Fashion and Creativity Are Friends (so I dress like an artist)
It’s a simple, artistic piece of advice: dress how you want to feel. Because the clothes you’re wearing can influence your mood, motivation and a whole lot more. So this is my guide on fashion and creativity.
Whether you like it or not, your clothes tell a story. They’re a key part of your brand, your identity and your self expression. And they can influence your behaviors, inspiration and even your personality.
Whenever I dress like an artist (well, my version of an artist), I usually feel more creative.
So this post shares my take on why that is and how I use fashion to boost my creative work.
Let’s do this!
Table of Contents Show
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Why Fashion Influences Creativity
You’ve likely experienced the power of fashion. Like how a new pair of jeans, your favorite tee or dressing up to the nines totally changes your mood. You feel different, inspired and confident.
Put another way, fashion changes and represents mood. Even a lack of intention behind your fashion is a statement to some degree. And that makes it a solid hack for creative inspiration.
So here are some specific reasons why fashion influences creativity:
Color psychology. Clothing is full of color. And according to Verywell Mind, colors influence our mood, behavior, performance and more.
Personal identity. Your personal identity is a creative statement. And fashion is like a loud speaker. It represents and creates a big part of who you are and what you represent.
Culture. Creativity and fashion are totally influenced by culture, society and the environment. Our culturally-inspired fashion directs our artistic decisions and inspiration.
Fashion is art. Fashion designers, models and clothing enthusiasts are all artists. Fashion is inherently a creative act — there’s no argument there.
Examples of Fashion and Creativity
An artist or musician’s personal style
An artist’s merch
The creative act of designing clothes
Yayoi Kusama
David Bowie
Lady Gaga
Drag queen fashion
How to Use Fashion for Creativity (7 tips)
1. Dress Like An Artist
What better way to use fashion for creativity than to dress like an artist? It’s obvious, but it works.
It’s up to you how you define what an artist looks like, but don’t feel bad if you need to use artist stereotypes or generalized portrayals for some inspiration.
For example, here are some ways I like to dress like an artist:
Unique thrift store finds
Accessories like bracelets or a necklace
Beanies or ‘informal’ hair styles
Fitted pants
Vans or Converse
Loose vintage shirts
Maybe my current fashion sense is pretty typical, but it motivates me creatively (and that’s all that matters).
So what’s your artist style?
2. Define Your Ideal Fashion Vibe
Everyone has a style, even if you’ve never thought about it. This is your fashion vibe, your fashion sense.
But have you ever actually sat down and defined it?
If not, reflecting on it and identifying the specifics will add some serious intention and clarity to things. Specifically, you want to think about your style as it relates to your creative life.
So here are some ways to find and define your ideal fashion vibe:
Look inward and do some self reflection
Use personal idols and follow influencers you resonate with
Consider your personal brand and the image you want to portray
Define a few different styles (one formal, one casual, one for parties, etc.)
3. Make A Fashion Mood Board
I like to make things visual, especially with something as aesthetic as fashion. So mood boards come in handy here.
A mood board is a collage of images (and sometimes text) around a specific idea with the purpose of inspiring ideas and feeling — mood. Travel, art, design and fashion are all common themes.
If you want to use fashion for more creativity, it can help to organize your ideas into a mood board. It’s like having a resource pool you can always pull from, which supports quicker decisions and a shortcut to inspiration.
So here are a few of my favorite platforms for creating and exploring creativity and fashion mood boards:
4. Grab Some New Threads
“New clothes bring new energy. So this is your permission slip to go pick up some new drip.”
Want to get creatively inspired by fashion? Then buy some new threads.
New clothes bring new energy. So it’s okay to sell your old outfits, go shopping and update your closet.
When it comes to shopping for creativity, here are some things I like to keep in mind:
Buy styles or brands you wouldn’t normally wear (creativity is experimentation)
Shop for clothes that inspire your creative side (not that formal stuff)
Look for unique clothes, since creativity isn’t cookie cutter (I like thrifting)
Don’t be afraid to be bold and try something new (again, experiment and play)
5. Experiment With New Styles
Fashion is creativity. And creativity takes a lot of experimentation and play. That’s part of why it’s so fun, it’s a way to tap into your inner child and imagination.
So what better way to practice that experimentation than trying out new fashion styles?
Try new clothes and get inspired.
Buy things you wouldn’t normally buy. Wear brands you’ve never worn before. All for the sake of simply doing something new.
It may be jarring to your friends, coworkers and family, but that’s the artist’s job. We’re here to create friction, spark debate and foster change.
And that takes experimentation. Fashion is simply one more vehicle that segues to that exploration.
6. Get Involved in the Fashion World
One of the best ways to boost the creative intention behind your fashion is to get involved.
This means you’re moving from observer to participant — from the stands and onto the field. This is a great way to make sure your creative-fashion intentions really stick.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the fashion world. Here are a few ideas:
Attend fashion shows
Try modeling
Join fashion communities
Go to fashion classes or workshops
Meet other people who enjoy fashion
Change careers — work in the fashion industry
7. Travel for Extra Unique Finds
In my experience, travel boosts creativity in lots of ways. And fashion is one of those ways.
Every country and culture has its own art, textiles and fashion history. When you travel, you’re exposed to this and inspired by it.
And when you buy clothes abroad (beyond global brands and generic stuff), you’ll discover styles you wouldn’t otherwise find. You’ll also be reminded of your time there and creatively inspired by it.
A lot of creativity comes from personal experience and the stories we gather as we live our life. Travel is made up of epic stories.
I love to travel Japan and go thrifting while I stay there. Tokyo has so many unique shops, brands and styles to pick from. And my creativity always gets influenced by it.
So if you’re looking for some adventure in your fashion journey, book that ticket.
Explore more:
➤ How to Travel More
Later ✌️
Fashion and creativity are good friends. This post shared how I use fashion to boost my creative mood and inspiration.
Color psychology and culture play a big role in fashion and creativity. But for me, the biggest connection is how fashion represent our personal identity and brand.
Using fashion to boost creativity starts with setting the intention, dressing like an artist (as defined by you) and defining your ideal fashion vibe. From there, you can experiment with new styles, shop for new threads, get involved in the fashion world and travel.
So, how does fashion influence your creative work?
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
