THE CITIZEN INDEX

Monday, July 26, 2010

blogger/ MUSE: the Citizen


"Style is the perfection 
of a point of view."
                  -Richard Eberhart

When I was in 3rd grade, I wrote out a list of clothing I wanted my mom to make for me. The key article of clothing on the list was a bright yellow linen double-breasted pants suit. I was very specific: YELLOW. LINEN. DOUBLE- BREASTED. I'm not going to to go into the reasons I felt I needed this in my young life. I lived in my head, and I wanted to dress who I envisioned was the real me, who apparently needed a yellow linen pants suit.


My mother, not realizing how keen (or specific) my vision was, made me a yellow POLYESTER version of my vision instead. I WAS MORTIFIED. She probably figured for practical reasons polyester worked better on the playground. But Polyester had no room in the  wardrobe of my interior world. I needed LINEN. It took me 20 years to realize that yellow linen double-breasted pants suits aren't the typical fantasies for 3rd graders. 

I LOVE costume. I love the ability to express oneself in clothing. To convey the inner workings, the inner life of the costumer by a dash of color, a glint of sparkle, a hint of rouge. And I'm quite fond of clothes. I like a good cut, a strong silhouette and beautiful fabrics. And I could spend all day playing dress-up.



Even when the looks don't rate well on Lookbook.nu, or Chictopia. Or Weardrobe. In fact, I have almost zero fans, and very few "hypes." But I like the way I dress. And I dress myself FOR myself. I like a quirky take on a classic item.

Like a LINEN dress. And this striped dress is such a joy. Cool, loose and comfy, it is the perfect slip-on for a hot summer day. And this day of the photo-shoot was a scorcher. 

Instead of jewelry I like to wear buttons. So I sew buttons all over everything. Like this dress. And there's one my crazy '60's floral broaches that I wear like a Latina version of little Edie Bouvier of Grey Gardens.

So by using a few different accessories and the same linen dress, I had some fun being inspired by some of my friend's blogger style. Lots of layered accessories and, mixed prints and platforms like Jemina; Big hats and little boots like the girl from Isquisofrenia, and yet still my style is my own.


My style is much more pared down to essentials than my beloved stylish blogger friends, Jemina and Isquisofrenia. I'm a plainer Jane. These shoes are classic Citizen Rosebud finds: scored at a thrift store, they are mint,  from Clark's limited edition "Artisan" line of shoes. Rich leather, hand-stitched, in a slightly funky shape. I LOVE THEM. They are, like yours truly, an "everyday eccentric."

The people I admire don't dress like me. They dress like themselves. And that's what I love about fashion. It's a venue for everybody to express themselves. It's a language written in the weave of your dress. So, I ask you, what does your style say about you? Who, or what, inspires YOUR style?

Now Wearing:
  • Polka-dot scarf/ headband, thrifted
  • Clear plastic sunglasses, Target
  • Button-embellished linen dress, the Citizen's own
  • 1960's vintage b/w floral broach, Crimson & Clover
  • Clark's, black leather heels, thrifted (Thrift Town)

22 comments:

luciana said...

Funny, pretty photos :)

GRIT AND GLAMOUR said...

I love this post! So glad you are celebtrating YOURSELF! Fantastic.

That's why I'm not on Lookbook, Weardrobe, Chictopia, etc. It's so much extra work formatting and tagging and uploading pictures, and for what, really? So I can feel "cool" if people hype me? It doesn't make sense. I am my brand. I believe you should only go to one place to get that brand, and it is www.gritandglamour.com. Plus, I like to have complete editorial control.

I only recently joined HYPEED as an experiement to see if it is any different from the sites above. It claims to be an online fashion mag of "real people." I've been watching to see if there is really diversity and a fair shot at inclusion or not. The verdict is still being decided.

♥ V
http://www.gritandglamour.com

jemina said...

OH CHICA!!! I love your style, it's innately embedded in you!!! you are fearless, Original and NEVER boring!!!, I am a FAN!!!!!! Much much LOVE and admiration for you darling, yours truly, J, XOXO

Marta said...

Bella, such a fantastic post! i love your style as it is so unique, and you have such a vibrant personality!!!
i didn't join chictopia too - too much fuss i think, besides blgging gives more opportunities to express yourself, and meet interesting people as well!
what i wear collaborates with my current mood. sometimes i am able to wear one and the same thing for the whole week!

the Citizen Rosebud said...

Thank you all for your comments!
I too joined these sites to explore them, to see what made them different from one another. The differences are subtle, mostly age and size mostly. I hope to write an article based on my experiences, and look forward to each of your comments about these outfitted communities. MUCH love to ALL of you!

moonshinejunkyard said...

girl i LOVE your take on fashion and clothes! and i sooooo agree...it's about expressing who exactly YOU are and not doing anything to impress others. i am proud that i love my maxi dresses and calico prints with no concern whether prairie-girl-style or whatever the hell is "in" or not!!! you look amazing in your little sundress and the buttons sewn are sort of blowing my mind, what a fabulous idea.

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Dressing for yourself is the only way to dress and I think your style is fanfreakingtastic!

natale eve said...

LOVE this post. Besides the fact that you made a great find with the Thriftown Clark's, I find your words to be very inspiring. I haven't joined any of these sites that you listed except for Hypeed, mostly because they are intimidating! As well as time consuming. But I admire your courage to be yourself. I thought Hypeed might be interesting because of the "real" people aspect (which I'm not so sure is true), as well as the little contribution competitions they have. It pushes you to try new things, which I like.

Anyways, enough of the ramble... thanks for the great post!

<3 natale eve

Casee Marie said...

I love this post and I love your style! And I love that you dress for what you like. It shows such strength and originality of character. So many people are so easily influenced by what's cool and they try to look just like other people. It's so boring to see that, and a little sad because people are really missing out on the true creativity behind fashion. I love seeing someone whose look is as unique as their personality (:

For myself, I'm mostly inspired by history, I think. I love styles from different eras, especially Regency/19th century England and 1940s/50s America.

stylenuggets said...

Bella, we like you for being intrinsically you! Most of us, myself included dress for ourselves. Because at the end of the day you have to be true to yourself first.

Becca [Free Honey] said...

I think having a strong vision of what I wanted was one of the things that caused me to learn to sew. That said, I'm at the very beginning of my sewing journey so it's still frustrating not to be able to make my fashion fantasies become realities. I'm also a person with very persistent, specific ideas and many times, my vision is not consistent with trends or the clothing that is in stores. I'm looking forward to the day when i have the sewing expertise to make my mind's equivalent of the yellow linen double breasted pantsuit.

Hannah said...

Haha, this is awesome. I seriously love how YOU you are, and that you flaunt it proudly. And that you wanted a yellow, linen, double-breasted pants suit in 3rd grade. That is a hoot.

Emily said...

I love your attitude about your style and your obsession with buttons! I have a similar thing going with buttons! I'm a collector!

Emily

http://stylishdistractions.blogspot.com/

the Citizen Rosebud said...

I like being a hoot! Thank you.

fashion provocateur said...

i love your shoes they go great with that dresss i really like your blog



www.fashionprovocateur.wordpress.com

fashion provocateur said...

i love your shoes they go great with that dresss i really like your blog



www.fashionprovocateur.wordpress.com

TM said...

great shirt!!!! Love the way you wear your hair!!!

Isquisofrenia said...

sorry i missed your latest post, gosh ive been so absent on my blogger ways but im back tomororow outfits posts again hahhah
and i was gonna say that i hear what you saying i dont have hypes on lookbook and i used to do the chictopia but its hard to do lots of posting in one day
ahhahah you know what i mean right?
and i really like what you done with the buttons on the dres
and lastly i WANT those boots so cute!!!!!!!!!

Lisa said...

That brooch as fantastic<3!

Unknown said...

I can't tell you how much I love this! I've been explaining myself for years now that I dress myself for myself, not to gain approval and not to attract men.....just for me....because it makes me feel good. Another thing you said really struck a chord, that the bloggers you admire don't share your style; they're just being them. I have found the same to be true for myself. I've tried to emulate, only to feel like a doober. But even though I can't (and shouldn't) pull off their style, I still love watching THEM pull off their style! Glad i found you! ~Serene

the Citizen Rosebud said...

Serene, I am glad YOU found me too! xo. -Bella Q

Good Eye said...

YOU TOTALLY NEED A YELLOW DOUBLE BREASTED LINEN SUIT!! I say go back to your mom & have her finish the job. LOL! I used to make my mom sew me stuff too. She'd be like, "But Nickie I don't have a pattern for that!". And I'd say, "You can do it Mom! Don't worry!!". And of course she could & did. I love that rad lady. :D

xoxo
Nickie
http://nickienoel.com