I say that I am interested in fashion, but I want to be more specific. I'm not the kind of person who looks for trends. I don't necessarily follow label designers on the runway. The kind of fashion I'm interested in is the integration of folk culture elements with modern style.
My mom is a musicologist, and so I've been raised in Eastern European folk culture. I'm really not Eastern European, nor do I identify with any cultural identity other than American. Still, I love the idea of identifying with a motherland, and having those roots. I'm actually kind of jealous of people who still have their ethnic and religious ties, although it's probably not as big a deal as I make it out to be.
Anyway, when I was a kid, one of my favorite activities at these events would be to check out the Balkan Bazaar. I looked at the jewelry, the dresses, the perfumes, the CDs, and everything else. I loved to look at things. To me, things were much more interesting than circle dancing. I may be seventeen years old, but I will be drawn from a mile away to anything that says "Try Me." That also explains my middle school obsession with Sephora. But I digress.
I was always curious as to how I could integrate these things into my common wardrobe without looking ridiculous. I've found that the clothing items can be difficult, but the jewelry is much easier to pull off. My mom travels often, and she enjoys buying jewelry. I'm blessed that she lets me use it. Her collection contains jewelry from Hawaii to South Africa.
In my ideal world, I would want wear something with this kind of legacy, and I would know the story behind it as well. For example, I would want to wear an Aztec print shirt, and then explain to you that the "Aztec" print is in fact called Ikat, and it is derived from a weaving technique that the Aztecs used in the 14th century. That's a fact. I tried to write some blog posts along these lines, but I only ended up writing one, about Dutch Wax.
I've been using Pinterest to look at different prints, but I've also been using it to look at specific people who embody this kind of style.
For example, I think Carmen Miranda is stunning. Though many don't know her by name, she has definitely left an imprint on world culture. When you think of Brazilian women wearing frilly dresses and fruit bowls on their head, that's Carmen.
Another icon I'm interested in is Frida Kahlo. I don't know much about her right now other than that she was a Mexican artist who enjoyed being androgynous, even though I've had a Frida Kahlo book in my shelf for nearly nine months now. Bad Ellen! Get on the ball!
This kind of style combines three of my favorite things: culture, history, and pretty pictures.
One of the many random ideas I've had for STAC projects is maybe attempting my own fashion shoot. Nevermind the fact that I have zilch camera experience, styling experience, makeup, or anything. I would love to display fashion that is both relatable but also teaches something interesting. Culturally considerate fashion, without titles such as "Tribal," which are actually kind of racist. I could try style like Mexico and Brazil, and then move to a country like Romania or Hungary. I could get some clogs and imitate the Dutch. Greece and Italy would also be fun countries to look into. Maybe South Africa. And then some China and India. Oh, and the United States.
I think it's interesting the way that culture gives people a national identity. Sadly, I also find it interesting how folk culture can be abused to create a political identity. Ethnic identity is more of a mental construct than a tangible thing. I think that it's okay to appreciate folk culture as art, but it can be dangerous when used as a political tool.
I shall end my post here, and see if my thoughts later expand upon this subject.
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