fashion observations after a mental cleanse

tell me about your plumbing business

Oct 27, 2024

I just got back from a 3-day solo creative retreat, and I have thoughts.

More details on said creative retreat coming soon. The backdrop was unreal and the autumn air restored my soul.

I spent some intentional time sinking into what excites me. Namely fashion and style. Lately, I’ve been so swamped with my business that I started to feel like I was caving in a bit – getting bogged down with checking boxes and completing tasks. And not making time to do things like write my newsletter – hence the four week break.

I needed a ~reset~

During this retreat, I watched lots of movies, poured through magazines, wrote a lot and reflected on how I can tap more into my passions for the sake of it AND apply that output to my work always. How can I key into my senses more keenly and ACT on inspiration? Not just sit in it passively but ACT.

I went out on my own as a business owner because I love working, and I want to own what I do. I want to take my ideas and express them how I like that.

I don’t separate life and work, to be honest. I never have. For the last ten years, I’ve relentlessly tried to find the ‘balance’ and have failed miserably each time. Now, I know it’s because I’m an entrepreneur at heart and I crave working – because it fulfills me.

BUT, there’s a caveat.

It has to be on my terms.

What I love outside of work, fashion/design/interiors is what I want all of the time. And now I have that. But in the hustle and bustle of entrepreneurship, I’ve managed to overlook my spirit’s longing for creative expression and revert back to the robotic flow of working. Instead of just going through the motions every day, how can I take what’s exciting me personally and apply that to my business in a creativley fulfiling way?

** many of my newsletters are ‘too long for email’ — if you’re reading this from your inbox, be sure to download the substack app and read the rest there :) **

While soaking up the peace & quiet of Mentone, Alabama, I mostly pondered who I am in this specific moment, what I love and why I love it. My strengths and weaknesses. All the art and creative that excites me. How can I soak up more art? Live in it. Breathe it in. How do my life experiences inform how I move around in the world? I thought a lot about people I admire. And why.

All of this felt good. I learned more about myself, free from noise.

FIELD NOTES FROM THE CREATIVE RESET 2024

What I watched:

Annie Hall (1977) - just a good ole classic
Kids (1995) - not for the faint of heart / poignant
Belle De Jour (1967) – fucking genius masterpiece
Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) - the art direction in this movie is masterful
In Vogue: the 90’s (2024) - my early 2000s fashionista brain

OBSERVATIONS + NOTES

Helmut Lang was the first person to livestream a runway show on the internet in 1998

Anti-fashion is fashion. If it doesn’t have tension, I don’t want it. Friction is what makes something good. ‘On the nose’ fashion is boring. It’s already been defined. Therefore, it is not compelling or worthy of being shared as art.
Miuccia Prada is God. This is not a revelation. We’ve known this.
Modernity is my ideal when it comes to style. I think this is because anticipation is tense. The tension is what I crave in an outfit. Modernity is different from other style approaches because it inherently communicates what’s to come without knowing for certain. Friction is born out of anticipation.
Tom Ford at Gucci changed the trajectory of the brand forever. I never knew how big of a deal this was.
“How can I be an artist if I can’t let go?”
Neon yellow is a neutral.
I’m scared of being judged and I often write and act in a way that prevents judgement from happening. Or at least increases the likelihood of that perception being a positive one. It’s gross and annoying. I want to work on this because I think it will allow me to be more artistic, creatively fulfilled and lessen my performance anxiety !
60’s space age fashion is g0000d
MY FAVORITE HOUSES — the big boys
- Prada
- Maison Margiela (John Galliano)
- Gucci
- Dries Van Noten
- Saint Laurent
- Honorable mentions: Alexander McQueen, Helmut Lang, Jean Paul Gautier, Bottega Veneta, Old Celine
Nothing makes me more excited about fashion than hearing others talk about topics they're passionate about. The gusto makes my heart swell. It doesn’t matter what it is – plumbing, art, sports, couture. If you love something and show it, I respect it. This passion is infectious and reminds me of why I love what I love.
I understand art. I think. Not in some pretentious, all-knowing kind of way. But in a way that I can respect and appreciate the effort and vision of things in ways that I find many people can’t – mostly because they don’t care to understand. I don’t assume that I know everything. I view things through my unique lens, and I’m like everyone else in that I perceive the world through my own biases. BUT the difference is that I enter every moment of my life, art context or not, with an open mind and a strong understanding that I do not know everything. If I don’t understand something, I assume that it’s due to a lack of knowledge on my part, it’s being explained poorly or I don’t yet know the intent behind the thing being expressed. My openness has taught me about art.
Alexander McQueen – the tailoring. the edge.
I’ve loved purple for like two years now. I used to loathe it. But it excites me now.
Jasmina TV’s Youtube channel is so good. Her SATC outfit analyses are incredible.
I love Eastern European women!
What makes an outfit good: Dimension, personality, ease, STYLING – don’t just wear the clothes, STYLE THEM – tie your shirt, wear your jacket over your shoulders, throw your hair up, ETC.
Heavy makeup impacts the composition of a ‘look’ and makes it less interesting unless it’s avant-garde or ironic.
I’m hard on myself. So, I did an exercise where I listed what I’m good at – qualities I possess that I appreciate:
- Discernment. I see things that others don’t.
- I have a really good eye for design. I understand the vision and I know how to execute both on a creative level and from a logistics perspective.
- Understanding the needs of others without them explicitly telling me.
- Communication. Except texting lmao.
- Branding. Copywriting.
- I have good style.
- I’m kind. I listen well. And I don’t center conversations around myself – I could probably stand to talk about myself more, but at least I’m not self-absorbed……….?
Nothing boring ever looked good.
I need to subscribe to Luncheon magazine.