LOOK AT ME!

The subtext of clothing connection

My word for the year - open - has been the cause of many slightly confusing changes in my sartorial life. One major example is I’ve found myself drawn to clothing that contains words, numbers or some kind of messaging quite blatantly displayed on its front. This is totally new for me. Over the last few years, the most outrageous pattern in my wardrobe would be a stripe or maybe a plaid if I was really pushing the boat out

Generally, words and messages on garments are a popular way to add personality and meaning to clothing. Found on a wide variety of items including t-shirts, sweatshirts jackets and dresses, they are used as a means of:

• Self-expression: People can use clothing to express their beliefs, interests, and values. A t-shirt with a band logo or a slogan can say a lot about the wearer.

• Social commentary: Messages can be used to make a statement about social or political issues. For example,people might wear clothing that supports a particular cause or raises awareness about a problem.

• Branding: Companies can use clothing to promote their brand. This is common with athletic wear and sportswear companies, but it can also be seen with other types of brands.

• Fashion: Sometimes, words and messages are simply a fashion trend. A particular style of lettering or a popular slogan might be seen on a lot of clothing for a short period of time.

As I’m not into obvious branding, political slogans, trends or any kind of support for bands/artists, it has slightly baffled me why the last 4 items purchased have resonated so much.

I can only surmise that I need to tap into the ‘connection with others’ potential via my clothing. In Fashion Feng Shui this is nothing new. It relates to the fire element, which just happens to reside in Summer. Although I won’t be wearing some of the sweaters at this time of year - fingers crossed - it is the ‘look at me’ aspect that is attracting me to them.

Fire can be added to your outfits using bright colours such as red, fuchsia, purple, textures and/or patterns from life such as animal print, fur, leather, suede (real or otherwise), shiny fabrics, blingy OTT jewellery or body conscious (sexy) dressing. These style design elements can enable the wearer to stand out in a crowd.

None of them appeal to me. Instead, it seems I have inadvertently chosen another way to attract attention. The letters or numbers displayed across my chest can’t really be ignored - can they?

I shall take heed of whether this works, or not. So far my Zadig and Voltaire Rock & Roll sweater as attracted quite a lot of male attention, as has the green 1970 Bella Freud I wore in a recent post. The black one, above, was also positively commented on in a very high end department store I happened to be visiting while in London. My husband has loved all of them so Happy Days!

As most of these garments are investment pieces, I am assuming they will be in my wardrobe for a fair while. Let’s hope others continue to find them as interesting, and conversation worthy, as I do.