Pip-Life

:: Make and Meaning : Fancy Free Me…

July 25, 2010

Written for Make and Meaning by MEETMEATMIKES on JANUARY 25, 2010

Okay.  Here’s the thing. When I’m working on a project, making something or writing something, I can’t STAND to be wearing anything remotely smart, fancy or fashionable.  I can’t wear a belt.  Or shoes.  Or anything fitted. I have to have my hair up up and away.  No bangles or rings.  No jackets. No hipster (by name or nature) items. Nothing dangling, pulling, squeezing or pressing. Nothing low cut. Nothing hi cut.  Nothing fringed or slashed.  Nothing frilly. Nothing voluminous.  Nope. I fly in the face of fashion.
When I’m making, I must be comfy. I must be unencumbered. I must be frill-free.  I absolutely need to not think about my physical self one tiny bit.  Any unnecessary embellishments might cut off the blood supply to my right-brain, I think.  Headbands are out, for sure.
Fancy-free means I can focus all my energy on the task at hand to allow things to flow creatively.  I am cross and uninspired if there’s anything hindering my progress.  It doesn’t work.  I revolt.  I take my fancied up self out for coffee  complete with pencil-skirt and button-up vest and get nothing done.
The no frills approach for me, usually means bare feet, harem pants, simple loose-ish top, hair up, no jewellery… probably no make-up.  That’s how it seems to work best.  If I’m the slightest bit fancied up, then I’m somehow already sabotaging my own progress, by expecting that someone might see me, someone might visit, I might need to go out (for coffee).  I feel like I’m expecting an audience, I guess, someone to behold my fancy efforts.
The expectant fancying up and the irritation at feeling fancy halts any creative endeavours in their tracks.  It makes me feel tense.  It reaps no rewards.  I’m much more about the fancy-free, and it helps me stay on task and productive.  I cannot crochet in a beret. I cannot felt in a pelt (nor would I want to!) I can not sew in things that flow. I can not write if it’s too tight.
How about you? Are you making sans-fancy or are you the kind of person that dresses for the occasion?  Boiler Suit a la Beastie Boys?  Smock?  Caftan?  What’s your making style?
xx Pip

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