[snail]

There was a thread on INTP fashion, and I thought it would be cool to be a copycat. Now it's time to see how INFPs feel about fashion, and what kinds of clothes we wear to reflect our attitudes about its purpose.

Personally, I feel that fashion can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on why a person chooses to play the game. If it is to reveal more about the internal qualities through a symbolic external display, then it can be useful, and might work toward the goal of increased authenticity in the same way that art or poetry reveals something about the person who likes it. If it is used to flaunt one's economic status for discriminatory purposes, it might not be such a positive thing. If it becomes an obsession that leads to materialism or superficiality, it is not a good thing. It can be used to identify potential friends in a crowd, because people with like interests might dress similarly. Clothing can be used either to express individuality or to strip it, worn by eccentrics and soldiers for opposite purposes. Its value extends beyond mere climate control and the protection of the skin. How do you feel?

I dress in a way that expresses my personality, with each aspect of my attire representing something I want to reveal about who I am underneath it all. Lately, I have been learning to sew my own clothes in order for this expression to be more accurate and personal. When I wear my usual dresses, the flow of the fabric relates to my P-ness and my love of the non-rigid life. It moves in the wind the way I flow with whatever circumstances I am dealt. The muted colors express my introversion, not wanting to stand out, being quietly at peace rather than flamboyantly bold or assertive. The romantic styles express my intuitive nature, my idealism and my attraction to pleasant fantasy possibilities. The thin, gauzy fabrics relate to the fact that I am sensitive with very little to shield me from potentially harsh external conditions.

Right now, I am wearing a coat that is large and flowing, with a built in scarf for the collar. I made it just yesterday. It is soft and comforting, representing my nurturing side. It is big enough to hide in. There is a matching hat that keeps my head covered, because I am afraid my warmth will leave through my head if I were left uncovered in this weather. Likewise, when I am in cold circumstances, I become defensive to protect the warm, soft parts of myself. It all makes sense to me, even if nobody else knows how to read my wardrobe.

[Psilo]

Cheap and comfortable :)

I don't give much thought to my clothes to be honest. I shop thrifty, have few items, and I wear them until something inappropriate can be seen through a hole. I have a set or two of nice clothes, a few casual shirts and two jeans, I sleep in big t shirts or the nude, and I own one pair of tennis shoes I've had for 5 years and counting.
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[gloosle]

I'll admit..making your own clothes is pretty cool.

As far as my style - I wander a bit but there is one over all theme: simplistic but stylish....good ole levi's and a good tee. I wear brands thar are popular in my field I (i work for an outdoor company so I wear like volcom, quicksilver to like arc'teryx stuff). I like to be stylish but I don't go overboard at all. I don't like overly crazy shirts, but I don't mind "brighter" shirts if they're simpler. I have mostly red, black and blue colored shirts in that order. this is the only recent picture I have of me that's not like at a football game or a party...i guess it kind of shows off my style....

[Gabbi]

Most of my clothes are simple and black, because I've tried for the longest time to make people forget I existed. But the clothes I bought last year (and, you know, most of my money went there in 2009) tend to express a "newfound" feminity and optimism. When choosing from a variety of colours for the same shirt, I'll be more likely to pick yellow, because it represents the sun and I want to add sunshine to my life. When hesitating between jeans or a dress, I'll buy the dress, because the girly part of my soul wants to get noticed after living in the dark for years.
So my closet is turning into a symbol of my efforts to become a more positive person and to open my true self (the loving, caring and romantic me) to the world.

[thehigher]

If you don't know who i am....im the one with the long dark hair who is brown.

[RainbowShield]

Pajamas. All day, every day.

I don't think about clothes. I throw on what's comfortable and go about my business. If I felt more secure about my appearance, I would probably give it more thought. But, for now, I just cover myself up in whatever and go.

[android654]

If you don't know who i am....im the one with the long dark hair who is brown.

That totally narrows you down...

[GBer8721]

+

[OrangeAppled]

I like fashion. I definitely see it as self-expression. I think it takes an otherwise mundane everyday activity (getting dressed) and makes it an opportunity to be creative.

I just answered this not long ago in another thread, so copy + paste:

I do follow fashion to get ideas, & I love novelty, but I always have my own "base" style. I love bold/bright colors & black. Bold/fun prints. Tights/fishnets. Boots & ballet flats. Retro styles or slightly futuristic. Studs and other little embellishments. Playing with different silhouettes (baby doll, androgynous square shapes, hourglass, etc). I look for unusual jewelry - I have a lot of vintage and hand-made pieces.

Sometimes I like a messy, rock girl look: worn skinny jeans, an oversized tee, messy bedhead, a scarf, tons of bangles, and some ankle boots. Other times I'm very simple & girly in a sundress with ballet flats and perfectly coiffed bangs. Most of the time I'm in the middle - a mix of bohemian/rebellious/elegant/girly. I like offbeat styles that are a bit avant-garde without being too bizarre. I've had the guts to wear some unusual things though. My ESFP sister gets mad at me when I don't match (it's carefully planned randomness - why can't she see that? :D), but I get mostly positive feedback from other people on my style. As long as I feel like I'm representing my internal self accurately, then I am happy.

This is a girly, simple look for me - just a dress + some ankle boots:

[Hudson]

This is something I'll rarely think about, but I DO make sure I dont consider myself to look like an idiot before I leave the house. this is what that entails.

Usually jeans, if I can help it. Jeans are the best article of clothing known to mankind, hands down without question. :p I like to wear cool colors, like blue and green. Dark, foresty green specifically, it feels like an extension of my body. Hoodies too. I also have this wierd thing about hats. I almost have to wear a hat when I leave. Its usually a beanie. I have all sorts of different colors. Also I like to wear baseball caps, preferably beat up and worn. I like the way my hair sticks out from under my hats, it just looks like me. As if the hat was the mask of sanity and my hair was the crazy spilling out.

Fashion is something that a good deal of my friends pay close attention to, and I guess In my own way I do too. I just cut down on variety and wear only what I am completely and utterly comfortable in. Like me and my dark green coat. that coat is awesome. Weve been through so much together. Weve loved and lost, been injured and healed, traveled to faraway places. It has scars, like my body. The same goes for my other clothes. I wear their flaws as a badge of honor. If they still keep me warm, they're not getting tossed.

So thats my philosophy on the matter.

My cousin however, her philosophy is totally different. She views each outfit as a work of art! And she's super artsy and unique, and I respect the hell out of that. Thats why this thread is fun for me, even more than the actual articles of clothing. What are the concepts you employ behind your daily attire?