Thursday, May 15, 2008

Costume change. By Alicia Pyke.


Sometimes when I’m dressing, I like to imagine myself playing a role. Just as actors garb up for a particular part in a play, so I like to prepare for the day or night ahead in theme.

Usually it’s a pretty large leap of imagination but that’s exactly what makes it fun in the first place. So humour me if you will when I think I’m channelling a Rock Goddess, Sexy Secretary, French Poet or some other fashion muse.

Rock Goddess naturally involves jeans and killer heels to catch a band while French Poet might just mean wearing a beret, scarf and scuffed boots on a rainy day. Russian New Money meanwhile only surfaces in the middle of winter on an especially chilly evening when I can get away with wearing the Ginger & Smart black rabbit fur hat I once purchased on sale for $10.

Girl Detective likes to gad about in the same deluxe belted trench coat Sexy Secretary also ventures out in. But that’s where the wardrobe overlap ends. Did you ever hear of Nancy Drew sleuthing around in mesh-covered stilettos after all?

I also like to employ the same role play when shopping for swimwear. It’s one way to make this hideous process slightly more bearable. Hollywood Starlet chooses a belted one-piece never actually intended to get wet with a floppy wide-brim straw hat, giant sunnies and perhaps a sheer scarf for a cover up. Hippie Lovechild however favours a bright bikini with a fabulous printed caftan and jewelled flats.

Yes, they’re often ridiculous descriptions for relatively simple outfits but the names make me laugh. Especially when I decide to share my inspiration du jour with friends.

But fashion is fantasy and this is my way of importing a little runway into reality. So who do you imagine you’re channelling when it’s time to get dressed?

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