Points of Liberation: My Fashion Story Part 1

The Beginnings of My Fashion Story: 
Early Childhood

Hello and Welcome to A Time to Play! 
I have been considering and reflecting about my love of fashion and how I got to where I am today in the way I dress. 

If you know me at all, you know I love me some fashion! Whether I'm drawing it, looking at it or styling it, it's one of my favorite subjects! 

As I've looked back on my experience with clothes in general and styling fashion over the years, I realized I haven't shared that story with you, my readers/friends! Nope! So with this post, I determine to change that, so you can see somewhat of the trajectory of where I've come from in my creativity and my wearing of fashion. 

Perhaps with sharing my fashion story and the points of freedom I experienced and chose over time, what I am referring to as Points of Liberation, that you may see some of my story in your own. 

Because fashion, when worn from the heart, is about freedom of expression. And the more free we are to dress in a way that makes us happy, the better, right? It can be downright life- changing. 

I thought I would start as far back as I can remember with clothes as a child. The one thing that stands out the most to me is my desire as a young child, perhaps about 9 years old?, looking for images of fashion illustrations in the newspaper in the culture section. I was Absolutely Fascinated with Fashion at a very young age. Both looking at ensembles that I really liked as well as drawing them. I illustrated fashion very young. 

I would attempt to replicate the drawings in my own work, trying to get the energy and detail just right. It was always thrilling just to have those drawings in hand. Knowing that I knew what I loved and what made my eyes and heart happy and what it would be like to wear those fashions as a grown up! 

Of course, at nine years, I didn't have a lot of choices for my own wardrobe, whether it was hand-me-downs from my sister after the era of matching outfits my mom made with her own sewing machine, or finding bargains when it was time for back to school shopping (keeping with a budget!)

My point of liberation at this young age had everything to do with what I liked, without the influence of anyone else, whether it was colors I was drawn to, or specific motifs that I enjoyed. I know that when I did get to wear something that fit that criteria, I was ecstatic. 

Having that knowing of what I loved and that no one could change that because it came from deep inside of me, that creative, artistic side of me that came naturally was bliss.

I think I knew that even at that young age, I liked to dress outside the box, not like most of the other kids. My sense of fashion was always a bit funky, but I was limited with how to express that during those early years. I think I secretly wished it could be otherwise. But at least I could draw what I wanted to wear even if it wasn't possible as fully as I would have wanted in the moment. 

I don't recall what my favorite color was at that age of nine. But I'm sure it was bold. and Fun. I so wanted to dress in a way that was FUN. Yes, even then I wanted to have fun with the way I dressed, even if others thought it was odd. 

My point of liberation at this age was not only knowing what I loved but being brave enough to wear it when I could and draw it as often as possible. And Dream of it coming more fully true as I got older. 

Now, we have all experienced that moment or many moments where our parent chose what we were to wear whether to school or to a social event or family holiday, and what was chosen was the furthest from what we would have chosen ourselves. 

This probably happened for me more often than others since my sense of dress was outside that "norm" for that time in my childhood. I knew what I liked and I knew what I didn't like, but I wasn't about to protest. I just chose to go along since I didn't really have a choice in the matter. I did what Mom said, especially where my wardrobe was concerned at age nine. 

But just knowing deep inside what I would have wanted to wear instead was a point of liberation in my own little heart. And I didn't have to tell anyone. All that mattered was what I knew. And that could be my secret. For now. 

I have come to really appreciate my brave heart at the age of nine, knowing what was mine as my desire to dress in that way that made me happy--without anyone else telling me otherwise, even if it didn't happen during those early years. I hung onto that dream until it was possible. But that will be later in my fashion story! So stay tuned! 

How about you? Did you have someone who dressed you in your younger years once you could dress yourself? Did you have a sense of what you liked that overrode your desire to wear what was laid out for you? Or did you have more freedom to dress as you liked? 

You're welcome to share in the comments below. I support you in your fashion story and my delight is for you to discover what that might look like for you. 

Thanks for sharing in my fashion story and I trust it will inspire you as you choose what you will wear going forward--even if that means dressing outside the box! 

​Remember to have FUN with your Fashion! 

Dawn Herring, Your Fashion Friend who likes to dress outside the box!