What inspires me

That's always the question, isn't it?

Luckily, I had to narrow it down for a talk I was doing last week. Unfortunately for me, though, it was in regards to art and handbags, not so much about fashion. There's still a little overlap, so we'll do that first, yeah?

Por lo general: 

I really dig social and political history, which informs a lot of my work: fashion, art and all. I'm inspired by lectures I go to and watch online, talks with friends and loved ones, current affairs, old affairs, my artistic friends and my beloved hometown, Austin. I also love exploring my ethnic and geographic heritage — the Virgin Islands and Texas. Both have my heart and provide me with endless amounts of inspiration and pride.

As far as fashion is concerned: 

Diversity 

How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer, courtesy of Fly

Girls that are beautiful but don't look like "fashion girls." There's this homogeneity in the fashion world and while the girls are no doubt pretty young thangs, I feel it's a bit detrimental to my own perception of beauty to only be shown them in the context of "this is what's gorgeous" and every one else as just people. Diversifying my visual intake is a very interesting and inspiring process

Menswear

Courtesy of Gentlemen's Quarterly

The utility, simplicity and durability of menswear makes me envious to no end. The fact that men's items are, for the most part, meant to last them through hell and back- I wish to have (and, therefor aspire to make) clothes that are meant to be worn, not to just look pretty. You'll see that come through with a lot of my inspiration sources. Fashion for the sake of looking cute makes no sense to me. Take, for instance, this (fictitious?) blogger

"Since I post new looks everyday, I have to shop just as often"

Clothes that are well made, well styled and useful are the dream, but buying clothes just to look good in them, to me, defeats the purpose of clothing. 

Handcrafted Goods

From LA Cowboy

Much like my love for menswear, I love the utility of handicrafts. Art is beautiful, but if I can't use it, I'm not as impressed. Things made by hand that I can wear allow me to appreciate the artistry of one's work without having to worry about having an empty wall or shelf on which to display it.
Aside from the utility, handmade possessions are what I cherish the most in the world. Being able to see an artist's hand in what they've created reminds me of my own and their humanity. Being handmade gives objects a history, provides an innate sense of connectivity with the area and people from which they're bought and, essentially breathes life into them.  

Well Live-in Spaces

Gerald Decock at home. From The Selby

Interior design magazines and blogs tend to get a little stuffy. The Selby, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. The blog features people in their offices, homes or studios and, what's most, the people actually LIVE in these rooms. They're not rooms to send around the blogosphere just to gain popularity or to put on airs. I don't care much for a beautiful space if it proves impractical for living in, or worse, if it cannot be lived in for fear of messing it up- sort of like the living rooms covered in plastic. Spaces that are a true reflection of the lives of the people that share them are truly inspirational, especially if they still manage to look good. 

Women.

Polyglot, jazz singer and America's mom

Strong, intelligent women who know that their femininity doesn't merely lie in the clothes they wear, the chores they can perform or their ability to attract men. Women like Phlycia Rashad, Melissa Etheridge, Chavela Vargas, Ellen, Janis Joplin, Frida Khalo, Maria Bamford, Tracy Chapman, Lauryn Hill, Cass Elliot and the list goes on and on and on