ELEMENTS OF STYLE
LABELS
PART XI
Imani Smith
3.22.22
As a stylist, I’m often tasked with having to provide some inquiring mind with an exact description of my personal style. Most people tend to have a short list of common buzz words ready to spout off and are met with a delighted head nod, a validating phrase or a combination of the two. I, on the other hand, have never been able to give the same answer twice.
If I’m given the opportunity to express myself completely candidly, I tend to leave those types of questions unanswered altogether. Not because I’m trying to be elusive and mysterious but because some questions simply do not have clear answers.
When I’m being honest with myself, I choose not to define my style at all. My style is almost a living breathing being of its own. My style is my labor of love, almost like a child- constantly growing and evolving. My style is as vast as my very own humanity. My style is only limited by my finances, never my imagination.
I prefer to leave those questions unanswered not because I don’t have the words but because I’d rather not litter my visual stream of consciousness with figurative punctuation. I don’t have a favorite color. I don’t have a favorite article of clothing or a favorite shoe. I love them all. I don’t have a box large enough to shove myself into and it’s something that I have come to accept over time.
When I don’t have the luxury of the encouragement of purely unfiltered honest expression, I simply state that my style is mood based. I’m a habitual rule breaker and a calculated risk taker. It’s not necessarily meant to be universally understood or easily categorized.
There is nothing wrong with deciding that your style is going to be one specific thing and that you’re going to follow a short list of rules in order to convey a specific image. As a stylist, I encourage the freedom to make your own choices, even if that choice is erring on the side of caution. In that same breath, I adamantly discourage fear and close mindedness.
