basics. Taking a long bath once in a while. Light a candle, put on relaxing music, the works! It helps you realize that you are human and you need to appreciate the small things.
 |
| Make-up artist Kristin Sepulveda at her best |
In addition to luxurious bath time, I went a step further.What I did was contact my friend Kristen Sepulveda and asked her to try a new look on me! I never knew that pink would actually work for my lips.
Secondly, if you pair exercise with pampering, you can never go wrong. Yoga, Pilates, running or even just taking a walk, totally clear your head.
Step 3: Wear something you like.
I know this may sound like a bit much but take some time in your busy morning to wear something you really love. Something that you know looks great. It can be jewelry or even your favorite eye shadow. For example, my mornings feel like i'm chasing a tornado. But I realized that I needed to just spend time on me. I started to wake up 10 minutes earlier just to pick out something that I knew would help me feel better throughout the day. I have these feather earrings that I love and this new lip gloss.You'd be surprised at how much better your morning is with coffee and a nice outfit!
Step 4: Blank sheet of paper.
Once you have spent a few days of achieving step 1,2 & 3, its time for the drawing board. Yes, this at first glance may only apply to fashion designers but hear me out. Close your eyes and have a blank sheet of paper in front of you. Think about the things that make you happy. You can write them down or sketch them. From there, if you really try hard enough, you can succeed in finding pure creativity.
Stay Tuned:
I'd love to share my findings with you next time! I hope this helps and brings a fresh new perspective to the world of fashion. I'd love to hear your suggestions.. Good luck!
 |
| Finally turning a new fashion leaf!! Thanks Kristin for the makeup it was amazing! |
References:
Fashion, Culture and Identity by Fred Davis