Fashion as Inspiration

"Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live."

— Gianni Versace

Fashion inspires our lives, and our lives inspire our fashion. We dress as an expression of who we are and what we feel. We dress to impress or to deter. We dress to say "Hey this is who i am and this is what i believe in."  This week i interviewed 3 people, Kathy Mayer, Cameron Mohler, and Suzanne Dennis, to see why they dress the way they do. The reason why i interviewed these 3 people is because i feel like they all have very similar styles, with noticeable differences but over all very similar. The questions i asked them were:

1. How do you describe your style?
2. What inspires you as a person?
3. What inspires your style?
4. If you could have anything in your wardrobe, what would it be?
5. Does your clothing style fit your life style? If so how

 Kathy Mayer is a senior apparel design and fashion merchandising student. Her responses were:

1. I would describe my style as ever evolving.  I think it is fun to sort of 'dress the part', meaning I like to dress differently depending on what I will be doing that day, or who I will be surrounded by.  It depends on my mood or by what is inspiring me.  
2. I am personally inspired by people, successful people, people in my life, characters, people who aren't in my life, people who changed the world, made an impact.  I feel as though I can learn so much by everyone because we are all individuals, all different.  
3. My style is inspired by what I see around me, whether it be street style or different forms of media (music, movies, tv).  Take note that this is never necessarily about trends or the present.  Many times I am inspired by 'vintage' seen in old family photos, movies, silhouettes and styling.  Somehow, vintage styles inspires me because of the times.  I once read about a girl from California who always dressed really nice in early 60s style skirts and dresses, heels, hair done up, the whole image.  When she would walk around the city, she said that men would always open doors for her, and act like real gentlemen.  This story impacted me because men really did look at women differently in the 60s, women weren't really seen then as they are today.  I would love to time travel back to the early 60s and after reading this story its kind of like I can, if I dress the part.
4. I would love to have a vintage fur coat in my closet.  It would mean the world to me if I had a fur coat from my grandma. The idea of having something so elegant with a story and history behind it means a lot to me.
5. My clothing fits my lifestyle, because, like I said, it is ever evolving.  I feel as though I can dress a part no matter what that might be.  Right now, I really love the Ivy League look which fits well because I am in college.  Sometimes I look around and wish that everyone was dressed in that way, like in the book Take Ivy.  

 

Cameron Mohler is, obviously a guy, studying apparel design and he is a junior.  His answers, were short and to the point, but they were:

1. Urban punk with a touch of class...aka the urban gentleman.
2. Nothing to specific but just the fact that I know one day that I'll be doing something that I love to do.
3. A lot of my style comes from my love of formal wear and the vastly growing urban, self sustaining, local shopping, and simplicity.
4. Suits for days. 
5. It does but one day number four will be the primary look for me 

 

Suzanne Dennis is a junior studying apparel design and fashion merchandising.  Her answers were:

1. I would describe my style as eclectic vintage. I try to never wear the same outfit twice, I like mixing and matching all of my stuff and shopping for vintage or used clothes. Making "ugly" clothes cute is my hobby.
2. Music inspires me a lot, as well as nature, the past, and the people in my life.
3. Music also inspires my style, I like vintagy artists like She & Him, The Pierces, and Adele. I love the 50's and the 40's glamor.  I am also inspired by street style and some celebrities, like Zooey Deschanel and Sara Bareilles. Mostly I'm just inspired by the way I feel on any given day.
4. I would love love love to have a dress from Elie Saab's Fall 2011 Couture collection.
5. It does, being a college student I generally like to wear clothes that make me feel comfortable, but also allow me to express myself.  Being in a band and performing is a huge part of my life also, and I feel as though my style conveys my identity when I'm onstage as well.