Window Shopping - September 2016

Window Shopping:  An Intro

This month we're introducing Greg Matusoff, who is almost certainly the only fire-fighter/fashion columnist in the country.  As you might expect, he has a different take on the subject of personal style. 

More Shoofly Stories

Be it art, design, or fashion, did you ever wonder why self-expression seems to be so effortless for some while it's a constant struggle for others?
 
As kids, we soak up things like sponges. Things our families and our friends are into, we inevitably learn about and they may become our interests, too. 

​If you grew up in a sports-minded family, you most likely played sports, or at a minimum have a good understanding of competitive sports.  Our friends, families, television, and the Internet help define us as we're growing up, if not by anything other than exposure.

Window Shopping
is sponsored by

Greg and partner Kristie Buddenbaum at home with pooch Hemingway, photo by Ellis Anderson

​Fashion is not unlike that.  If you grew up with it, then it's something you're aware of.  If you weren't exposed to it, then fashion may be an afterthought, with clothes serving a more utilitarian role than that of self-expression.  There is nothing wrong with either scenario; we all have different priorities.
 
We all have our go-to clothes.  Whether it's an old college sweatshirt, a favorite pair of jeans, or a little black dress, our fallbacks are reminiscent of security blankets: we can always count on them.  They represent function over form.
 
And with time and age, it becomes increasingly difficult to branch out from our comfort zones.  Sometimes it may seem that if we haven't learned something by now, then what's the point?  We let our insecurities inhibit our ability to learn.

​Also, we need to remember that less than 1 percent of the population are runway models. The rest of us are made up of all different shapes and sizes!  We must understand that what looks good on one person might not work for someone else. 
 
When I work with clients and friends on their personal fashion expression, the first things we figure out are what they're drawn to, what excites them.  It could be a particular type of art, an era (i.e. the Roaring ’20s), or an event.  Then we explore their favorite colors and styles.  Once this is determined, we have a good sense of direction in creating a personal style.
 
There are many things that have to be considered — body type, skin tone, comfort level, and occasion are a few.  I find it's sometimes easier to look at it like costuming: What stage are you going to be on today, and what statement are you trying to make?

​In my own life, I have tested this theory many times and am always amazed at the outcome.  I find that I can walk into situations dressed one way and get a specific reaction, and the very next week almost the same situation dressed very differently and get almost the opposite reaction. How I dress and present myself directly affects my interactions.
 
I think that one of the most important things to keep in mind is that playing with fashion is fun.  It should certainly not be work.
 
Every month in this column, I will focus on different aspects of fashion, demystifying it and making it more approachable.  The end goal?  To remind you that we should all feel good about our own means of personal expression, and live inspired lives!

---

Read about Greg and Kristie's inspired lives in the Shoofly's July 2016  "At Home in the Bay" feature.