What's Your Style?

Style is an expression of Individualism mixed with Charisma. - John Fairchild
this was on my quote calendar this morning.

I think this quote describes my style. I love the trends in fashion. I love how fashion helps define a culture, a class, the climate, the economy, etc...
My dream job as a teenager was to be a fashion designer and a historian....odd combo, I know weird.... Today I am not a fashion designer nor a historian, but I do have the opportunity now and again to help design the costumes for the High School musical which allows me to do the fashion designing and historical research.....by designing I don't mean creating new looks, but researching and putting together the appropriate style for each character in regards to time period, social class, occupation, situation, etc..... There is something satisfying about seeing your design vision carried out by the average joe high school student.
When designing for a character it is always fun to find out something about them that I can incorporate into the costume that will add a little humor to the picture for me and for those who look at the details.......is there a favorite color, or personality quirk, did something happen to them that they are trying to hide, or are they driven by something that you can incorporate into their clothing....we all try to express individualism, especially in what we wear...think of the hippies, or punks, or goths....?
I still like to draw fashion ideas...those are my doodles....and I think I would be a good historian for a museum that features clothing....
I get a kick at trying to guess how the designers are going to incorporate the down economy or the 'green movement' in to our everyday fashion... I also love seeing how the fashion designers steal fashion ideas from previous decades....I have always said look at what was happening 25 or 50 years ago in fashion and you can pretty much guess what the 'new' trends will be.... have you seen the late 60's Hippie and 80's Pop star look coming out in fashion again?..........everything old is new again.
I am getting too old to go with the latest and greatest in fashion for myself, so more and more I'm checking out what is new, reinterpreting and mixing it up my way......or wearing the classics with a few twist. Everyone tells me I have always done this.... I think I have always done this?!?!?!? I remember in high school doing the fashion trends from the magazines....you know a little over the top for everyday real life. Everyone else would wear the modified versions of the style, but not me, I wanted to be different.
To create your own look or iconic style you have to do your own thing. Not weird things, but you have to take what you wear and decide how to make it you. What is your signature to the outfit you are wearing, how are you going to show your individuality.....remember Barbara Bush's pearls? That was her signature to everything she wore...no she didn't always look the height of fashion but she expressed who she was through those pearls....she apparently thought they gave her a sense of class and wealth.
Your signature could be how you turn up the collar or what style of shoes you wear, the colors and patterns you wear or are willing to mix and match, your jewelry pieces, etc.....
But to really make any kind of style statement, on top of your signature/individuality, you have to have the self confidence to back up your choices and a charisma that is charming, that attracts people, so that they will look at you and think, they have style!

MCC