I read yesterday that Amy Winehouse is giving herself and her home a creamy smooth make-over. She’s obsessed by soft peachy pinks and golds and is especially partial to floral prints. This aesthetic will apparently become her new trademark. If this bit of gossip is true it would seem that Amy and I have more in common than the fact that I also used to have long jet black hair and permanent cat-eyeliner. I’m loving anything in the shade of nudes and pinks and am even painting my living room a pale-warm hue called pink sunset. So aside from the fact that she is again stealing my style I am all about Miss Amy’s reinvention of herself. I love it when people reinvent themselves, period.
Reinventing yourself is a way to show change on the outside that has happened inside. For me it is an organic process that when executed becomes totally refreshing and exciting. We are always changing, growing and being inspired by new things, so I think there is nothing more authentic than being yourself and surrounding yourself with (and wearing) what feels good to you at the time, not boxing yourself into one look or label.
Yet when we do reinvent ourselves it doesn’t always come with a warm welcome from those who know the “old” us. My friends who knew me with long black hair didn’t react happily when I changed into my clubby bleach blonde look. The friends who knew me as Rabbit with short white hair are often shocked and thrown off by the way I look now. There is some sort of fear of change that gets triggered here.
I do think that reinventing yourself can be healthy and even therapeutic. As long as we are able to face, process and learn from our past-selves it seems natural to wish to create a new image for the inner metamorphosed self. However, processing the past is the key ingredient in making any actual change happen.
What about you? How do you feel about sudden outward changes? What reincarnations of yourself have you gone through?
P.S. While it looks perfectly propped, the flame-painted guitar case behind me was not actually planned. The blurry kitten and man-slippers however, were positioned.
P.P.S. Remember in the mid 90′s when Courtney Love got that glammy Versace movie-star make-over? But then eventually went crazy again in a collagen fueled, rib cage showing hollywood way rather than the red lipstick smeared punk rock way we first loved her for? Do we think this is what will happen to Amy? Did we like Court’s couture make-over?
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8 Comments
Great post (as always!).
I love reinventing my look. I often take clothing inspiration from what I’m into watching (True Blood right now)or a music genre I’m particularly into.
Currently I’m being very inspired by southern music and native american culture, so fringy belts & scarves and dreamcatcher necklaces have been my summer staples.
Drastically changing your look can be liberating, allowing you to explore a different side of yourself.
Thank you! It’s funny that you mention True Blood because I was watching make-up tutorials on youtube ( http://www.youtube.com/user/panacea81 ) –Great stuff–and was going for a Vampire-inspired look here with the smudgy eyeliner.
Ohh I like the idea of combining southern/native american. Sounds cute and interesting. Personally, I have always dug the native american look and wanted a giant white feathered headdress.
lovely look, rabbit! the outfit plus gloves are absolutely stunning!
i have definitely always been met with people’s expectations of what i am (“supposed”) to look like/style/especially hair color with my family and even friends. One member of my family always says, you looked so perfect when we went to France in 98, ur hair-everything! Well, I was in 8th grade then, were those my only good days??! They are long gone now!
I appreciate the boldness of your post…letting people know that change is organic and real. for everyone. i’m not trying to chase an old ideal…i’m chasing my own ever-changing ideas of just what exactly, is me. thanks RW! (again!)
Pretty Robotic´s last blog ..Now_Wearing 8/7/09
PR:
Rant on sister! I think that people defenitly have a fear of change. In the case of friends I think if a friend shows fear/anger/uneasiness over your aesthetic change that they were probably not a deep-true friend but an appearance based friend, a fashion friend. Someone you hung out with because you were into the same scene/music/lifestyle…not someone who appreciates the jewel that you are. Okay now I am ranting!
Anyway, PR I say keep chasing those beautiful ideas and never stop growing and changing <3
I’m loving that look!
I agree that a metamorphoses of style and look is reflective of that personal change. During those last few years of high school and several years in college I played with a darker look. I had dyed my hair black and wore a studded belt. (Wasn’t it you and I who were getting asked if we’d gone goth in high school? I’m thinking we’d devised a plan to make people believe we were doing ritual sacrifice…) These days I’m more for comfort and earthier tones. I think it is a regular process for most individuals to go through several shifts in their style, and those who stick with one seem slightly backward to me.
Robie´s last blog ..
Thanks Robie!
Yes I remember the reactions my highschool self got all too well, if I wore something retro I was asked if I was “in a school play or something” when I wore smudged eyeliner and studs I was told looked like a demon child at the gates of hell.
I also agree that sticking with one style seems kind of backward to me. Imagining staying in my punk look/attitude/lifestyle forever is terrifying!
Rabbit´s last blog ..RabbitLinks
miss rabbit you look great. that necklace is hot. i used to be a jeans girl but this summer, i haven’t worn any jeans for 3 months and love wearing cute dresses and oversized tunics for a free flowing look. i didn’t give up my sneakers for heels yet but i’m working on it. lol.
sheena she´s last blog ..Creepy Girl: Cher
Sheena,
oooh I am so with you on the dress thing. I feel like I could live forever without needing to know what size of jean I am by wearing flowy things. Ahh so you are a sneaker-girl, I used to be one myself wearing new kicks out instead of towering heels then I got turned on to the latter. I love the sneaker look personally.