BLACK - AN ESSAY
I would say that my style of dressing is more post-postmodern than simply modern or post modern. It seems like modern fashion tends to put style into categories. Think, for example: preppy, minimalist, alternative, ect…With modern fashion there are rules to what makes something what it is…I naturally break those rules. What I wear on a given day is the product of inspiration taken from a bunch of different aesthetics, styles, and cultures that do a beautiful dance with functionality, what I want to feel like, and what I want to appear as. This is closer to post-postmodern fashion because, unlike postmodern fashion, the goal of the clothes is the expression of the person wearing the clothes over sticking to aesthetics or combining aesthetics.
In my closet you’ll find a range of garments: plain T shirts, graphic tees, tank tops, jackets, regular jeans, ripped jeans, board shorts, athletic shorts, athletic shirts, sandals, sneakers, and boots. A common theme you’ll see is that a lot of what I wear is black. It's not all solid black or even the same shade of black but black is always the base color of what I wear. Aesthetically, black is a timeless color that is both versatile and functional. The right garments in black can create a formal outfit, a casual outfit, or an athletic outfit. I have a wide variety of interests and it's comforting knowing that no matter what I may find myself in, whether a pick up basketball game at the park or a date, that one color can be appropriate for any occasion.
It gets deeper than aesthetics though. The color black has had a special place in my life for as long as I can remember. A lot of the things I have always liked are black. When I was a kid my first dog was a black German Shepard. The car that my grandfather would drive me to school in was a black and silver Escalade. I grew up shooting guns, which are black. I used to be fascinated with ninjas as a kid, they are seen in movies as wearing black outfits. My favorite bird is the raven, a bird with black feathers. I used to, and still do, like sitting in the dark when I feel overstimulated. I have an interest in space and astronomy. When I wear black I feel connected to these things that bring me joy and that have done so all of my life. Overall though, I like how black makes me feel. To me, black represents infinity, unlimited potential. In physics, black is the absence of color, but absence has a negative connotation. When people think absence as a void or being empty of something. The thing about absence is that it's the soil for creativity, as when nothing is there…anything can be there. That's how I am myself, not as one thing or as one label such as athletic or a student or a total retard, but as a vessel of endless possibility. I think that's all of us too in some way. Black represents my internal identity and gives me confidence aside from the aesthetic benefits. Plus, black clothes just kinda work for me. A black outfit matches the color of my hair and eyes and compliments my brown skin.
It also pairs well with my accessories, which are mostly silver. Black and silver is a timeless color combination that can be both masculine and feminine but also, to me at least, has an air of mystique about it that you can’t get with any other metal and color combination. My first exposure to this was actually the starry night skies of Mississippi that I had spent countless nights gazing up wonderfully into during my early childhood. I used to imagine that each star was a friend coming to visit me at night and the moon was a sort of cosmic relative that even when I didn’t see it was always there watching over me. It's crazy what stories a child’s imagination will create about something so ordinary as a night sky.
This is what I mean when I say it's post-postmodern. What I wear comes down to what the day calls for and what I feel comfortable in. Wearing something simple as a color with so much meaning to me is like wearing your own personal flag. I take a lot of inspiration from streetwear, punk fashion, gorpcore, and athleisure but these serve as guidelines rather than hard rules. An aesthetic is just a template for creativity, somewhere to start but that becomes my own specific style when I add in other things that, to me, elevate it even if it contradicts the initial starting point. What may start off as a streetwear inspired outfit may become a punk style outfit if I toss on the right combination of bracelets and a certain belt. A formal outfit can evolve into a casual outfit if I decide to change out the sportcoat and loafers for a leather jacket and chelsea boots.
Truth be told, I don’t like rules. I understand why they exist and that they do serve a valid purpose (sometimes). I also think that rules limit potential and that they should be questioned even if they are accepted and obeyed. Perhaps this is a sign of a deeper, more personal issue within myself, but I digress. What I will say is that in art, rules do generally do more harm than good, in my opinion at least. To me, fashion is the most important form of art that there is, not because we constantly see it, but because historically it has been used to express who we are, what we represent, and how we want to be interpetted by society. I encourage everyone who reads this article to ask themselves this:
“Who am I and how can I show that with clothes?”
This can be a hard question to answer, or an easy one. Everyone’s answer will be different; that's exactly why I’m asking it and why I think it's a question worth spending the energy it takes to ask. For some it's something simple as shorts and a t- shirt. For others it's a fancy ballroom gown with a million different accessories that someone would think the wearer asked for one of everything at the jewelry store. For me, Lawerence Edward Linton III, its anything…as long as it's black.
Thank You for reading
WANT TO CHALLENGE A LABEL?
LOWLIFE is currently hosting the CHALLENGING LABELS art contest.
We're asking artists to create work that questions the labels, stereotypes, identities, and expectations placed on ourselves and others.
Every artist who submits a piece will have their work featured in the upcoming CHALLENGING LABELS virtual gallery.
And the winning artist will receive a Behavior IssUES shirt set (our upcoming collection)
+
a personal review of their work from LOWLIFE founder LawErence Edward Linton III.
