damn good question, one i'm still trying to figure out myself. i'm from an industrial indiana town that closely resembles so many cities across america. we're not necessarily 'small' but we're no nyc. and where i'm from, even women aren't allowed to indulge too much in fashion. as for guys who do - automatically considered 'gay' by almost everyone. we can't help where we're from, all we can do is try to improve upon the hand we're dealt. i just recently developed a respect for fashion as i've discovered its influence & power. and if there's anything i could teach people from my hometown --> OPEN YOUR MIND. fashion is an amazing form of self-expression that does more for the independent spirit than arguably any other discipline. it's who you are, it's what people see & think when they look at you. so maybe it's not your thing, touche. but that's like saying the car you drive isn't your thing or the house you live in isn't your thing. we all put on clothes every morning - the question is, are you the type to care & try to improve your life or are you someone who stays trapped in the body you were born into? so many people are intimidated by the 'fancy' shows and big name designers that they can't afford, so they give up & say 'fashion is for queers.' BULLSHIT. it's like jennifer aniston's take on art in The BreakUp - "it's not about what's popular or what's in. it's whatever works for you." if it makes you feel good, fuck em. some of the best dressed people in the world never wear a shirt that cost more than $100. your statement can be a $20 pair of jeans, $30 sneakers & a goodwill t-shirt. the important thing is that you care. that you actually think about what it is you're wearing. because if there's anything fashion teaches us, it's that the clothes very much reflect the person wearing them. so if all you do your whole life is throw a carharrt jacket over a polo shirt & top it off with a baseball hat, what's that say about you? i'm not knocking that outfit, but if that's as far as you're willing to adventure you're whole life, then i'll bet the house you're the type who will never adventure far in life otherwise. fuck the big cities, i'm with ya. but don't be the slug in the back of the line who simply wears what the big cities are wearing 10 years later. because whether or not you realize it, that's how the industry works. ADVENTURE OUT OF YOUR T-SHIRT & JEANS. try a scarf over a v-neck, mix/match some crazy shit that turns heads at the bar. EXPRESS YOURSELF. it's not an indication of your sexuality, i promise you. except maybe of the fact that you're so insecure with it that you're afraid to be seen in anything 'different.' I DARE MIDDLE AMERICA TO IMPROVE OURSELVES. dare ya. so that's my shpiel. hope it makes ya think 'hm, maybe he's right. maybe i will try a lil sumthin different this weekend.' in the meantime, i'm gonna continue to learn & grow throughout this ONE life i've been given. so for all the haters & commentators --> I realize I'm not the dude you knew 10 years ago, and I realize I've changed. I can only hope I'll continue to do so until my time is up because every day I see something new, meet someone I've never met & get ideas that I've never had before. It's the most I can do with the hand I've been dealt. Just because I wasn't born on a yacht in the Hamptons doesn't mean I can't try to get there. I think they call that The American Dream...
live // learn // laugh
- taylor j.
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