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Wardrobe Architect: (Wk 2) Uncovering My Style Icons and My Colorful Athletic Style, Rather than Dressing as I "Should"

8/29/2014

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Week 2 of the Wardrobe Architect has been another interesting journey for me.  I liked processing how I feel in my favorite garments, what garments don't evoke feelings of my best self, and creating collages of images which depict those "best self" feelings.  

In thinking about style icons, I discovered that could not think of someone.  Style Icons? Who's style do I love? Who do I want to dress like?  Think, think, think. I'm drawing a blank.  

You see, there isn't just one person, one style that says me better than what bits & pieces I collect to call my style. I gather my loves together and call that my style.


Often, my Mom & friends influence me.  But, my style and love of color are very different than what they like. In fact, they're usually my first audience to shock. And shocked they are. I used to think that if they didn't like it, then I shouldn't either.  Again with the backward thinking that I had to have approval to be me! It can be a little scary to stand out so boldly. But it also has it's benefits. :) 
From Where I Stand in the Garden. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege
From Where I Stand in the Garden. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege

 What do I love and who inspires me? 

Actors/Musicians/Dancers
Juliet Binoche
Johnny Depp
Doris Day
Melissa McCarthy
Yard Dogs Road Show
Rachel Brice
Meryl Davis (DWTS)
Amber Riley (DWTS)
Amy Purdy (DWTS)

Movies
Glass Bottom Boat
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Sherlock
Hocus Pocus
Mr. Selfridge
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Populaire
Chocolat
Romantics Anonymous
Legally Blonde
Stone of Destiny
I watch LOTS more. Only listing what inspires me.

TV
The Mindy Project
Larkrise to Candleford 
Wild at Heart
Doc Martin (Louisa)
Almost Perfect (Red-head)
Pushing Daisies
Land Girls
Bomb Girls
Burn Notice (Fiona)
Royal Pains (Divya)

Characters and Fiction
Pippi Longstocking 
Aramina Spookie
Garden Spells
Practical Magic
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
Plus way more than I can list.
Outdoor Lifestyle
Surfers
Hikers
Climbers
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo & Swimming
SUP
Beach Life
Travel & Adventure
Sunset Magazine

Yogis
Kino MacGregor
Beach Yoga Girl (Kerri Verna)
Laura Sykora
David & Karen Ufer
The entire collective of amazing yogis who regularly post to Instagram

Brands
REI
Athleta
Lucy
Oilily
Boden
Ralph Lauren
Roxy
Chacos
Keen
L.L. Bean
Olukai
Patagonia
Black Diamond
K2 (I dreamed of working here when I was in Engineering School)

Quilters, Bloggers & Designers
Tula Pink
Happy Zombie
Jettshin
Kathryn Alexander
Enfants Terribles
Sewing Clothes Kids Love
Farbenmix
Diane Ericson
The Tilton Sisters

Ultimately, it all comes down to feeling good, laughing, or rejoicing when I interact or observe any of the aforementioned. 

Is that list a marketer's dream or what?!  Talk about a profile. ;)
From Where I Stand I'm Always Finding Love. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege
From Where I Stand I'm Always Finding Love. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege
What I find interesting is that during this exercise, I realized, that up until the last few months, I've been avoiding dressing in my favorite clothes or just-made-wild-garment-that-I-giggle-just-looking-at ... because: 
  • People feel uncomfortable around me when I'm wearing them or they express their own fears as a back-handed compliment.  
    (The way another person feels about me is their business, not mine. If they are afraid, that is an issue for them to work on, not me.  I do not need to take on other people's problems to get them to like me. And when I did, they usually hated me because I became an emotional basket case and they felt super great like they hadn't a care in the world.)

  • People tell me I "should" dress up or I'm around people who are dressed up and feel out of place.
    (couldn't stand out, could I?  Or could I..... yes I can.)

  • I read other bloggers posts and see what they've made and think it beautiful. Then turn critique on myself - "Why can't you be more like that?" or "The only way you'll succeed is if you follow their method, color choices, garment choices, blah blah blabbity blah." Which is immediately followed by, "I like what they make, and they look beautiful in it, but I wouldn't wear it, or it's not my style. Ho hum. I guess I better conform to succeed. Bleahhhhhhhhhhhh. This sucks."  And then I stiffle my own creativity.
    (Oh for serious? Gwen, really.)

  • The fashion world and people I've surrounded myself with in past imply that an athletic style or "jeans & T-shirt" are not "a style". So why bother because people won't think you're actually a fashionista.  
    (Hello?! Wasn't there a Sporty Spice for a reason?)
From Where I Stand I'm ok to be me: colorful, multi-pointed, and easy like the Oak Leaf. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege.
From Where I Stand I'm ok to be me: colorful, multi-pointed, and easy like the oak leaf. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege.
Do those things stop me today? Infrequently.  But, when they do, I know there's a gem of an opportunity to dig and understand my own fears, then bless and release them. 

It hasn't been until starting the Wardrobe Architect that I have allowed myself to live in the world of effortless athletic color as a real, honest-to-goodness style and fashion statement. So fashion world and arm-chair fashionistas who would rather critique than live, I am a style!
So who am I? 
             What is MY style?  
                                   What to I want and love to feel in my clothing?
From Where I Stand Richly Purple, Green, and Being in My Presence Evokes Feelings just as the Scent and Sight of Lavendar does. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege.
From Where I Stand Richly Purple, Green, and Being in My Presence Evokes Feelings just as the Scent and Sight of Lavendar does. Photo by Gwen Gyldenege.
I am Surfer Girl chic.  
I am Sound to Mountain.  
I am Day to Night.  
I am Work to Play.
I am Yogi.
 
I am Dia de los Muertos.  
I am a Story.
My Style: Colorful, Playtime, Curvy, Outdoors

My Style: Colorful, Playtime, Curvy, Outdoors by gwen-gyldenege featuring star signs
I am a Character. 
I am Pippi, Araminta, Mindy, or any one I wish to be.
I am Magical. 
I am Playful. 
I am Adventure.
I am every Bright Color of the Rainbow.
I am Abundance.
I am Profuse.
I am as Colorful as the Flowers I so dearly Love to Photograph.

I am me. Just me. Lovely me. Full on.
Ultimately, I've decided these words best describe my core style.
Colorful
Happy
Sporty
Comfortable

Multi-tasking
Effortless
Follow Gwen's board My Style: Curvy, Outdoors, Play, Color on Pinterest.
And my dear hearts, when you think of yourself and your style, please remember...

Today you are you, 
that's truer than true.
There is No ONE alive
that is YOUER than YOU!

-- our beloved,Dr. Seuss
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    Gwen Gyldenege

    Author: 
    Gwen Gyldenege

    I'm a one woman circus.  
    I'm curvy and athletic.
    ​I am a dancer.
    My last name translates 
    to "Golden Oak". 

    I'm an artist, intuitive, engineer, seamstress 
    and performer.

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Except for sources otherwise stated beneath images or bottom of the page (Creative Commons), all images and works are copyright Gwen Gyldenege, all rights reserved.  Contact Gwen to request permission.
Photos used under Creative Commons from I Robertson, DoNotLick, Gustty, Jayson Emery, Nbepko, Gamma Man, I Robertson, Lars Plougmann, RowdyKittens, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, The Wandering Angel, VasenkaPhotography, quinn.anya, Léa Chvrl, Lost Albatross, Guttorm Flatabø, BEST PHOTO, RowdyKittens, allistair, BozDoz, tanakawho, Navicore, Bilal Kamoon, D-Stanley, Kris Krug, glasseyes view, essers, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Alex Pepperhill, Found Animals, adactio, Office Now