1. When do you feel at your most attractive?

It is the summer. I have not showered or washed my hair in too many days to count but have been swimming in Lake Michigan enough in the last few days to feel clean and beautiful.

2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?

Lately I've been noticing that women ranging from the ages of 18-35 are starting to all dress exactly the same. On any given day, I can look at someone on the street or in a shop or workplace and surely own at least one thing that is similar to what they are wearing. This is something I notice and do not admire about them or myself.

3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?

I admire a women who wears what she wants (or chooses not to wear something) when she wants to. I don't appreciate the "I can't pull this off" talk. If you want to wear something, wear something. I admire those women and appreciate their bravery.

5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?

Wearing items you bought from the thrift store is OK if you haven't washed them yet.

6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?

Are you 26 and still own your first training bra? Does it fit you? Then there is no situation where you will ever need wear a bra, unless you want to, but just for fun.

7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?

Talking about the Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century outfits with my sister when it first came out.

8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.

Thinking about the bigger picture. Honoring myself and my talents and my feelings each day as they come.

9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?

I have one shirt that I made that I made again in another color, so I own two of them now. I like the cut of the shirt and the way it looks on me and how I feel in it, I like how versatile the shirt is and when one is too dirty to wear, there is always the other.

10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?

I gave my boyfriend a shirt as a gift that I thought it would look really nice in. Which he does. And the great thing about it is that he really likes it a lot, and likes the way he looks in it, so he wears it often! I continue to feel good about that every time he wears it.

11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why? 

Body-con

12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?

I've never thought about that before.

13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?

I have a swimsuit that was my great grandmothers from the 1920s that I am excited to wear during the summer this year. I also have my grandmothers wedding dress, a simple cream linen dress above the knee that I think is really classy.

14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?

Yes when I stopped smoking weed and graduated from high school. I got rid of all my tie dye shirts and weird cargo/convertible pants. Still wear socks with my sandals though so that hasn't changed.

15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?

No? Unless I am unaware.

16. Please describe your body.

Young and resilient, but aware that it is aging.

17. Please describe your mind.

Curious and intuitive.

18. Please describe your emotions.

Gentle and

19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?

I am not wearing make up.
I am not wearing a bra
I am not wearing underwear.
I am not wearing any jewelry.

I am wearing my Star Trek boots.
I am wearing black socks.
I am wearing black tights.
I am wearing my hair down.
I am wearing a long sleeve shift dress.

20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?

LIFE IS HARD AND CONFUSING AND DISTRACTING SO WE SHOULD PRESENT OUR BODIES IN THE WAY THAT MAKES US FEEL THE MOST LIKE OURSELVES, THE MOST PRESENT, THE MOST ALIVE.

21. With whom do you talk about clothes?

Everyone has at least some opinion about clothes, so, everyone.

22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?

Ideally they wouldn't. I am at work right now and as soon as I leave work, I will go home and take off my pants and put on a sweater. But I can't wear that to work or outside the house because the institution of 2014 in Michigan says without saying that it is not okay to do. So I wear pants to work.

23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?

To me, style is the way in which you address or take part in a creative culture (art, music, fashion, interior design) given your current financial limits. Taste is your opinion on those certain matters, but without any boundaries to hold you back. Someone's taste is harder to see because they might not be able to afford it, so their style would look a little bit different than their taste.

I think if both were in sync, each person would feel so groovy.

25. Are there any dressing tricks you’ve invented or learned that make you feel like you’re getting away with something?

When I commando for the first time I really felt like I was getting away with something. Similar to the feeling I had when I secretly wore my sisters training bra in 1st grade.

Nothing since then though.

33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?

Nature/Natural lifestyle, simplicity.

34. What do you consider very ugly?

Someone who doesn't have enough self love.

37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?

How do I feel today?

38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?

A furthered sense of identity.

39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?

Dressing up is when you take more than 5 minutes to get ready for the day. Everything seems more intentional.

What’s your birth date? 
Where were you born and where do you live now?

10/11/1988
Born in Syracuse, New York.
Living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.

I'm white.

What kind of work do you do?

Artist.

Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?

Not married, no offspring.

Please say anything you like about yourself that might put this survey into some sort of context.

I don't really like the internet.

How do you feel after filling out this survey?

I still feel the same way about the internet. I wish that we could have these discussions in person or a group setting rather than solitary through the internet and then read them in solitude on the internet or in book form.

http://www.heyleah.net