15 April 2013

The Muse: Genetic Drift


 Developing your own sense of fashion is not linear, in fact in my experience it has been anything but. In some cases you take big leaps forward, taking bold chances and recreating your image, starting with a clean slate. In others you wander back to thinks you had forgotten or believed you no longer like. Best of all sometimes you can combine the experience and successfully marry the two, literally experiencing the best of both worlds. This outfit felt a little like that. The weather has warmed up sufficiently to go out sans overcoat, however the mornings are still nippy enough to require stockings. I was so proud of these stockings when I bought them last year on sale, my mother took one look at me and said, "they look exactly like the tights you had to wear with your uniform in school." And they do. Remembering now how much I hated those tights (which were much poorer quality, and dyed with a foul smelling dye that stunk up anything unfortunate enough to share a washing machine with them) it seems crazy that I would enjoy these so much. If that's not regression for you I don't know what is, you can take the girl out of the Catholic school but.... As for the rest I think I've branched out and become bolder, I never would have worn a skirt this short, but learning how to work it is all part of the process. Also I like to think that so many of the rules that people set to fit fashion have gone by the wayside, like wearing open toed shoes with tights. I was doing a biology study guide with a student today and explaining genetic drift, how sometimes evolution occurs without natural selection, an natural differences in allele frequency can spontaneously manifest because of a small population or other environmental factors. I think fashion is a little like that. Seldom is it natural selection, its not just survival of the fittest in our wardrobes, the strong survive and the weak get weeded out. Its more like genetic drift, just when you think you know how your style will develop, unexpected anomalies can lead to unexpected surprises.

Sweater: no label, via Walmart (old)
Dress: Pins and Needles via Urban Outfitters
Stockings: Target
Necklace: Anthropologie (still available here!)
Bracelet: J.C. Penny
Ring: vintage, my grandmother's
Shoes: Predictions thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store
Purse: antique camera case







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