What do you use to inspire an outfit? You come up with such great looks!
Everything and anything. Literally. I am visual person, and gain inspiration from sources such as: art books/museums, magazines, coffee table books, history books, blogs, people I see on the street, and even the imagery I create in my head while reading. I love fashion from all eras, including the present, so if I see a garment or look I think I could work, I give it a shot.
However, for the sake of specificity, I gain probably the most inspiration from movies, particularly the older movies regular readers know I love. I think I become most inspired this way because when I watch a movie, I not only see an image of a garment, but also its movements and interactions with an environment. Not that an image cannot provide these. Movement just makes them richer. I most likely sound like the biggest nerd writing I love observing the movement of clothes, but it's true. I find few objects more charming than a skirt that gracefully rustles and sways. Also, I feel an emotional investment in garments inspired by movies because I often admire or care about the character who wears them.
For instance, I found this hat in my parents' closet, and claimed it because it reminded me of Scarlett O'Hara's barbecue outfit in Gone With the Wind. I do not think Scarlett is a likeable character, but she possesses some endearing qualities. Not to mention, she wears "Civil War couture" throughout the movie. Despite the grim time period, I consider this wardrobe one of the most romantic I have ever seen.
Furthermore, I think this hat also hearkens the Enchanted April ladies. Enchanted April follows four women in 1920s London who abandon their lives for a month-long vacation at an Italian castle. While there, they wear shift dresses and wide-brimmed straw hats galore. It is a lovely movie, but I still consider Scarlett my reason for adopting this hat.
I only mention Enchanted April because looking timeless also remains an inspiration for me. I love the idea of looking fashionable for more than just a moment, or a trend's length. Even though I admire both vintage and contemporary fashion, my personal style is more about conveying myself than capturing a specific era or trend. Therefore, I try not to look too 1920s, or 1960s, or 2011, and I look for pieces that prove chic over time.
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