chelseakenna asked you:
Hey! I have a random question that was inspired by those drawings and you are my resident historical fashion expert (and I know NOTHING about this stuff). Were the multi-layered undergarments generally worn in cooler climates? Are there examples of alternate options from the same culture/era for trips or living in warmer areas? I cry at the thought of wearing ALL THAT STUFF in, say, here in CA in the summer. For that matter, do you know why so many layers were the preference in these cultures?
So hotter weather would generally mean thinner fabric, and less layers; women could opt for more breathable cotton undergarments:
…skeleton or mesh corsets:
…and/or lightweight linen/cotton dresses:
…All of which would somewhat relieve the stresses of layering up every morning, if not entirely. :) Lots of activewear and travelwear from the period reflects this sort of thing- way easier to move and sweat in it without getting heat stroke.
I don’t think layers were a preference, per se, so much as they were a necessity to obtain the shaped, inhuman ideal of the period; undergarments kept you from sweating and dirtying your corset, the corset cinches you into shape, the petticoat and corset cover smooth out the lines, etc- they were all ends to a means.
If anyone else has more info on this they are more than welcome to chime in! Lord knows I DESPISE wearing my Steampunk getup at SDCC. So gross.
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5 Ways to be a Happier Creative
We all know the tortured artist schtick. To be honest, I can be a downer sometimes myself, but I think it would be terrible for us to all perpetuate the idea that being creative and miserable are mutually exclusive.
So here’s to being creative and actually enjoying it:
1. Refuse to See Your Entire Life Either as a Success or a Failure
The idea here is to never buy into the lie that your life is either successful or failing in terms of your creative output. Think of the most successful creative person you can, if you look closely you can see a series of successes and failures.
The best way for me to look at the creative life is as a series of projects which can be successful in some ways and fail in other ways. For instance, some projects are really successful in the development of your skill but not financially advantageous.
Also, don’t believe that there is some level of success where you have now “arrived” or attained a level of success which can never been denied to you, like being hailed a “creative genius” with endless financial gain, forever. I could tell you many examples of artists and musicians who seem like they have “arrived” with one project and then completely fail the next.
2. Make Something Everyday
Will Bryant says something like, “I make stuff because if I don’t I get sad”. A silly and profound statement. Last year I did a daily drawing project where I created a new character every weekday. I found this statement to ring very true.
This practice gave me a sense of creative productivity every single day, which is a serious morale booster. Even if you don’t show anyone, it can help you feel prolific and unlimited in your creative abilities, which in turn increases your confidence.
3. Be Authentic
This is huge. Many people have done amazing things in creativity and have received many rewards, successes and prizes for them. So there is a lot of incentive for YOU to be THEM. But the trick is knowing the truth: you CAN’T be them. Trying to be something you are not will make you feel like an old sock. You already know this, but I thought I’d remind you.
4. Know Your Purpose
Shooting aimlessly into the dark can feel like…shooting aimlessly into the dark. Your purpose doesn’t have to be mind meltingly important. I like the humble yet ambitious purpose the great Debbie Millman has taken upon herself to “try to make the supermarket more beautiful”.
Try to clarify what you want to achieve overall so that everything you do has a sense of purpose. Purpose equals meaning, and to most creatives I know, a sense of meaning is why they want to make art and why they DO NOT want to work in a factory.
5. Address and Defeat Your Fears
That dreadful fear is a bully that is killing your soul and it should be stood up to. Listen to it, don’t ignore it. Hear what it’s actually saying and then dismantle it. Talk to someone about it openly, if the fear is tied to reality, then face it and take it down with integrity. If it’s all lies, all smoke and mirrors then let it disappear in the cloud of smoke that it is. If you are doing super boring unadventurous work, you won’t have any fears at all…but who wants to do that?
Hope this makes you a bit happier today.
- Andy J. Miller
P.S. To tackle the piling up questions here on this tumblr I have started taking on 1 hour video creative coaching, for more info click here.
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