I love that more than any other time during the history of the world women are not as defined by what they wear. The countless number of styles available today is epic. It is, therefore, with pleasure that I decided to accept an invitation by Smartling, a translation service company, to blog about my style and how it has been influenced by other cultures.
There is no doubt that my mother and grandmother initially influenced my style but upon consideration it is equally apparent that they in turn wore fashions that largely originated from other cultures. Ladies and gentleman emigrated to the U.S. dressed in attire from their native homeland. The reverse also happened. Ladies and gentleman whom traveled abroad brought back garments and accessories they purchased during their global travels. It was rather predictable that individuals would adopt clothing that appealed to them from whichever parts of the globe they had visited. The same still holds true today. If you keep up with fashion news you are certainly aware that fashion designers get a lot of the inspiration for their collections from their travels.
My style easily fits into the eclectic style category. Some might say this is because I am indecisive about which style I like best. The true reason, however, is that I have a rebelliousness that responds to constant change. The concept of being able to change how people view me every day is extremely attractive. I am driven to balance the classic with the edgy because that is just who I am. I also have a love for 70s culture which is sometimes reflected in the pieces that I wear. I love fringe elements, crochet pieces, faux-fur vests, floppy hats and fedoras. 70s clothing does not define my style, however. I would never create a head-to-toe 70s inspired look. I choose to take elements from different cultures and time frames in our global history and incorporate them into my outfit to create a look all my own.
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| Joan Smalls for Free People; Source |
I love pairing vintage accessories with contemporary clothing. I have quite a collection of vintage hats from the 1940s and 1950s that I adore pairing with modern pieces. One of my favorite outfits consists of pairing my black leather Max Studio dress with a 1950s American made hat from my collection. Just picture one of the hats below paired with the dress that follows. They perfectly represent my eclectic style.
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| Alexander Wang mixed-media wrap dress; Source |
There are multiple items on my list of fashion must-haves list like trench coats, leather garments, boots and booties, fringe embellished items that were created or adapted by cultures far from my own.
Over the years, I have come to recognize that I am drawn to clothing that originates from all over the world. I have, for instance, two treasured trench coats amongst my wardrobe that consists of a Michael Kors gold metallic trench coat and a Miss Sixty black trench coat. The Michael Kors trench coat is synonymous with All-American glamour, of course, while the Miss Sixty trench coat symbolizes the type of European chic that I find so appealing.
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| Burberry Prorsum Resort 2015; Source |
I have a strong love for leather which accounts for my collection of leather jackets, dresses and skirts. Leather garments are historically affiliated with so many cultures and continue to be produced all over the globe from the United States to Italy to India which proves that leather has universal appeal. I am not nor ever was a member of subcultures like punks, heavy metal heads and goths but I think some of the garments and accessories they wore is dynamic. I love that by adding a leather jacket to any ensemble I can add an instant edge to my look.
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| Alexander McQueen leather dress (It looks like my leather dress!); Source |
My wardrobe also consists of several pairs of boots and booties. I love that they can be paired with a pair of skinny jeans one day and a skirt the next. This summer I acquired a white mesh and leather pair of Sesto Meuccia booties crafted in Spain that quickly became one of my favorite pair of booties. One of my favorite pair of boots is from American brand Anne Klein. They are a beautiful blend of black patent leather and fabric. The booties below perfectly represent the type of booties I like. Can you see a theme? If you guessed edgy you are right; however, I also have a bit of that 70s bohemian within me like one of my favorite style icons, Kate Moss.
Boots and booties were originally created and worn for the following reasons by members of cultures all over the world: to help protect the feet of nomads in the ancient Far East, to protect the feet and legs of European knights from being injured during medieval wars and to shelter the feet and lower legs of American cowboys during the Old West. Their purpose has moved far beyond just a type of functional footwear. They are undoubtedly one of the most popular types of footwear in the fashion industry.
Now that I have shared with you why I have an eclectic style that incorporates garments originally created and worn by a variety of cultures I hope you choose to share your style influences with me.
