Dress Practice Log
October 9, 2016- Sunday:
Since most of the day I spent in my room doing homework, I stayed in my leisure clothes. Yet, in the evening I wanted to go out and buy food from a nearby restaurant and I got dressed.
It was a cold night and the outing itself was very short and with only one specific target in mind. I put on a regular pair of skinny jeans and two long sweaters to keep me warm.
I did not think of what I wore- I did not intend to meet anyone, nor did I care to be judged by the way I dressed that evening. I wore that outfit out of sheer comfortability and access.
I usually dress for my own, with comfort in mind since I have had trouble in the past with my health. Although when I do go out with the intention of meeting people or going to class, I try to elevate my appearance in order to not feel uncomfortable in the presence of other fashion design students, which is a very competitive environment. Even so, I know I usually do not look like a fashion student since I am more concerned with my comfortability than fitting in the fashion industry. And as explained, when I do try to fit in, it is for myself and not for others, since I do that in order to feel even more comfortable in my clothes.
October 10, 2016- Monday:
I knew the night before that I wanted to wear my favorite black jeans since I feel comfortable in them and I know that they are considered “fashionable” in the standards of society. I felt that would be appropriate due to the fact that I had classes on Monday.
I paired them with a green men’s sweater that again corresponds with my intention of feeling comfortable, and a denim jacket that I wear almost daily. The only thing that can be considered very fashionable in my outfit that day, were my shoes- I wore a pair of black patent and leopard mohair pointed shoes that I always receive compliments for.
Since high school, I always thought that shoes can “make or break” the outfit and little by little I have acquired more pairs of shoes than pairs of pants. I felt that although the outfit itself was very dull and ordinary, the shoes were able to elevate the overall look of that day.
I felt comfortable that day; I wore comfortable weather appropriate clothes that I love yet I did not feel judged by the way I looked or chose to dress that day. I know that I can put more effort into what I wear sometimes, though I do think that most styles nowadays do not fit me physically or personality wise, and I prefer to put in more effort in my designs instead.
October 11, 2016- Tuesday:
I had a morning class that day, I decided to wear warmer clothes again since I left home while it was still quite cold in the morning. I wore a black sweater, and printed black pants that have faded away already. I paired it again with my trusty denim jacket and black Chelsea boots.
I had a 6 hour class that day, and I only had few hours to sleep the night before. I had quite al lot to carry, and I just wanted to wear comfortable clothes once again.
I somehow wear a lot of black clothes (just like most of NYC) although I do not consider that my favorite color to wear, or even a favorite color to design with. I never wore many black clothes before arriving to NYC, but only because I have four pets back home, and colors such as black and white were not good options to wear. I do think there is a general idea that black clothes always look more stylish than other colors, and I do sometimes relay on those clothes to be a fallback outfit to when I want to be considered “stylish” and fitting in the fashion industry but not overdoing it.
October 12, 2016- Wednesday:
The night before this day, was the evening of Yom Kippur, which is a Jewish holiday, and Wednesday was the continuation of it. Even though it is considered a holiday, it is actually a 25 hour fest with many rules to follow: while not eating and drinking, the use of electronics, or any other kind of work, is forbidden as well. I knew that day that I would not get out of the house at all, or do any kind of activities other than reading and sleeping.
After taking a bath the night before- I wore long leisure pants, a T-shirt and an oversized fleece jacket, along with bright pink fluffy socks. Again, I was cold when I got dressed, and I thought about what would be the most comfortable outfit to wear for 25 hours of sleep.
I did not care about the way I looked since nobody actually saw me that day, I only cared about comfort.
(Disclaimer: there is not much to say about this day, since there was not much to do with anything other than resting and sleeping).
October 13, 2016- Thursday:
This day I had another 6 hour class that started in the morning. I woke up and saw that it was suppose to be cold that day, and so I decided to wear gray leopard printed jeans and a distressed men’s sweater, accompanied with brown Brogue shoes. I decided to not take my denim jacket that day, a decision which I regretted the moment it started to rain later.
Just as the rest of the week, I chose to wear these clothes since I am comfortable wearing them. I do receive compliments on the sweater, but it is not in any way outstanding or “out there”.
I notice daily that I am judged by what I wear by fellow fashion design students. I do not look like the typical fashion student, I was told many times that I look more fitting to be a graphic design or illustration major. I used to care a lot about how I was perceived by others, especially when I would say that I want to work in the fashion industry, yet I came to learn that I should not care as much, and that the most important thing I should try to achieve is comfort in what I am wearing and who I am.
October 14, 2016- Friday:
Although I wanted to get out of the house that Friday, I did not. I stayed again in my leisure clothes and continued to do homework. I wore shorts and a T-shirt and did not think anything of how I looked and what I wore.
October 15, 2016- Saturday:
Saturday I had to go out and take picture of me wearing a skirt that I made. I chose my outfit based on the overall look that I wanted to achieve in the final photograph for my project: I wore a white cable knit sweater that was once my little brother’s, white sneakers and denim jacket. Since the skirt was to dressy for me to wear on the street, I went out of the house wearing a high- waisted purple skinny pants, and had the skirt and a pair of heels in my backpack for the photoshoot.
Again, I decided that my comfortability is far more important, and I opt out of walking around in heels the whole day.
I think I didn’t want to walk around wearing the skirt that I made because of what others might think. It is not that I am not proud of what I made, I just think I am far more concerned about what others might think of my designs than of what they think of me and what I wear.
In the evening I went out for dinner with friends, to which I wore fancier looking clothes and even wore heels. I guess it is common for everybody to wear their best when going out.
Overall Reflection:
Over the past week, I could clearly see a pattern- other than the days on which I stayed home and wore leisure outfits and did not care about what I wore, I opted out of fancy-looking clothes, and wore what I find to be comfortable. I had two reoccurring themes in my dress practice log over the week- the first was the comfortability of the outfits I wore during the week. The second was my desire to stay in leisure clothing during the days I did not have a prior obligation outside the house. Both themes can be translated into comfortability.
I noticed these themes even before I started my practice log- I always knew that I prefer to wear what I find comfortable, than to wear what is anticipated from me. I don’t think I have learned anything new about my relationship with clothing and the body- yet I do think that not many people will change their overall times of dressing on a daily basis, and will stay true to a few that they are comfortable with.
Susan Kaiser wrote about the negotiations that occur in fashion-“(t)he meanings of appearance styles are negotiated in everyday social life through interactions with others.” With my desire to try and be as comfortable as I can be in what I wear and who I am, I have to still remember that I am judged daily by an industry that I want to a part of. And so, I try to elevate my style in order to feel comfortable in my own skin as well as in my own clothes.
