Do My Clothes Make Me Look Fat? Art & Story by Sandra Russell

 

Do my clothes make my head look fat?

How do I express myself with fashion?

I have been given the task middle of June to help a group of teens define an aspect of their personality or goals by designing an outfit that somehow represents themselves. I am as yet unsure what may be involved exactly? I'm thinking they will want some abstract goal, like 'I want to be a hero' or I want to be 'rich smart and successful, the envy of all who see me?' But it may just be something simple like...'Who am I now? And can I say something to express just a little bit of swagger, a little bit of cool and feel that this removeable skin of fashion can contribute to my feeling good?

This morning I reflected on some clothing aspects that made my mother, grandmother, and self feel ill at ease, or feel really fine with what we wore. Grandma was certainly not concerned with promoting her appearance as a beauty. She was way too busy working a farm, raising six kids, and teaching school. I remember her 'look' to be always practical. She had a few dresses in dark colors, blues and browns, with patterns that sort of ran together like mashed grapes and leaves in a barrel. "Won't show the dirt". For laundry was done by hand and difficult to accomplish. I did note an element of luxury in that when she could, she wore silk.

My mother on the other hand wore pastel colors and prints such as polka dots, or broad stripes where the colors separated on a field and did not touch. She would actually feel ugly in blended colors or greyed down colors. Her ideal was head to toe matching purse, shoes, and a clear, mint green or pink dress.

I remember having horrible taste in clothes as a kid or teen, I liked vests and leggings and skirts and shirts that didn't 'go together', I don't really think I thought of the body as one unit? I didn't see anything wrong with arms one color, legs another. I'm better at mixing textures and all that as an adult. But recalling how emotionally effecting clothes can be will serve me in questioning the designs the teens may want? I am certainly not going to object to someone who feels powerful in head to toe aqua. It's their design.