Mission Monday #1: Inspiration

 Without further ado, let’s kick off the first Mission Monday for Mission Week!  Sometimes people ask me where I get the inspiration for my outfits.  Or, more appropriately, it sounds something like “how did you come up with that?”  The answer is everywhere.  Literally.  Sometimes, I get inspiration from intangible things like falling snow or curtains or a bathroom scheme.  Most times, though, I get my inspiration from other people.

There is a difference between copying someone and being inspired by them.  I’ve found that a lot of people say “I could never wear that” or “only skinny people can wear that” or “only you could get away with that.”  I find these kind of statements so discouraging.  Mainly because I think that the driving force behind people who make these comments is the thought process that in order to wear something that they find appealing, they need to look exactly like the model/ad/person that they got the inspiration from!

Which is a shame in and of itself because other people—people on the street, fashion magazines, other bloggers, girls in movies, Pintrest—are the main source of my inspiration.  But getting inspiration from them doesn’t necessarily mean completely transforming into them.

Tweaking.  That is the main way that stylish people use inspiration.  Don’t have all the clothes in the ad?  Fine.  It doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy all of the stuff that you don’t have.  Improvise.  I don’t have any closet like Serena VanDerWoodsen or Carrie Bradshaw or Blair Waldorf, but I do have things that are similar enough to pull off a look like one created for their characters.

Next week is my birthday!  And as I did last year, I am going to do a Birthday Inspiration Week  showcasing all of the fabulous famous people who share my birthday.

Left to Right Top: Natalie Cole and Zsa Zsa Gabore.  Think glamour.  Think diva.  Think beauty.  Think fancy.  Think of sparkle and lighting up a room.  Babe Ruth.  Think sporty.  Think casual.  Think of what you would wear to a game or party for sports (like *blech* the SuperBowl).
Left to Right Bottom: Bob Marley.  Think boho.  Think hippie.  Think free flowing and loose fitting.  Think of the 60’s and 70’s fashion.  Ronald Reagan and Tom Brokaw.  Think professional.  Think suits.  Think clean lines and classic powerhouses.  Axl Rose.  Think 80’s.  Think edgy.  Think rocker.  Think party all night, bar hopping, after hours cocktails. 

Your Mission for next week, should you choose to accept it, is to get inspired.  Not all of the challenges will be this partitioned.  And you don't need to use these people.  Take inspiration from someone that shares your birthday, an outfit from another blogger, an outfit you've had on your Pin Board forever.  If you need a refresher on what the hell I’m talking about with Mission Week, see here.  Again, the Mission Week will start on Monday, February 4^th the link up for this will be held on Friday, February 8^th (I will also have a button figured out *cross your fingers* by then.  BTW--anyone know how to find your ftp in Blogger?  Is it possible?).  There won’t be a time limit, so if you submit after Friday, no biggie.  That is just when the link up will go up.  And, again, you don’t need to participate for the full week unless you want to.   

Orange Dress-Target; Cognac OTK Boots-Charlotte Russe; Sheer Leopard Print Blouse-Forever 21; Leopard Trim Cloche Hat-Target