Mode of Grace: January 2011

Happy New Year, friends! I have been taking a brief hiatus from blogging my thoughts on fashion, but this does not mean that I have not been working on my projects! Be on the look-out for upcoming posts about my project "Express Myself" (which is coming along quite nicely, if I might say) as well as a new dress collection which I would like to share with you. But now, for the main event!

*Dun Dun Dun*

Everyone has what I would like to call their "Fashion Personality." This is the way in which they communicate their identity to the world through the medium of their clothes. Everyone from the common man to the great artists of the centuries have used various mediums to communicate themselves to others.

Consider this: a thought cannot be expressed without words. The words that we choose have an extraordinary power to impact our listeners. They are the channel connecting our thoughts to the other. What we say indicates volumes about who we are and connects people together. For example, it can be incredibly invigorating or occasionally frustrating to journey to a new country and experience the language barrier. We may not be able to interact and communicate with one another, because of the inability to comprehend what the other person is saying. And yet, we would like to. Consider what would happen if we traveled to that country and were able to speak the language. We would feel much more at home. Many travelers in a strange land rejoice when they meet someone who speaks their language (english, for instance). It is as if meeting a long-lost brother. Our words have importance and purpose. Humans are wired to connect and to be relational. We are social creatures. We live in communities, from the most basic community -- the family -- to the broader community -- our workplaces, our schools, our regions and so on.

In order to connect, to build relationships, to grow in friendships, we use various other mediums to communicate. A musician employs the use of instruments to release beautiful melodies into the atmosphere, drawing his listeners into an intimate conversation about his identity, his experiences, his thoughts and emotions. A song is like a conversation, each phrase or cadence expresses an idea. An artist makes use of a blank canvas, lighting, or paint to capture a glorious landscape or depict a portrait. As a photography enthusiast, I love using my camera to play with lighting and angles, capturing nostalgic moments, vintage elegance, or creating a charming whimsical scene where no one would expect it.

What does all of this have to do with fashion? Fashion is a form of expression as well. It is a channel of conversation between ourselves and the outside world. The clothes that we choose to purchase and wear reveal volumes about the way we would like to present ourselves. Consider the colors that we choose, the accessories that we use to garnish our ensemble, the fit and cut of the clothing. All of these things are a form of conversation with others, a way to express ourselves, and a way to let others quickly know how we would like to be treated (but more on that later...)

Finally, we come full circle to what I call someone's "Fashion Personality." There are so many terms used to describe fashion from "chic, vintage, elegant, romantic, hipster, trendy, emo" and so many others. The list is endless, because we essentially are trying to capture terms that depict how someone harnesses their individuality and expresses it through their fashion.

Over the holiday break, I was able to take a few hours and have fun with photography, fashion, and one of the dearest girls in the world, we'll call her "A" -- three of my favorite things. Below you will notice the look that I would call *Vintage Romantic.*