Ever Changing

Over the past semester we have considered many different writing and fashion, techniques and patterns. Some you may have loved and hated others. We discussed personal style in writing and fashion, how the two intersect and the necessary effort in developing both of these things.

With new lines out each season, it takes a little effort to keep with the times. It doesn't just take one year of looking at a fashion magazine to then become a fashionista. You have to look at the new fashion season, observe what others are wearing, and be willingly to rid your closet of your favorite outfit because it may be "last season".

And in the same way, you will have to put in some energy to continue growing as a writer and developing your voice. That is the beauty of fashion and writing. You can choose the voice you want to have and choose the style you want to express. It is important to not just keep writing but to keep reading and recognizing what new techniques people are using to get inspiration and fresh ideas from.

But in order to be a great writer and fashion forward dresser, considering these to subjects must become a lifestyle. Just like any expert does you must do your research and homework to stay in fashion and have fresh writing styles. You will always be you but often times a fashion magazine or a great book can draw out of you thoughts and style you never knew you had.

What's Your Style?

We've covered a lot the past few months. We've looked at how to write simply, with someone else, and cohesively. We've talked about following rules and breaking rules. We've looked at about as many styles of writing as we have styles of fashion.

We've got about as many styles as there are children in large families on TLC. (Though that may quickly be false, I hear there's a show in the works called, "Bob and Sue with Thirty-Two.) As many looks as you can think of, there's a style of writing that can be seen as a parallel.

So what's your style? What sets you apart? What's your statement?

How do you write? What's your hook? Where's your voice?

Those questions aren't that different from each other in terms of underlying context.

Maybe your style's more classical with a twist:

And you write with a dignified flair for the pompous with a harsh reality.


Or maybe you're more barebones with a laidback feel:

And your writing comes from a basic place with short sentences with little fluff.


Or maybe somewhere in between with a casual feel and a dash of personality:

And you take a straightfoward approach with a spice of personality that makes your writing unique.

Or maybe you're none of these! Maybe you're an Anthropologie girl or a Abercrombie boy, a Thrift Store chic chica or a Gucci garcon.

No matter what you are, be you. And write from the heart. And may good fashion choices and great sales greet you wherever you go with your words.

All images from americanapparel.net

It's Only Just Begun

As the blog comes to an end, I say this: It is only the beginning. Over the past few months we have looked into fashion and it's parrallels to writing as well the different techniques we can practice through each of them. From the runways in Paris to the cover of Vogue magazine, we have covered it all. I have learned a lot myself about how a person's individual style can be shaped to reflect their writing style and how many times both are correlated to one another. Fashion and writing are both artforms where one can express their creativity, shaping and shifting around different techniques. Make it yours, make it work because our writing and our personal style makes us who we are. Sure at times it may be difficult to write and we have all had moments where finding a top to pair with bottoms can be one of the trickiest tasks you have ever been faced with, but keep in mind your voice and your personality. Au Revoir for now.

Accessory Addition

It is not unusual for me to spend all my energy thinking and planning the clothing part of my outfit. Which is obviously very important but can leave my outfit looking dull and me feeling frustrated. I forget how much a few great accessories can add to an outfit. Notice I said a few great accessories. It is entirely possibly to over due it with jewelry, hair pieces, bracelets, belts, hats, shoes, etc. Choosing the write combination of accessories is so important you might as well not where any if you can't find the right mix and balance.

The thing I find most important when accessorizing is not that you match your necklace, bracelet, and earrings to all be the color or versions of each other. Leave the jewelry sets for your grandma. The most important thing to consider is matching your styles. Style is not color or pattern its an overall look. So for example, a diamond bracelet is not a good accessory to wear with your hemp necklace. However, chunky colorful bracelets, a pair of Raybans, and a long gold necklace showcasing the first letter of your name would work awesome together. The styles don't conflict but at the same time they are not too matchy-matchy.

When it comes to writing a book, essay, or short story it can be helpful to think about what "accessories" you can add to your piece. Maybe it's exciting and innovative word choice or the use of appropriate punctuation. An awesome, eye catching title can also add a lot to your piece overall. Sometimes as writers we focus so much on the body of our writing that we forget the little things, accessories that can add so much. It is the small, not quite as obvious things that can make your writing and outfit feel complete and special.

Collaboratation is Key

Dean and Dan of Dsquared² have quickly become an iconic team in the fashion world. Their Fall/Winter 2010 runway collection was edgy and in your face, including classic and destroyed denim, unique jackets, and post-urban materials. The entire show had a post-apocalyptic/vampire feel using mostly black fabrics an showing few brightly colored pieces. The video of the full men's show and the women's show is available at their website www.dsquared.com.


This dynamic duo in the fashion world has certainly made an impression on the population that is in tune with the world of fashion and their Spring/Summer line is a turn back towards classy and Western-inspired.

Dean and Dan are inseparable. The two are always together. As someone who has read countless interviews with them, it's weird when I see a photograph of one, but not the other (Granted, I can't even tell them apart.) The two work together and are a seamless team tour de force in today's fashion.

As writers, we may find ourselves in a place where we have to work together with other writers. Sometimes, your voice needs to remain intact. Other times, you need to make your voice sound more uniform with the other writers' voices that you're working with. Often we see this more in academic writing, science journals, and business plans. Much more practical uses than creative writing. But what we need to take away from Dsquared is their style of fashion icon. They are a team and are always mentioned together. They look similarly and sound the same. And their fashion excels because they work together and make their ideas one.

Now I'm not suggesting that the next business proposal you have to write comes at the end of intense togetherness time with your coauthors. But maybe talking to them and working closely with them is the integral part. Maybe through that, you can make your voices sound as one, just like Dean and Dan's ideas appear as though one designer is behind the fashions.

Images from dsquared.com, chicstories.com, and zimbio.com.

Ethics are In

The fashion world is a center for many controversies, but mainly on the mass consumer level. And for good reasons, Clothing stores like American Eagle, Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Aeropostale all use Sweat Shop labor. Back in the day, PETA used to throw red paint on fur coats that they saw. Now they are using the scandalous "Go Naked" ads to protest the unethical raising of animals purely to skin them for fur coats.

These ethical dilemmas of "Do we buy a fur coat even if it was made with ethically treated animals?" or "Do I buy this cheap polo even though 3 year olds in Malaysia worked 15 hours a day to make it?" make fashion a tricky road to walk on sometimes.

We face a similar level of ethics in writing. We have to make decisions as writers not to alienate our readers. We control a very touchy medium called "Language" and how we use it can anger people, or pacify them, or even mislead them. And there are times where we may need to do those, but oftentimes, I'm sure those aren't for ethically sound reasons. When we begin to write, we have to take our audience into mind and think about how far we can push them. Maybe using the word "fuck" for a very conservative audience isn't your best idea. But if that's your voice, you have to remain true to it, but learn the lines you can cross without making your audience take up red paint and throwing it all over your hard work.

Image from fanpop.com

Rough Beginnings

As the concept pops into your mind like a quick blink of the eye, the idea quickly becomes reality as it jumps out of your mind and onto paper. Rough drafts. They are messy but unique and the beginning to any great piece of work. Whether I am writing a short story or perhaps setting my hand loose to dance freely against a blank canvas, rough drafts are the genesis to all great works. In fashion, where would the greatest couture designs be if it wasn't for Alexander McQueen, or Karl Lagerfeld's imagery set to paper? I can assure you those mystical yet gravity-defying gowns would't have made it to the cat walk with out a rough draft to make these abstract concepts more concrete.
I began sketching at a relatively young age, in fact, I included one of my sketches I did a few years ago in this post to show that, although rough around the edges, a sketch is always organic and free-flowing. Writing is very similar in the sense because every great piece of literature began with multiple rough copies. The evolutionary process that a piece, whether it involves writing or fashion, is necessary in order to better the piece of work with each draft, each time bringing it closer to perfection.
We all remember brainstorm bubbles back from the second grade, when writing an essay involved the stringing together of four sentences. Writing rough drafts is a concept that has been instilled in our brain for many years because it helps us perfect whatever it is we are doing. From the cat walk to the New York Best Sellers List, they all had a rough beginning.

Inspired to Completion

It is not unusual for writer's to experience writers block. This is a time when we just have nothing to get us going, we are stuck, and nothings on the horizon. For some this happens in the middle of a long story or paper and sometimes it can happen before a writer even starts a piece. The typical advice for writers block is leave your desk and go do something active or something that has nothing to do with writing. It is great advice however we shouldn't stop there.

As writers we need to be proactive in fighting writers block. After taking a break and doing something active consider seeking out inspiration. Read something amazing, watch a well-made movie, look at good art and let these things remind you there is a reason to keep on going and a well worth it end result is possible.

When deciding on an outfit for a special occasions most of us look at what the mannequin is wearing or attempt to mimic for a lower price exactly what is on the runway. But I'd suggest that next time you need an eye catching outfit for that special occasion to check out some design blogs or color schemes to draw inspiration from. Let them lead you to deciding on what color you want to wear and style you want to wear. Bohemian, punk, classic, or romantic. You could even combine two different styles to create an original look. It may take a little more work than recreating an exact outfit but the results that come from using something other than clothes as inspiration for your next outfit will most likely leave you more satisfied and feeling like your outfit truly expresses you.

So, don't consider this a flighty pep talk but rather practical steps to continuing in a process requiring great determination and discipline. Sometimes all we need is a little inspiration.

Following the Trends

It's not always a bad thing to follow the current trend. I mean they are trends for a reason. Right now romper's are one of fashions currents trends. Almost every line is carrying them. Varying in color and fabric it'd be impossible not find one that you love. Some are super casual and perfect for a beach cover up, others are dressier and paired with some heels are great for a night out. Rompers are an easy way to look trendy with a small amount of effort. Needing only an awesome pair of shoes and a great hairdo, don't shy away from the romper trend.

Blogs are all the rage these days. Professionals and teeny boppers alike are using blogs as a way to stay connected and express who they are. The typical writing style used on a blog takes on a casual, personal, and honest tone. Blogs are a great way to practice writing on a daily basis, share writings as an amateur, and get others feed back.

If blog-style writing is what readers are reading it is worth our attention. So instead of shying away from trends all together consider attempting to wear or write them better than anyone else.

Sole Support

A good pair of heels does not only lend itself to giving a woman the elegant height she's always wanted. No. Heels also play an important role as the support to a perfectly paired outfit. Whether the shoes play the introduction to an outfit or the daring conclusion, the support is there and always strong. Much like sentences, heels assist an outfit in achieving a specific point or meaning. Relevance is the key idea here. While the heels don't give sole relevance to an outfit the concept of support stands strong here. Each piece of an outfit cannot stand alone giving the entire concept in one article of clothing.

Supporting sentences are similar to heels in that respect. No paper or written work can stand strong in meaning and depth without sentences offering support to the message. Joseph M. Williams of Style:Lessons in Clarity and Grace writes, "Readers must see how everything in a section or whole is relevant to its point." Williams goes on to explain that when readers view sentences that do not hold cohesiveness to the whole passage "...they are likely to judge what they read incoherent" (Williams 203).

Both heels and supporting sentences play major roles in holding pieces together, whether those pieces deal with articles of clothing or writing, the concept of lending support is imperative.

A Push Away Tradition

As lights flash down the cat walk the struts of each model are heard around the world as these vessels of fashion showcase the art work created by talented designers. From eccentric cuts and trims to wildly decadent colors, the ideas once in the mind of designers flourish onto the cat walks of Paris and Milan bringing to life an imagination worth capturing. This "thinking outside the box" attitude is what keeps fashion in high gear and all enthusiasts on their toes awaiting what is to come for each season.

Similar to fashion, writing too shares an outlet for creativity, not just in the imaginative stories but also with the form and techniques used to tell the story. Writers are constantly practicing new techniques in writing different from traditional to bring attention to writing as an art form. Books such as "Like Water For Chocolate" use techniques to engage the reader deeply in the story by adding elements, in this case the author uses recipes to unveil each chapter, not found in traditional form of writing. Author Laura Esquivel chose to include recipes within each chapter to bring to life the main character's love of cooking. By pushing the envelope in writing and using different techniques in writing, the author engaged readers and gave them something memorable to keep.

Thinking outside the box in both fashion and writing is critical because it makes for good entertainment. We as audiences need the unfamiliar to excite us and hieghten our senses, which is why pushing the envelope on traditional or perhaps experimenting with traditional forms of writing can turn into beautiful disasters, thus keeping the audience enterained. What is to come is never known and should never be expected.

Sparkle and Shine

It may not be right for all occasions but sometimes you need that outfit that truly outshines the rest. Your typical awesome pair of heels and great fitted jeans just won't cut it. Maybe your going to a huge event and an outfit that sparkles and shines is the only thing that can separate you from the mundane dress of everyone else.

Often times in writing a more standard way of writing is necessary. Putting in the time to really make your work sparkle and pop would not be worth it because of the audience. But sometimes, on that special occasion the extra effort will be largely noticed and truly pay off. When looking for something to draw extra excitement and attention to your writing consider thinking outside the box. Allow your first draft to be one that focuses on structure and clarity but once that's established look for how you can change it up, make it unique without losing its meaning.

David Sedaris, author of Me Talk Pretty One Day does an phenomenal job bringing his work to life and giving it that extra exciting appeal. You can see from the title alone that his writing pops, his writing stands out on a bookshelf lined with a 100 books. His quick, witty, and well-written book is full of awesome quotes. In this one he comments on typical tourist attire, "Comfort has its place, but its seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns."

So whether you're dressing or writing, strive for pieces and words that will make your work sparkle and shine.