I would like to feel like this Tamara de Lempicka painting
Suiting up for Spring, with a hungry mind
I´ve experienced a “sharpening of the mind” as of very recently. Events have occurred that has been eye-opening in how I view myself and it has been clarifying. What do I want? What do I believe that I am capable of? What can I contribute to?
This may have influenced how I want to dress.
Not necessarily how I actually do dress, in my day to day, between going to the gym to work and commuting by bus, days off cooking meals with friends, finally going hiking again, or trying to learn how gardening works.
But just as I started the year by tuning in to my emotions and feelings, ending up articulating it through Expressionist paintings, I am now tuning in to a new season.
So let´s start with a new painting:
I´ve loved Tamara de Lempicka´s paintings since I was a teenager.
The Art Deco icon portrayed women as strong and sensual, through her own female gaze, in bold colors and a sort of soft Cubism style.
So what does this painting have to do with my Spring wardrobe and state of mind?
Let me muse on this as we go.
The need for a calm winter has evolved into a burst of really craving some stimulus, intellectually.
I have been gazing a lot inwards in the last few years, I´ve taken a keen interest in psychology, which is proving to be hugely valuable not just in my relation to myself and those close to me, but also at work and other realms – like learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons (I am a non-binary half-orc very defensive and highly skeptical wizard, ok?).
I have not been as attuned to politics and philosophy in the last few years, as I was 10 or even 15 years ago, when I still went to university and later started engaging in politics and activism.
At one point, especially after experiencing a classic “activist burnout”, I turned my focus to other things (some productive, some destructive), a lot of them “me-focused” (like training or nutrition, later therapy).
This has been good. But right now, I find myself more attuned to the “we-focused” as well as the bigger ideas and the longer reads.
Zooming out, while still checking in. What do I want and crave?
I want to bring joy to my friends and contribute to initiatives that brings value to our communities.
I want to support my colleagues. I want to make our work even better.
I crave discussions, not debates, where someone “wins” (are right) and someone “loses” (is wrong).
I am trying to seek out other voices, beyond what my algorithm recommends, and that may express contrary beliefs to my own, not to be convinced, not to feel outrage, not to compromise, but to understand and think better.
So now I have a sort of exhilarating buzz in me, which coincides with the snow melting and spring springing.
It is a hungry and confident buzz, not light and floral, but darker, sharper.
If you are familiar with the Tibi-language of Creative Pragmatism and the “chill – modern – classic”, I am now feeling a little bit more attuned to the modern, while winter leaned more towards chill.
This is revealing itself to me, as I created a new Pinterest board for Spring, just adding images that feels right, right now. Pin, pin, pin, and see what you get!
And I see more suiting, shoulders, attitude, sexiness, from Siouxie Sioux to the Tamara de Lempicka-painting above.
Images of women smoking (a habit I never picked up, but it looks cool).
A sort of strong 90s femininity, some strong jackets.
Okay, okay. This might be a vibe to channel – not to replicate, or shop for. But using as inspiration, for getting dressed in the next few months.
Sans florals. Sans cigarettes. But with a hungry mind.