OPINION: Fashion and personality

I was interested to read a piece by Faran Krentcil on Fashionista this evening. The reason being that her piece entitled, 'Why I'll Always Dress Up for Fashion Week' was funny and struck a chord with me. I've had enough fashion week mishaps to understand how fashion doesn't always function. In fact, non fashion week related but I did manage to destroy a pair of shoes in London this week so badly that I had to nip into Primark and buy a new pair to put on and throw the old ones away.

I stepped on a loose pavement slab and shot dirty street water into my shoes!!! EW!

Anyway, the bit that caught my attention was this :

'Like many people, I was drawn into the style industry because I was a misfit. I skipped keggers for Shakespeare plays. I wore vintage ball gowns to homeroom. And I read W magazine like it was some holy combination of a movie script and a Magic 8 Ball. One day, I would be part of this place where beauty could be weird, and sexy could be smart. I think a lot of us became “fashion kids” because of those feelings.'

I was one of those kids.

Growing up, I had the craziest fashion sense. I would team bright clashing colors, leg warmers, cartoon t-shirts. I was a goth, a hippie, a punk and then some form of weird Japanese inspired highlighter explosion. I didn't fit in anywhere really! I tried really hard to find my style and fit into a niche but it never seemed to happen for me.

Which was why I was drawn to fashion. A lot of the craziest style comes from people with real fashion sense. Anna Dello Russo anyone? I may not have the confidence I once did to experiment with insane pieces but I was never so happy as a young girl then when I was wearing sequined hot pants or harem pants.

I'm still not a complete fashion victim and I only wear clothes that I feel like myself in. I think the passing of time has given me much more of an idea of how and where I fit in these days.

I also had cause recently to examine the WAR days of my younger self. I used to frequent the nightclub back in it's SPY days when I was about 24. I remember there being nothing too crazy or too weird for me to consider. I think I was testing my personality and in many respects it was about a new city and a new start but I had so much fun. I wouldn't go back to those days of madness as I still have scars on my feet, legs and arms from sequin cuts! It does mean that I have a real understand of how far you can push your comfort zone and personal style.

I guess I still don't fit in but I've made a long effort at combining expressing my personality through my clothes. I can communicate anything through fashion these days. However I have noticed that as I approach my 30s with dread - I've become really comfortable with who I am. I know who I am much more now then ever and I feel totally comfortable with how I have turned out. I don't owe anyone anything. I have noticed that this level of comfort has opened up and entirely new world of comfort dressing for me. It is not an accident that this year has been the year I have given up on heels and also the year that I bought comfortable boyfriend style jeans.

My biggest challenge is not to communicate how alternative I am or what music I listen to but to communicate my age. I am aware only too well how bad it looks when someone wears something that is a little too old or young for them. I don't want to get looks because I am badly attired but I want to get looks for being appropriate. This means that my outfits are not only drifting into the comfort zone but they are getting more and more wearable. I don't buy crazy things anymore but rather pieces I know I can get wear out of.

Including my first ever blouse!

Anyone else struggling with age over insanity?