Read Surveys (By Author)
meritxell serra
1. When do you feel at your most attractive?
when everything is aligned,
2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?
Yes, I do notice women on the street. I tend to notice those who have their own style and look self´confident.
3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?
How confident they look about what they do, how do they look. i am really amazed by the "adventure" spirit that others have (try new stuff, risk)
4. Was there a moment in your life when something “clicked” for you about fashion or dressing or make-up or hair? What? Why did it happen then, do you think?
i think it happened when I was comfortable with myself, more self confident. It was then when I decided I had to bright by myself a bit more, try new things, get out from the shades.
5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?
If you hesitate, don't buy it. If you are not in the mood, go shopping but don't buy anything. Don't try colours you have tried before and never worked (again you would be hesitating)
6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?
I try not to mix too different types of fabrics (maybe that's why I am so classic).
7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?
Well, with my best friend, what was the difference between being classic and achieving my own style, what was trendy, how to wear what, so i started taking tiny risks...
8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.
Yes, I do (except on finances that i am a bit..messy). I am quite organized, cautious. I am not a "loud" person, discreet, try to make things simples and easy.
9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?
I have multiple jeans as also running outfit. Maybe it's because I am anxious to wear weekend outfit, I wear suits and very formal skirts during the week so I overbuy stuff for my free time.
10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?
Yes, I buy clothes to my dad and they fit him really well (even if times goes by), to my mom I sometimes buy her some jewelry.
11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why?
Yes, short knits, leggings. I don't feel comfortable about how they look on me.
12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?
My mom... has a more modern style, should say that my dad influenced me a lot on how I dress now, soft colours for years, classical, not too different fabrics...
13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?
Yes, friend's style.
14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?
No, there never has been a dramatically change of style, I have evolved into a different style but it was not exagerated. I "chic-ed" myself a bit more, started caring about what and how I was wearing clothes.
15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?
No, I try to have a discreet style at work but there is nothing politial about it.
16. Please describe your body.
I am thin, short, athletic, defined waist, nice legs, "decent" breasts...
17. Please describe your mind.
active, smart, bit messy, focused on the important things, positive
18. Please describe your emotions.
calmed, cheerful, in love,
19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?
Red and blue printed trousers, slik blouse, blue knitted cardigan, high heels. My hair is long and loose right now. I am wearing on my face, CC cream, sand colour eyehsadow, mascara and coral pink lipstic.
20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?
It's discreet but with a bit of my own style.
21. With whom do you talk about clothes?
My best friends.
22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?
They dont affect me too much, I try to find my own place with a flavour of what is on.
23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?
I think I have taste, but lately I have been hesitating about my style. There has to be a balance between the two of them. Taste
24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?
Yes, I bought a dress that I barely weared and it was expensive, really expensive.
26. Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?
Yes, at work I really think I have style.
27. Can you recall some times when you have dressed a particular way to calm yourself or gain a sense of control over a situation that scared you?
Yes, I can
28. Would you say you “know what you like” in the area of fashion and clothing? If so, do you also know what you like in other areas of life, that is, are you generally good at discernment? Can you say where your discernment comes from, if you have it? Or if you don’t have it, why or why not?
I Know what I like and where I would like to go from a fashion point of view. I really know what I like in other areas of my life as I do know what i do not like. I have had the luck to have learnt from my parents to discern what is good from bad, what i like from what i dont and how to handle things i don't like.
29. Did your parents teach you things about clothing, care for your clothing, dressing or style? What lessons do you remember? Or did you just pick things up?
No, they didn't teach me about clothing. They mainly chose lot of my stuff when I was a kid and adviced me when I was a bit more grown up. My parents were really persistent on soft colors, matching them...
30. What sorts of things do you do, clothing or make-up or hair- wise, to feel sexy or alluring?
Using dresses, not usual clothes (silk pants)not so soft make up (smokey eyes), hair...I put a bit more effort on it but mainly it's more an attitude.
31. Many people say they want to feel “comfortable,” or that they admire people who seem “confident.” What do these words really mean to you?
Comfortable for me is when you wear something without feeling disguised or completely out of yourslef. Confident is when you feel really good with yourself, you can do/wear whatever you want it will look great on you . Both are related, you look confident because what you wear also makes you feel comfortable.
32. If dressing were the only thing you did, and you were considered an expert and asked to explain your style philosophy, what would you say?
You need to wear what makes you feel good, pretty always with a flavour of the environment that surrounds you. I try to keep myself but adapting to where I am. Comfortable, special, me.
33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?
To see that the look fits the personality, that what you wear really talks about how you are, they are consistent.
34. What do you consider very ugly?
Try to force your style just because it's trendy, no matters what.
35. Are you generally a good judge of whether what you buy will end up being worn? Have you figured out how to know in advance?
No, I am not good at that. I only know if I like what I see ...
37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?
I consider the weather, what am I going to do during the day, my mood (this is quite a remarcable point on what I choose when I get dress!)
38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?
Look nice, a bit different among the others, keep being me.
39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?
Dressing is when you just put clothes on you. Dressing up is when you think about what are you going to wear as you have a target (no matter which one)
40. If you had to wear a “uniform” what would it look like?
Pencil skirt, blouse, jacket and heels.
41. What would you say is “you” and what would you say is “not you”?
Me it's blue, red, single coloured fabrics, simple lines, design.
42. What is your cultural background and how has that influenced how you dress?
Traditional culture, discreet,
43. Do you remember a time in your life when you dressed quite differently from how you do now? Can you describe it and what it was all about for you?
I wore what girls of my age were supposed to be wearing as it was trendy. I didn't feel bad to try something different but I knew that even I looked good It would not be a habit I would adquire.
44. What sorts of things do you do, clothing, make-up or hair-wise, to feel professional?
The three of them, I always keep a clean look.
45. How do you conform to or rebel against the dress expectations at your workplace?
I wear colours that are not the most usuals around.
46. Do you have a dress code, a school uniform, or a uniform that you wear for an extracurricular activity?
Yes (eventhough i try to get rid of it). Jeans, t-shirt and snickers.
47. Are there ways in which you conform to or rebel against these uniforms?
Yes, I am trying to change that with dresses, boots, shorts... try everything new and different from my "school uniform" for years.
48. Do you find it comforting or constraining to have a uniform?
it depends. Sometimes it's comforting as you dont have to think too much. It's constraining as you don't experience different things that can make you feel really good.
49. What is an archetypal outfit for you; one that you could have happily worn at any point in your life? What do you like about it?
Jeans and shirt. It's atemporal, no matter what age you have, what is the trend it always fits.
50. Do you ever wish you were a man or could dress like a man or had a man’s body? Was there ever a time in the past?
No, never.
51. If there was one country or culture or era that you had to live in, fashion-wise, what would it be?
.. I am fine in the country and era i am right now,
52. Do you consider yourself photogenic?
Not at all.
53. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think?
I could look different, more modern compared to others in the picture, I usually feel out of the picture.
54. Are there any figures from culture, past or present, whose style you admire or have drawn from?
no.
55. Have you ever had a dream that involved clothes?
Yes, lots of times. Me going shopping, having a full wardrove, clothes not fitting me...
56. What would be a difficult or uncomfortable look for you to try and achieve?
Too "sexy" one, let's put it in a different way, too explicit anything too short, to illustrative it's completely out of my comfort circle. Looking too modern is also something I would not feel comfortable wihth.
57. If you were totally comfortable with your body, or your body was a bit closer to what you wish it was like, what would you wear?
More long skirts, dresses (maxi dresses).
58. Is there anyone that you are trying to attract or repel when you dress?
Yes I do try to attrack some persons when I get dress. If I dress to repel someone, I am not self aware of it.
59. Are there any dressing rules you’d want to convey to other women?
There are some non written dressing codes that need to be respected. Do not dress up for work as if you were going to the beach, standardize your look a bit.
60. What do you think of perfume? Do you wear it?
I wear eau de cologne, always. Perfume it's good but in a moderate way (as everything)
61. What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?
To my body? keep it clean and in shape. To my clothes, clean and ironed.
62. How does makeup fit into all this for you?
Makeup is a basic, but something really natural and soft
63. Is there a certain look you feel you’re expected to like that you have absolutely no interest in? What is it? Why aren’t you interested?
No
64. Can you describe in a basic way what you own, clothing and jewelry-wise?
Over the knee skirts, trousers, shirts, jackets, suits, jeans. All of them have something special, not big designers but not something for mass buying. Jewelry,.. small rings, earrings, discreet
65. What is your favorite piece of clothing or jewelry that you own?
Favourite Piece of clothing... a pair of old jeans and jewelry a ring with a bluesky stone on it.
66. Tell us about something in your closet that you keep but never wear. What is it, why don’t you wear it, and why do you keep it?
It's a pink dress. I don't find the right occasion to wear it and i just keep it waiting for the right moment to come.
67. Looking back at all your purchases over the past five to fifteen years, can you generalize about what sorts of things were the most valuable to buy?
Jackets, dresses.
68. Is there an item of clothing that you once owned, but no longer own, and still think about or wish you had back? What was it, what happened to it, and why do you want it back?
No, anything that I dont own right now i gave it away because there was a reason and I don't need it back.
69. If you had to throw out all your clothes but keep one thing, what would you keep?
A black suit.
70. Building up your wardrobe from nothing, what would you do differently this time?
I would have a more balanced wardrove, in colours, fabrics and types of clothes.
71. What’s the first “investment” item you bought? Do you still own or wear it?
I invested in a piece of jewelry gold earring and ring. I still own it.
72. Was there ever an important or paradigm-shifting purchase in your life?
buy usually something that will last and that you loved when you saw it on you.
73. What item of clothing are you still (or have you forever been) on the hunt for?
The perfect pair of shoes.
74. What are your closet and drawers like? Do you keep things neat, etc?
it's a bit messy on the t-shirts, jerseys... drawers. My closet is ranked by type of clothes (trousers, skirts, dresses, shirts, ...)
75. Were you ever given a present of clothing or jewelry that especially touched you?
Anything that is a present touches me, someone though that it would look nice on me.
76. Did you ever buy an article of clothing without giving it much thought, only to have it prove much more valuable as time went on? What was the item and what happened?
A handbag that I bought as a superdeal and though I would only use once. It's still with me and it's perfect for nearly any occasion.
77. How and when do you shop for clothes?
When the new season is approaching. I take an evening alone or with my friend and we just, go and see what is out there. There is one specific shop where I have my personal shopper who advices me about colours, combinations,.. looks.
78. Do you like to smell a certain way?
Yes I do. And I do smell slightly different from monday to friday from the weekends.
79. How does how you dress play into your ambitions for yourself?
I don't use it as a "weapon". I just try not have my dressing as a distraction from what I can offer.
80. How does money fit into all this?
It gives me the possibility to try and build my own special style. It's an important piece.
81. Is there an article of clothing, a piece of make-up, or an accessory that you carry with you or wear every day?
My daily cream, pair of diamonds earrings.
82. Did anyone ever say anything to you that made you see yourself differently, on a physical and especially sartorial level?
Well, maybe it was when someone told me that I look slightly different, personal..
83. Do you remember the first time you were conscious of what you were wearing? Can you describe this moment and what it was about?
When I weared a dress that I thought it was classical, not sexy at all and i realised that they were looking at me in a special way.
What’s your birth date? Where were you born and where do you live now?
may 4rd. I was born in Barcelona and I currently live in Madrid.
Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.
the diversity that admites.
What kind of work do you do?
I work for a bank.
Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?
I am single.
Please say anything you like about yourself that might put this survey into some sort of context.
I like not being afraid to learn and try new things.
How do you feel after filling out this survey?
I feel... a bit weird, like I have been inside my box for too long time.