About Wicked Whimsy:
Maybe…
- you wish you could dress like Satine all the time. Or Morticia Addams. Or you just love theatrical, over the top things. Or you’re a former/present goth, punk, candy raver, lolita, steampunk, or member of another alternative subculture.
- …but you don’t want to wear a uniform, even if it is a badass subcultural one. You want to look like you. Fashion magazines and media, however, leave you alternately perplexed and amused – the categories of “classic”, “boho”, “retro”, and “mod” are very limiting, stylistically, and let’s face it, most mainstream interpretation of “edgy” style is eyeroll inducing & just involve slapping some studs on something, anything!
- So what do you do? Where do you go?
I’ve been there, & that’s what spurred me to create Wicked Whimsy. I wanted to create a space where people who were outside the usual focus of mainstream fashion media (which, let’s face it, is a lot of people!) could read things suited to them. Style advice that doesn’t necessarily focus on the same old formula of classic “staples” + “of the moment” trendy items = the best thing ever!
I believe that the way you dress and the way you feel are inextricably tangled, and so sometimes I write about body image issues or personal development as well. One of the best things to improve your mood, confidence, & self-esteem is dressing in a way that makes you happy and lets you express yourself. I know, because I’ve been there too (see “About Michelle”). In the end, style is much more than the clothes on your back. It’s who you are. It’s how you live. If you can match up your physical appearance with those two things, chances are you’ll feel a lot better about yourself & just generally more kick-ass.
Why “Wicked Whimsy”?
Wicked whimsy is my style statement, or as close as I have to one. Even aside from being a pretty good summary of what I aim for in my personal (clothing) style, it sums me up very well in general. It’s how I roll; I’m snarky and I swear a lot, but I also love talking to people, hearing their stories, answering their questions, and making them feel good about themselves. Also, I’m a total goofball, hence the whimsy. I think everyone could use a little wicked whimsy in their lives!
About Michelle:
I had a good sense of my aesthetic when I was younger, but I lost it as I grew up. A lot of this had to do with the fact that I grew up in a tiny conservative town, and let’s face it, the loudmouthed, opinionated feminist probably did not need to do anything else to attract untoward attention.
As soon as I graduated, I started experimenting with my look – first came fuchsia chunks in my hair, then a whole head of blue hair, and shortly afterwards a mohawk. I was really surprised to find out that as I started changing things about my look to be the way I wanted, I grew exponentially more confident and more secure in myself. I started trying to find information on developing a personal style and aesthetic, but found most information either far too vague or in the vein of “pick a style you like (usually out of the classic, boho, etc. choices listed above), add trendy things, voila!”.
Obviously, that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted something that didn’t use the words “too costume-y” (or replace “costume-y” with “over the top”, “theatrical”, “dramatic”, “weird”, or “eccentric”), something that was about me being happy with the way I look, not pleasing others, something that recognized the link between dressing the way you like and feeling okay about yourself. No matter how hard or long I looked, I just didn’t find much of it anywhere. This is around the time I thought to myself, “I can’t be the only one with this problem. There’s no way.”. And, thus, Wicked Whimsy was born.
