Fashion has always been something that appealed to me from a young age. I believe I started
specifically sketching clothes back in 3rd grade (when I got those template books from those girly brands at my local Walgreens). My favorite book was
The Allegra Biscotti Collection of course (and my next fave at the time would be, without
a doubt, its prequel: Who What Wear?) I had a whole notebook dedicated to designing wedding gowns and revamping other people’s outfits and spent most of my free time fantasizing about having my own collection (EPicDesigns, cringey I know hehe) at 4th grade. I wanted to make it a reality so bad I remember making a pamphlet of my designs to show family and friends… and eventually even making a few of my own dresses (with the help of my wonderful cousin Elaine because I couldn’t sew at the time). Coco Chanel was my idol by the end of 4th grade year and I made sure to read a bunch of her biographies. By the beginning of 5th grade, I was sure this was what I wanted to be: a fashion designer!
The thing was though - I was also always a really realistic kid. Yes, I had (and continue to have) BIG optimistic dreams, but I also knew to never be too caught up in the fantasy world.
In the middle of 5th grade, I dropped the fashion designer dream to pursue a more
“realistic” dream job… which in my 12-year-old mind was nothing else but… a movie director. That was a fun phase. (I’ll probably write about that soon in the near future.) But an end-of-the-year project kind of crushed that dream as I realized how little people actually made it out of that field becoming the next Spielberg. (See, I’m not a whole pro on this topic but let’s just say the general scale with movie directors is either indie film maker with no money or Oscar-nominated director. And guess which percentage is higher?)
So by 6th grade’s end-of-the-year career project, I was stumped. What fun job should I research now that was both practical and had my attention? I knew I wouldn’t return to pursuing this dream so to speak but I decided to research about the fashion design career for the fun of it anyway. After all, I still enjoyed learning about it. Here, all my mom’s precautions were validated by the numbers from the internet. I realized how little percentage people actually made it out to be the next Alexander McQueen or Coco Chanel for that matter. Everyone in between
fell in the less-so-glamorized or talked-about jobs such as buyer or perhaps merchandise or maybe marketing…
So… up to now even, I still have no idea what I’m going to pursue.
I thought for sure I would grow out of the whole fashion phase eventually. That it was just a silly phase that almost every girl goes through. (Kind of like wanting to be a princess when you grow up - but a little bit more realistic.) That it was just a fun-time hobby back when. That even if I still grow to love it, it'll just be a side-thing going on next to my main, more "secure" profession of course (which is still undecided).
But I didn’t. It seemed that every year, my love for fashion just continued to grow. I still sit at my desk upstairs sketching outfits every now and then. I still get excited whenever I learn a new fashion decade era fact. I still turn to the pile of fabrics and beads and craft supplies whenever I have free time. There is so much more to this story (and many other sub-stories that go along) but I don't want to turn this into my autobiography because that would probably bore you, haha.
SO all in all - let’s just say. I still love fashion. I love how much it has reflected a culture over history. I love how it has represented a lifestyle since the beginning of time. the history of it. I love how much impact it has on cultures all over the world.
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With the exception of that 4th grade phase, I've never considered taking fashion seriously as a career. But I'm in the 10th grade now and everyone's always telling me to pick out a college I want to go to... and with that, I need to know the major I want to be in (so I can look at the best college for it)... what I am going to do. Once again, I still am uncertain. But I think I just might step back into the fashion world for now.
Just this Christmas, I was blessed to receive 4 fashion books from my family. The first year I got all books for Navidad. I know. Who would've thought? If 11-year-old me were to somehow be transported to 2017 Christmas, she would probably be faking a smile and saying thanks but go to her room and cry later.
I never thought I would be this excited to get books as presents... but truth is - I totally am! (Not to mention, I also asked for Jane Austen books for my birthday - craaazy I know!!) I'm sort of geeking out right now just thinking about them.
Anyway, I absolutely love all of them equally… but I have to say my heart has an
eensy bit more room for the VOGUE COVERS book! I’ve wanted this book for a really looong time now (for lots of reasons that I'll save for another time because this post is already suuuuper long as it is). I wanted one so bad I even taped a piece of paper with the words 'VOGUE: 50 Years of Fashion' printed on it onto a cereal box, cut out to secretly hold books inside for my desk!!! And now - I finally have one to display in place of it!
The thing is - the Vogue Covers book, it doesn’t just show fashion. It’s full of history. From how the magazine started and how it’s evolved over the past century. It’s art. It’s marketing. And I am in love with it.
I cannot wait to get to reading these few books this year! What’s on your 2018 reading list?
Elyssa