The art of artistic fashion
A gathering of people always dons the garb of predictability. An official meeting struts around in unsurprising formal wear while a friendly congregation chooses light-hearted attire to accompany their carefree chatter. An all-night party flaunts its wardrobes of blingy flamboyance, and a sombre occasion calls for a restrained, austere appearance. Life and its visual representations are really not complicated at all. Follow the broad prescribed rules, with a bend or a twist allowed now and then, and you are set to fit into every aspect of existence.
And then, there is the unpredictable world of art. An encounter with this abnormal species, especially when they are assembled together, can be quite a disturbing and strange experience for the uninitiated. Here are a few explanations that would help you decode this tribe and navigate your way through any chance circumstances of running into them.
EXPRESSING IDENTITY
Artists often consider everything about their life as a visual language and an extension of their self-expression. Their dressing, too, naturally resonates with this need to proclaim their individuality, unmindful of conforming to social norms. Frida Kahlo, the iconic artist, for instance, embraced her Mexican identity by wearing a Tehuana dress as well as corsets with religious and communist symbolism. With her long hair piled on top of her head, adorned with flowers and sporting a unibrow, she was unlike any other female artist of the 20th century. Pioneering artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was famous for his mixed, eclectic wardrobe, which combined high fashion with streetwear. They were as complex as his paintings and were perhaps an act of rebellion against standard conventions. There are several contemporary artists in India too, who wear their philosophies as woven masterpieces in the form of colours, fabrics, and styles.
COMFORT CLOTHING
Artists have never had to adhere to dress codes and work etiquette in their professional spaces. There are no swanky offices to go to at specified times, nor are there colleagues, bosses, or customers with whom to share the business hours and duty periods. Artists primarily work alone, and their solitude serves as the essence of their creations. It is essential to cut out the noise and the chaos of external influences and connect with one’s own thoughts in order to produce anything of substance that is uniquely one’s own. With this facet being given prime importance, it is not surprising at all that artists choose comfortable apparel over formality. At times, even a pyjama and a tee would suffice! What eventually matters is what is generated, and the trappings of dressing in dictated ways have never had a place in any artiste’s studio.
DIVERSITY IN CREATIVITY
If you need to witness the entire spectrum of diversity, step into the world of art. The lack of universal dress codes allows artists to present themselves however they wish to, and the outfits one confronts at art shows are as diverse as their creativity. Mundane is boring, fashion rules are broken, and the sense of liberation one experiences at not having to conform to stereotypical styles is truly exhilarating!