LESS IS MORE

LESS IS MORE

The gorgeous Zoe as photographed by myself.

My spring break was definitely productive. I worked a lot, I got to hang out with friends, I managed to pull off appearing on Breakfast Television, and most importantly, I had an epiphany--yes, another one! Now, I'm the kind of person who regularly has random epiphanies on just about anything (I'm going to stop consuming dairy! I'm getting a second job! This hat will change my life! etc), but my latest revelation really struck hard and left a bruise...

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It all started with changing my favourite colour from pink to orange last month. I know it doesn't sound significant and it probably doesn't make any sense, but switching from hot pink to tangerine was definitely the ticket. Like Helen running away to Troy and launching a thousand ships. You following so far? Anyways, this seemingly innocent act (okay, so Helen ditching her husband for a younger man is not so innocent, but you get the idea) was basically the symbol of things to change.

With a new favourite colour, I slowly began to gravitate towards all things clean, simple, and minimal--Jil Sander, Zara, Steel-framed architecture, asymmetrical things and leather. This taste for modernism was subtle, and at the time, I don't think I realized it was even happening. It wasn't until a couple of weeks later, when I had finished setting up my photography equipment for an outfit photo shoot, and looked for an outfit to wear, that I realized...WHOSE CLOSET IS THIS?! I DON'T LIKE ANY OF IT! I DON'T WANT TO WEAR ANY OF IT! I lost it. I began to savagely pull clothes out of my closet, muttered fervently under my breath and swore I'd get rid of it all.

I was so overwhelmed by the atrocity of my entire wardrobe that I began to reject the idea of clothing itself. I seriously questioned the fashion industry, consumerism (we really buy too much crap we don't need) and legitimately considered becoming a nudist because they never have to worry about buying clothes (but later realized that Winnipeg weather is not ideal for nudists). Yes, I was stark raving MAD. Thankfully, I calmed down eventually, and had the sense to call up blog big-sis Kylie, who help me rationalize and stop freaking the hell out during my crisis.

LONG STORY SHORT: just as peoples' personalities change and grow over time, so does their personal style and aesthetic. On the surface, it seems like that is all it is, but at the same time, I feel like there is so much more. This isn't just preferring one colour over another, THIS IS A COMPLETE 180! Over one revelation, I realized five things: 1) I am the same person; I just outgrew my old style 2) I need to GET RID of the clothes I no longer want to wear 3) I need to STOP buying CHEAP clothes that DON'T FIT well 4) I need to IGNORE the trends that don't suit me and LEARN the shapes, colours and fabrics that look DO compliment me and 5) I need to INVEST in some expensive, but well made CLASSIC pieces.

Perhaps the biggest duh-moment, is realizing how I ever managed to dress myself without basics. I mean, I didn't even have a black tank top before this, I had to go buy one!!! Why I put up with the difficulty of dressing myself in an odd assortment of things that hardly went together (that's like building a house of bricks, without the concrete) when I could have had a nice set of well-made basics is BEYOND me. Why was I putting myself through such hassle in getting dressed? I had finally discovered the secret of chic French dressing for myself, and that, my friends, is just where the story of my old life ends, and the sequel begins...

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