Old-Fashioned Inspiration

​I'll be the first to admit that fashion is NOT my thing--though I find myself continually inspired by the people I see confidently walking around wearing color and pattern combinations I never would have imagined worked together (like black & white stripes with floral patterns?! Love it.)

Last week I stumbled upon a documentary about photographer Bill Cunningham (free to watch with Amazon Prime). Cunningham, despite claiming not to be a 'real' photographer, spent his days photographing the fashion trends he came across on the streets of New York. There were so many great takeaways from the film, but the biggest for me were stay true to your art and there is inspiration and beauty in simplicity. Cunningham kept things simple (biked everywhere, ate as cheaply as he could--even refused to accept payments so that he wouldn't feel like he owed anyone anything). He knew what he liked and was driven by those interests (without any desire for recognition). In fact, in the documentary he was shown receiving an  award, and during the reception he could be seen telling other guests that they were more deserving of the award than he. Rather than spending his time photographing models on the runway, he much preferred capturing every day people, wearing their own unique ensembles.

Like Cunningham, I have found that inspiration abounds beyond the walls of my metaphorical (and physical) office. Despite my general disinterest in the world of fashion, this documentary was a great reminder of the value of stepping outside of your comfort zone every once in awhile to take a deep breath and open yourself to the possibilities around you. 

​ Cheers,