I change my moods and personas along with my outfits (and outfits along with my moods and personas). When I slip on shredded baggy denim and a not-so-crisp white cropped tank, I tend to top them off not only with back alley jewelry finds but a "devil may care" attitude as well. Trying on clothes in the morning is like trying on personalities, which one fits me the best today? When I hang my hot pink silk mini dress in my closet, along with it hangs my ever-optimisitic, bright eyed, bushy tailed, barbie-esque version of myself... because I may not need to be her today. Today I may feel laid back and pragmatic, perhaps the most comfortable and obscenely wide legged bell bottom jersey pants I can possibly find paired with a few meaningful symbols hung around my neck and on my wrists suits me at this very moment. Some days even I can't distinguish which came first. The outfit or the attitude? An extentsion of self amplified by the right blend of attitude and outfit.
Lately, I have been having a dreadful time getting inspired to write again (and by lately I mean the past six months); but, earlier this week, as I skimmed the pages of i-D magazine two articles triggered the inspiration I thought I had lost.
The first article entitled, "there's nothing special about normcore" and the second one, subsequently entitled, "there's something special about normcore". I flipped the pages back and forth a few times staring blankly at what must have been a print error...it wasn't. A lightbulb then flickered on in my head right then and there in the middle of the magazine isle. "They have printed two opposing ideas on the same subject"..."I often having two opposing ideas on the same subject"... "why can't I write both of my views on any given topic?" *lightbulb flickers....on* I can.
With that being said, ButterSpot blogger, Yvette Caro and I give our take on every meaning of the word 'Modesty'.
Modesty: Not all it's cracked up to be
RYANE: Being modest is a virtue that has been engrained into my head by many people in my life, and in regards to all sorts of aspects. However, what is it worth to be modest? Does it make you a better, more quality human being? To not share all of yourself with all of the world and be proud of who and what you are? Of course not, the world isn't so black and white. This is the 21st century. There is something I find admirable about those who choose to bare all for the world (literally and figuratively). It doesn't offend me, I don't think any more or any less of them. Nudity isn't something that sways my image of a person, it isn't something that makes me feel like that human being doesn't have a stong sense of self worth or that they weren't raised properly or what have you, and for that matter I don't feel that being so modest that you can't accept a compliment works in your favor either. Nothing makes me admire a person more than when they are inherently, genuinely and outwardly confident in themselves through and through. I find it endearing. It just is what it is. They are presenting themself as they are, I think that takes guts.
YVETTE: I too, somewhat, agree with Ryane. Here and now, there is only so much left to "keep to ones-self"; the magazines on our grocery store stands read, "Your best Orgasm Yet (page 87)" and "The best way to show of your killer legs this summer (page 52)".When you do all things with confidence, who will stand in your way? If you're comfortable bareing all to the world, do I, an innocent and maybe even envious bystander, and everyone else for that matter have a problem with your lack of modesty or is the real problem my consuming nature to be modest?
Modesty: All it's cracked up to be
RYANE: On the other hand, I feel that there is something to be said for keeping your shirt on and a few tricks up your sleeve. I also find it endearing, but in a different sense. A touch of mystique can go a long way (the saying "smoking mirrors" doesn't quite apply to those who lay it all out on the table). It can work in your favor and be used to your advantage when you carefully select what you share and with whom, whereas oversharing can sometimes lead to stepping on a few toes. It gives you a humbleness to be modest, people view you in a certain light. You are more the Taylor Swift than the Kanye West when you take the modesty route (but I mean after all... Aren't they equally successful yet completely different?)
YVETTE: As a daughter of two hard-working parents and a grandfather, whom of which is 68 years old and still picks lettuce by the ton, I find modesty to be my second nature. Growing up, modedsty was a characteristic that my family thought very highly of. "No matter what status you hold, both personally and in the workforce, never make anyone feel like they are beneath you."-Javier Caro (aka DAD) Through all of my years, this advice has never failed me. You see, in my opinion modesty will always bring you favorable results; people will never be upset that you did not treat them with respect, they will never say that you were not kind, and they can never truthfully say that you are anything but human.Also, in the great words of the magnificent Maya Angelou (may she rest in peace), "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Yvette Caro is the creative, and highly opinionated, genius behind the blog BUTTERSPOT. http://butterspot.weebly.com/
Bam. There it was. The first article in the first men's magazine I had ever purchased. It blew my mind. It knocked my frilly little black and silver socks off. So much so in fact, that it spurred me to rush home (without even properly finishing the rest of the article I might add) and scour the stacks of glossies by my bedside table searching for one article, one paragraph, one sentence of comprable quality in the mountains of women's magazines I have. At first it was to my surprise that nothing came close and then as I thought about it it became more and more disappointing and unsettling. "What ever happened to this kind of quality writing in a women's magazine," I wondered. Why is it that I can open one men's magazine and the very first article I lay my mascara laden eyes upon is engaging and captivating, discussing psycholgical and behavioral traits as opposed to yet another monotonous, and somewhat robotic feeling, piece covering the annual Met Gala (as if i wasn't already aware of that was) in a magazine geared toward women? Can't we, women, talk fashion AND intellect? Like most of the questions I ask myself, this one I have not yet figured out... But I intend to.
There is nothing quite as refreshing and simultaneously quite as frightening as turning your phone off for a day... or even for an hour. I've managed to find the most obscure excuses to justify my "need" to turn it back on once I've reluctantly managed turn it off in the first place. "What if there is an emergency", "I don't want to miss that call from my boss even though it is my day off.. it might be important", "What if a photo op happens and my iphone isn't powered on to take a picture of it in time". The constant influx of social networking updates has become a comfort during those in between moments of daily life. Old habits die hard... especially when we've all become so accustomed to liking, posting, snapping and poking. About a year ago, I took a six month media hiatus. It was a little rocky at first, I didn't know what to do with myself. How would I know who was wearing what outfits of the day and who was dating who or traveling where? I wouldn't. And after a month or so I didn't feel that I needed to. It forced me to keep in contact with only those who had my direct email or cell number, instead of looking at my phone screen, I was looking around. By the end of it all I had relearned what it meant to be present, and no amount of likes can rival that feeling.
Abstraction is a concept that I am all too familiar with (as you can see here by my caricature-esque interpretation of the model on the left). Of course there are varying degrees of how abstract or not something can be, while I tend to see things slightly askew, I'm no Francis Bacon. Compositions such as Bacon's 'lying figure' have often been a source of wonder and awe for me, "how can anyone see the world that way," the left side of my brain says. But the right side of my brain doesn't ask questions. It relishes the visuals without analyzing.
But why not both? It's a precarious task attempting to balance the two, the left brain and the right brain. I think that's why I have gravitated toward an industry that is so firmly rooted in art and creativity, but thrives on precision and logistics.
When you think spring, wearing the color black seems to be a low key faux pas. Spring is strictly for pastel colors and floral prints right! Right? Wrong. Jacobs' final Louis Vuitton RTW show this past October produced a beautiful display of delicate pieces paired with a classic denim jean, however soft and springy that may sound, the show was drenched in dark, ominous overtones. Black engulfed everything. Black, being a color I personally find not only comforting to wear, but also incredibly endearing when worn head to toe, is something I can embrace whole heartedly at any time of the year. Simply because flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and everyone is disgustingly twitter-pated, by no means indicates that the majority of my wardrobe needs to go on a temporary hiatus until it is deemed appropriate to be adorned in dark colors again once fall rolls back around. Don't let anyone fool you, radiant orchid may be the color of the year, but black is black is black.
Those of you who are as neurotic as I am can probably relate to Woody Allen's Annie Hall in at least one aspect, if not more. Neurosis generally is not a desirable trait to possess but in Annie's case, it works. Although I don't cite her as a role model per se, her style is something I have never been able to emulate try as I might. Attempting to appear as if you've simply thrown together an outfit with a blatant disregard for modern fashion whilst looking effortlessly chic in oversized menswear is a skill possessed by a rare breed- Diane Keaton being the pioneer. (i.e. any time Keaton has appeared in a tuxedo and looked better than any man in the room). I have been known to shop in the boy's section of department stores more often than not, always searching, and ultimately failing, to find the elusive perfectly fitting button up. Living on a college budget doesn't aid in my quest for the annie hall-esque chinos and obnoxiously on trend hat, so sacrificing quality is something I am all to familiar with. Despite my previous overly thought out yet uncouth efforts, this fall I aspire to throw caution to the wind, go with my gut, and embrace menswear in such a manner that would make Annie proud.
If you know me, or have even had the pleasure of letting me talk your ear off for longer than five minutes, you'd know that I have moved quite often, and that.. gasp!.. I quite enjoy it. Over the past few years I have been hopping up and down this state as if my tail were on fire, I seem to keep moving further and further from my hometown (even though with each move I feel closer and closer to those back home). Slowly but surely I've begun to feel more surefooted with each city I set my foot in, despite a few slips, trips, and even the occasional fall. Gaining this kind of traction in terms of feeling courageous and adventurous is almost foreign to me, it seems I have unknowingly opened the flood gates to a lifelong affair with traveling. Albeit, I have yet to travel abroad, but that too is on the horizon. Fortunately, for my sake anyways, I have not felt the urge to "settle down" in the near future (in fact I couldn't even fathom it at this point in my life), which leaves me with what? No ties and no obligations. How often does one come to be so fortunate as to have the opportunity to up and move anywhere you please, pursue anything you want, and moreover, see the world. This revelation pops up in the back of my mind every so often when I am feeling glum and it never fails to bring the same amount of optimism and comfort as it did the very first time. I often get asked why; Why did you move out of Redding? Why did you move out of San Francisco? Why are you moving out of San Diego? Why don't you stay put for once? Well, because why not? I am not eager to nail down a place, a person, a job, a city, a home, a profession, or even my favorite color. Once I see it all I'll make my selection and I'll be sure of it. I'm in no rush. Take it from a hare's perspective, slow and steady wins the race.. and even if it doesn't well hey I got to see the world.