Creative Reuse: See Potential in Everyday Objects
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How do I relate to the material objects that surround me? Is there a possibility for creatively reusing that which has been discarded or neglected? Am I seeing beauty in the everyday?
I try to allow my environment to reveal itself to me by creating space for looking.
At first I see without expectation. I walk around San Francisco for about an hour a day roaming various alleys and streets. As I’ve explored documenting my personal style for BabaChic styling projects on Instagram, I have begun to realize how much I depend on the unknown of my environment as a way to express myself. Every day I wear whatever calls to me, and as I walk the city I find walls and spaces that relate to my outfit and mood. From there I ask a kind stranger to snap my photo. I never know where I will be and what interaction I will have.
I’ve also realized in this process just how much thrifted, vintage, inherited, and found articles of clothing I wear. And if I go shopping, I tend toward the thrift and flea market which is sustainable, inexpensive, and an adventure of looking. I make my clothing purchases in a similar way as my photographs- I’m just open to whatever inspires me.
Part of this is looking at something with its potential in mind. Whether it’s a broken bookshelf on the corner that can become a four panel painting or exploring Good Will, there is the possibility of beauty in the materials that surround us. The point is not to hunt, but to let the eyes open.
To feel inspired by your wardrobe may simply mean opening to new ways of seeing your clothes. A pair of scissors and safety pins can do wonders. One of my current favorite tops is a sheer liner I cut out of an old dress, to which I trimmed the front into an asymmetrical line.
Whether it’s our closet or the street, we can open to re-envisioning how we interact with the materials of everyday life. This is not just a sustainable practice, it's also a way to appreciate beauty in the ordinary and view the world through the lens of possibility.
