Come Undone

Those who know me know that i am a girl who likes to mix it up, to put things together you shoudnt; things that dont necessarily match or colours that clash etc etc.  I am by no means the first person to do this, but i like doing this as its more fun, and a bit more original and it's almost a way of putting my own spin on something.  


I went to an exhibition a few weeks ago, called 'Little Black Dress'  with my lovely sister.  Wandering around the displays of black dresses from the 1920's to the 1990's and the old old copies of Vogue, it sounds silly, but it was really odd how neat and well put together everyone was back in the 1920's and 1930's.  Hair was neatly coiffed and shoes were matched perfectly to bags.  Most of my time spent in the morning is spent making sure i don't look too put together, too matching or too…..done.  Thats right i waste my time making myself look like i havent spent anytime whatsoever.  It takes bloody ages sometimes too!

My messy mop!

Messy Mop from above!

More Messy Moppiness!

I'm not on my own  We do our hair now, trying to create a 'messy bun' that 'bed head look' or even colour our hair to deliberately make it look like the roots are dark and it needs colouring.  There are products designed now to make your hair look like it needs washing, products to combat shine, and hundreds of online tutorials to teach us how to look scruffier and less polished.  My messy updo above started as a 'i'm off for a shower type hair pin up' or 'can't be jiggered to wash hair' or 'its too hot to do anything else with' kind of do.  I can't count the number of times i get asked how i do it.    


We do our make up to look natural, like we aren't wearing any!! It is socially acceptable to have chipped nails.  Years ago you would have been frowned upon if your nails were a mess.  


Clothes wise, we deliberately clash colours, prints and 'styles'.  And its almost as if you get extra fashion points for being able to do this!! Dont get me wrong, i know not everyone takes this approach, and i am by no means trying to say we are a world of scruffy messy grot bags, but it is really interesting how things have changed.  

Mis-matching…not my best work mind you!

Working in retail, i cant count the amount of times i can be selling something to someone and they might say something like 'i remember wearing these the first time round etc etc' or 'everything comes back round' etc, and to a certain extent they are right.  Most styles, eras or ways of dressing do come back around in some form or another.  But fashion evolves, and while i am ranting and raving about looking a bit scruffy like it is some thing new and unheard of…it started somewhere….it is just something evolved from something else.  


Maybe it is what Sixties hippy style dressing,mixed in with some 1970's Farah Fawcett flicks and a little bit of Eighties street wear/OTT perms and…scrunchies (?!) have given us.  


But although many of us do love to look super duper groomed and polished to perfection, what is different now, is that it is actually okay to look a bit of a mess.  For men to look unshaven,for girls to mis-match, not wash their hair everyday,or co-ordinate.  Maybe its the economic climate, or the increasing popularity of vintage and thrifting and the current 'Make Do and Mend'  attitude that is so very now, but you certainly dont need to have lots of money to look good now.  And you almost get extra points for looking less put together.   


Makes you wonder where this will all go doesn't it?! Hope everyone doesn't stop washing too…or shaving.  I might be a bit of a mis-matched raggamuffin, but i do have soft knees!

XxX