April 19th, 2018

I did an experiment in the company of four girls on a Sunday afternoon. Four girls who already have a well defined style and are reluctant to try new clothes. I also suggested make-up, the kind they would never wear on a daily basis, and clothes that they would never choose or match.

After grabbing some photos with them, I wanted to find out about their comfort-discomfort line when it comes to clothing.

The comfort of Flori’s clothes

Flori is comfortable in clothes that let her move freely.

“When I buy clothes, I always think that a design should allow for freedom of movement, should boost self confidence and should also match my body shape. I do like colorful fabrics, most probably because during high school I had to wear a gray uniform all the time and it made me feel limited. I follow fashion trends, but I don’t rely on them. The second-hand clothing and vintage stores are still a treasure for me. Recently, I analyzed my wardrobe and I noticed that I have some types of items I’ve developed an obsession for – high-waisted pants to mask my abdominal insecurities, dresses because wearing only one item feels cosy and you no longer have to match two different pieces, colorful tights or patterned neutral ones.”

Discomfort

“I don’t like apliques on fabrics because washing them always gets complicated, and I don’t like leggings and leopard prints. I would never ever wear fur slippers or skin-tight and transparent dresses.

I feel discomfort when I see sleeveless blouses, high heels, tops or short blouses worn with low waist jeans, because I associate all of this with my insecurities – I have thick arms, I do not have enough balance for heels and my abdomen is not pretty enough.

After many experiments, I could say that I now know what I want from clothes. I’m more confident about myself, I enjoy colors and, from time to time, I wear bold outfits. I believe that everyone traces a line between comfort and discomfort, a line slipping into an unknown, untested area, unapproved by those around them. People around me think I have style. I receive gifts and compliments that go along with them – “I saw this in the store and I said to myself, this dress is definitely Flori”.

The experiment regarding the comfort-discomfort line in clothing

“The clothes and the makeup were different from my usual style. I would never put so much red on my eyes for daily makeup. Otherwise, the experience was exciting and each item transported me to another time, country, community.

Some of the clothes made me feel sexy, like a cinema star, like a girl living in the countryside or like a girl in a Hawaii holiday mood. Others made me feel suffocated, without any freedom of movement, or stressed because some of fabrics were transparent. Some accessories reminded me of my childhood, of mother’s jewelries,  and David’s bust made me feel playful in front of the camera. I wasn’t alone.”

Photo credit: Simona Petrică. Make-up: Raluca Bulmeza