Carol Mae Whittick

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Change Clothes

There are two distinctive sides to my sartorial personality.

Comfort or Impact. 

There are clothes that I just wear and clothes that require to be worn. 

In my Comfort clothes, some embellishment, unusual fastening, fabric or detail is just enough to make me choose it. Even my downtown clothes must not bore me. Whether anybody notices is irrelevant.
I want to cocoon. 

However when I am playing the Impact game the purpose is unapologetically about attention and the presentation is thought out to precision. 

Proportion, texture, colour and cut are amongst the myriad of variables that have to be considered and combined.  

The Red Gerda Truubon dress I wore in the video for Attraction had so much about it that any addition to it would diminish the impact. Less was more. 

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All I added was the lame turban diamanté earrings deliberately to catch and reflect as much light as possible. The dress demanded that I stand up straight and move in such a way that the sculptural element was never lost. 
Even the way I held and turned my head was exaggerated. Those shoulders would stab me in the chin or worse be flattened if I did not elongate and extended.  

Performing gives me the best opportunity to push my fashion fantasies to the limits.  I love singers who along with their great music understand the importance of great clothes. 

Lady Gaga and Paloma Faith are current examples of artists who bring that drama. When I want real inspiration I look to the past and archive pictures of Grace Jones, Eartha Kitt and the work of Edith Head who designed so many iconic costumes in the Hollywood heyday.  

You may wonder about expense. As far as I can recall there has only been one occasion that I have spent more than £100 on any single item of clothing. It was a dress I had no choice in buying because I was a bridesmaid. I wore it once and eventually gave it to charity after admitting to myself that I there was nothing that could be done to make it into something I would ever wear again.  

All of us, regardless of our occupation need to 'perform' in our lives. I am pretty sure you will have an item of clothing that helps you change your state when worn. Suddenly your back is straighter, head higher and step more purposeful. 

Have you ever wondered why that is? Is there magic woven into the fabric or do we recognise on a deeper level are we following the age old advice of dressing as the person we want to be?

What about you? I know it is not the most profound of subjects but I am interested. 

Male or female, how do you use clothes?

 

Love Yourself!

Cx 

Thanks for reading.  

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