I have found myself thinking about how I would like to come across to other people. Do I need to present myself as a character to society? I would like to come across as capable and fun. Is that overthinking things? I'm not a character in a film, so shouldn't I just dress to have fun? There is a certain pleasure to be had with the unexpected.
I read Seamstress Erin's review of a book called 'Women in Clothes' in which the authors Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits and Leanne Shapton surveyed over 600 women, asking them a number of questions about the clothing they wear, and I immediately ordered the book for myself. It's a really really interesting read, and slightly shocking how some women feel they ought to dress in order to not attract male attention.
I've had some really interesting conversations based on these questions with my friends and I thought it would be a good idea to try some of the questions for myself here on the blog. (You can find a ton of the questions over here)
When do you feel most attractive?
When I'm wearing something that I've made that fits well, is 100% me and is something I'm really proud of.Are there any clothing items that you have in multiple?
As a maker I can use the same pattern over and over again to get a slightly different result every time with different fabric choices and finishes. But I do not have any identical clothing items,
What's your process getting dressed in the morning?
I decide whether I'm wearing a dress, skirt or trousers. That then informs a top if wearing a skirt or trousers. The colours involved then inform the colour of tights, boots and coat that I wear.What are some dressing rules that you follow?
Most of my dressing rules are about colours. I won't wear yellow or orange at all because of my skintone. Navy is never worn with black and red is never worn with purple. I love blues and purples together. I won't wear any animal prints or fur (faux or not).Do you think you have taste or style? What do these words mean to you?
I think I have a certain style that is probably not the norm for most 19 year old girls. I am quite okay with that. I think taste is very subjective.
Are you photogenic?
Nope. You would have thought 3 years of near weekly blogging would help, but nope! I think I'm better in action. I think my personality is hard to convey in a photo.
What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?
I always admire when women present themselves with confidence. Women that are not afraid to wear what they love because they love it and it makes them happy to wear it.Are there any figures from culture, past or present, whose style you admire or have drawn from?
I guess you could say that I'm quite inspired by the 50s silhouette but I'm not inspired by one particular person. I actually really love the white Edwardian blouses. I need to find some white muslin to make a contemporary one of my own.
How do you shop for clothes?
I don't. I shop for fabric. It's usually best to go with a list of what I want to make in the near future, otherwise I will want to buy everything.
Do you have any shopping rules?
I've got to really love that fabric. If I buy something that I don't love, then in all probability I won't like the garment that gets made out of it.
What is your favourite piece of clothing or jewelry?
I don't wear jewelry at all really. I managed to narrow it down to 4 favourite items of clothing. I really love each of these outfits and feel great every time I wear them.
What's the first investment item you've bought?
Liberty fabric! It's still yet to be made into a dress. I'm saving it for summer.
Do you care about lingerie?
Yes, but my current underwear drawer doesn't reflect that. I do know exactly how I would like it to look though. I just need to find a pot of gold and the materials to sort it out.
How does how you dress play into your ambitions for yourself?
This one is interesting because costume makers don't have a specific uniform. However whatever I'm wearing needs to be comfortable so I can 100% concentrate on what I'm working on and not what I'm wearing.
What is your cultural background and how has that influenced how you dress?
I grew up in a middle class family in the English countryside. I guess I dress fairly conservatively, but that's probably because it doesn't get hot enough to do otherwise!
Can you say a bit about how your mother's body and style have been passed down to you, or not?
I actually have my Grandma's figure (on my fathers side) but I would say that my Mum and I have a fairly similar style which flowers differently because of our ages. We're often drawn to similar colours and fabrics.
Can you recall times when you have dressed a particular way to calm or gain a sense of control in the situation?
I always feel more confident wearing clothes that I made that fit well. I wore me-made clothes to all of my uni interviews.
How does make up fit into this?
I think it's very important to be able to leave the house without any on. It's not something I want to become dependent on. I do use it every so often when dressing up for parties.
What's with your hair?
I love my hair. I love doing all sorts of fancy hairstyles with it. I would say that would be where my make up time goes in the morning. Although, I've made the decision to cut it into a bob this month. Watch this space!
Please describe your figure?
I am pretty much straight up and down. On most size charts my bust and hips are too small to be on there and my waist is 1 or 2 sizes in. I have a long waist and rounded shoulders. I love to slouch.
Is there any article of clothing, make up or accessory you carry with you every day?
Nope. I like to mix it up.
Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?
I like my food incredibly simple, with white sauce or no sauce.
What would be a difficult look for you to try to achieve?
Leather and studs. Definitely not me.
Where were you born and where do you live now?
I was born in Lincolnshire and now I live in London/ Kent.
Are you single, married?
Single!
And that's it!
I hope that was even vaguely interesting. I haven't really done a lot of living yet, so I struggled to answer in great detail. I would love to know if you sat down and answered any of the questions for yourself.
Thanks for reading!
Lauren xx
