For the Love of Fashion (and myself)
(P.S., I have to apologize in advance for apparently not being able to control my hair-touching. A fresh haircut, thank you Topher at Arrojo!, = lots of "ooh, my hair feels so nice today"s.)
Topshop batwing top, Topshop shorts, Miu Miu & Chanel Bracelets, Miu Miu Satchel, ASOS Wedge Desert Boots
Canon 5D with 50mm lens
And now, for something a little different. Bear with me.
I've made a pretty conscious decision not to discuss body politics in this space before, but for a number of reasons, I feel compelled to talk about it right now. Between the Marie Claire blog fiasco, my upcoming trip to LA for Full Figured Fashion Week(end), and interpersonal conflicts and conversations revolving around the body, this has been at the absolute forefront of my consciousness.
I have and always will maintain that my style and my relationship to fashion is not determined or dictated by my body. If there's a style or particular garment I love (or even like), that I can't easily find to fit my curves or my fat (and I say this lovingly, not self-deprecatingly), I modify, customize, and unleash my creativity to simply make it work. I refuse to be limited by off-the-rack options. Fashion is a huge part of who I am, personally and professionally, and frankly I'd be doing myself an enormous disservice by writing off companies, designers, and even fashion magazines and editorials that only cater to people "like me."
Suffice to say, I'm able to find inspiration everywhere, and in a strange way, I think my blog has served similar purposes for others - and not just "others" who look like me or share grievances about finding a dress that perfectly fits their boobs or adequately covers their ass. I take pride in the fact that my reader base is extremely diverse - not just in body type but in style, nationality, writing style... The feedback and personal stories that I've encountered through this blog have been incredibly powerful in my relationship to body politics.
My desire and wish for the fashion industry is that people can feel empowered as they are (short, tall, wide, gaunt, whatever), rather than using fashion as a tool to propel self-hatred or mask unwanted features or hide "problem areas," (but, i'm realistic: all consumer-based industries use insecurities to fuel buying of problem-solving solutions). Without letting myself get too distracted by one of many tangents, my hope is that by being active and vocal in this space, as so many others have been doing for years, I can chip away little-by-little at the expectations of what it means (and looks like) to be a young woman in the fashion industry. I know I'm not a size 2- or even a 10- and truthfully, I can't say that I aspire to be. Trust me, I've heard every criticism of this there can possibly be, and 50% can be rebutted by arguing that people are projecting their own insecurities onto whoever it is they're criticizing. If someone is unhappy with their own body, that's fine, and absolutely something people are entitled to - and they're entitled to make whatever changes they feel are necessary, but dictating or preaching what one thinks is necessary for others? Please, no.
I'm many things the fashion industry has, for over a century, dictated I should not be. But I am. This isn't to say I love every-single-thing about myself; I don't, and I'd be hard-pressed to find ANYONE that does. Regardless, those little details and points of contention with me (physically) and "the industry" aren't enough to deter me from continuing to be involved in a world I love and adore; yes, even as, people will correctly critique, it is a world that isn't designed for a zaftig, Semitic, gay girl like myself to flourish in. Maybe this is just slightly tinged with youthful idealism, but the disdain a certain Marie Claire columnist may have for my "unflattering" tops (see above for photographic examples) are far less valuable, and in my mind, less powerful, than my talent, hard work, and genuine love for fashion and design. I don't expect or hope to succeed in spite of my differences, I know I'll succeed, and in large part, I owe credit to those very differences that set me apart.