The trouble with fashion is that no matter what you choose to wear, it will never reflect your own creativity unless you’ve designed it yourself. What if the fashion statement you wish to make is one of creativity? What if, instead of blending in, you want to stand out in a crowd?
If all you want to do is get noticed, that’s not too hard. Try wearing nothing but a giro ski helmet as you stroll throught the city streets. Everybody will be looking at you, but you’ll also be attracting attention you probably don’t want! Or, if you can afford the most expensive clothes, you’ll be noticed and admired, but there won’t be anything unique about you.
First of all, what is the statement you want to make? Why is it important to you to be identified as uniquely creative. Most likely, it’s because you want to make a career out of your creativity, but you’re not a clothing designer. You may be an artist, a photographer or a graphic designer who is working a nine to five job and want to make a living doing what you love best.
Let’s say you’re an artist who finally has a show. You’ve invited all your friends and acquaintances to the opening, so you know that people will be there, but you also know that most of them will be there for the snacks and free booze and not to buy your paintings. In the lead-up to the opening, you’re going to need to do some serious PR to attract a buying public.
You’re not going to attract much attention if you don’t think of something outlandish. A bunch of nicely designed flyers will help, but only if you really catch the eye of the people you pass them out to. Take that helmet and turn it into your greatest piece of wearable art when you go out and distribute your flyers.
Do you have a pair of boots? A plain brown boot doesn’t say much about you, but if you paint it like you painted your helmet, you’ll be advertising your art from head to foot!
Or (ho-hum) you can go buy some nice designer clothes and politely offer passersby your flyers. They might think you look very nice and accept your flyer, but will they think you’re a real artist? Does a nice shirt and a nice leather watch make someone an artist? No, you’ll sell yourself as an artist if everything about you screams art, not fashion!
If you’re going to make a fashion statement to promote your creativity, you’ll have be creative about it. Copying this example isn’t going to help. Dig deep and find your own source of creativity. Then be bold enough to express it. If it doesn’t work, you can always go back to your day job!
