On fashion

I have this love/hate relationship with fashion, and with shopping in general.  There are days when I am totally inspired to dress to the nines, accessorize to the max, and really step out looking like a total fashion plate.  Then there are those other six days of the week when the effort of simply getting dressed seems about as daunting as climbing Mt. Everest.  The trouble with me and fashion is that I don't really know where I fit in that whole crazy world.  I go from preppy to modern to sporty to sloppy all in the span of a week.  So, much like other aspects of my life, I don't quite know how I'm trying to dress.

Clothing can and does send a very strong message about us and our personalities, even if we don't realize it.  What we wear can sometimes send a stronger message than the words that come out of our mouths, and let's face it, it's usually the first thing that people notice about us.  We can dress to become any type of person we want to be, even if what shows on the outside doesn't exactly match up on the inside.  But that's a subject for an entirely different post. 

I'll touch on the issue of shopping in just a minute, but another thing that drives me crazy about fashion in general is all the other girls who can so effortlessly (or seemingly effortlessly) pull off a look and make it appear that anyone can do it.  Skinny jeans?  Yea, they're great for girls who are tall and have pencil thin legs....not so much for this muscular 5'2'' girl.  I see women all the time who can just "do" certain styles and look fantastic.  They can wear jeans and a t-shirt and look cute and put together.  I try to pull off the same thing and just come off looking dumpy.  Now, I watch enough "What Not to Wear" to know that we all have to dress our body types accordingly, but sometimes I can't help wishing that I had the type of body structure that looks good in everything.  Of course, I realize that would be way too easy. 

Now as for shopping.  This is something I enjoy to no end, although my bank account at times wishes I could show a bit more self control.  The thing is, Pullman isn't exactly a shopping metropolis.  The Macy's in Moscow is about as good as it gets, and after awhile I just feel like I am buying the exact same clothes over, and over again.  This probably explains why all the jeans in my closet look. exactly. the same.  And it's not just because they are all denim.  Limited shopping options leads to frustration with outfit creation.  What I mean by this is that I can put together a great outfit one day, feel totally inspired to do the same thing the next, and then come to the realization that there isn't anything else in my closet that can live up to the challenge.  Of course, then there are the days when I just don't care and jeans and a sweatshirt is as creative as I get.  

Fashion is just overall tricky.  And when you don't really know what kind of look you are going for, it gets even more tricky.  Right now I feel like I am caught between still dressing like a poor college student, and a more or less young professional.  I wouldn't say I'm a fashionista, but I do love staying somewhat up-to-date on the latest fads and trends (even if I won't/can't wear them).  But I keep coming back to the idea that clothing is a reflection of our inner selves and personalities.  To what extent is this true?  

Lately I have been giving a lot of thought to this notion, and to the question of who I am as a person.  I suppose this is turning into a summer of self-reflection for me because all these ponderings about clothing and personality are really tied into the larger question I have been grappling with....who the hell am I?  While I am not yet prepared to delve into that topic, I have a feeling I will be giving it a lot more thought over the weekend.  Maybe while shopping.