I’m standing in my closet, staring aimlessly, hoping that something new will magically appear. Something sexy; something special; something that makes them say wow! Yes, it’s that time again. I’m getting ready to go to a fetish event- a New Year’s fetish party. It’s gonna have to be awesome.
Unfortunately, my budget right now is anything but awesome. All of my pretty pennies have gone to Christmas presents and there is little left for pretty little things, much less a new corset. It’s time to get creative. Now, contrary to popular belief, I am anything but creative. Crafty, yes. Clever, maybe. But, creative, not so much. What I am really good at, if I do say so myself, is emulation.
What is emulation? Emulation – this is my version, screw Webster – is the process of taking an idea and making it your own. Webster suggests that emulation involves the desire to equal or excel others. It’s true that I may want to do it better, but what I really want to do is to do it my way; to make it mine; to own it; to make sure that no one says, “yeah, I saw that look in SKIN.”
Imitation, on the other hand, is what I refer to as copying a look…EXACTLY. My current favorite example of imitation? Every Jersey-girl running around the boardwalk trying to look like Kim Kardashian. These girls are not trying to take this look and make it their own; steal an idea and apply it to their repertoire; or pull off the feel of “I’m a hot slut and I’m confident in my sacred-whoredom” look. These girls are trying to be “Kim Kardashian.” News flash ladies: this job is already taken.
When my closet refuses to cooperate, as it often does, in magically producing something new and exciting I turn to my look book for some inspiration. My look book is simply a three-ring binder with top loading sheet protectors. Inside I keep magazine clippings, website articles, photos, how-tos, and anything else that I find inspiring.
Paging through the glossy sheets, I am searching for something that inspires me. A look, or a part of a look, that I can make my own; that speaks to how I am feeling about myself and the event I’m attending. When I find something that speaks to me, I employ a four part strategy to turn what may be a collage of random images into an amazing outfit that is all mine. My main objective is to remember that I am not, nor do I want to be, the size two model in the two thousand dollar latex outfit. I’m not that person. I am however a little steampunk, or a little gothic lolita; a little bitchy, a little butch; a little bit country…no wait … that’s a little bit rock and roll. Whatever I’m feeling at the moment, it is that FEELING that I am trying to emulate; not the woman that I’m trying to imitate.
Looking past the size two perfect body and the custom made fetish clothing can be daunting to say the least. Taking the time and effort to evaluate why I’m attracted to an outfit, a model, or “insert your inspiration here” is my key to avoiding imitation and succeeding at emulation. Most of my inspiration for fetish outfits in fact comes from totally vanilla places. An ad for Dior lipstick inspired my rose pedal mask at Valentine’s Day and the Victoria Secret Angel Wings inspired my little lingerie number for a recent Black & White Ball. A Victoria Secret model I am not and I had no desire to purchase, make or carry around four-foot wings. However, white faux fur, sparkles and feathers strategically added to white lingerie that I already owned created a magnificent piece for the party and cost me just $40 in supplies and a small headache from trying to figure out how to get the jewels to stick to my body all night.
Well it’s back to the drawing board – or in this case the look book – to come up with an amazing outfit for New Year’s. Stay tuned…..