Images by Ahmed Fayed
“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that’s all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.”
Stephen King – Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
Stephen King’s literature defined me when I was growing up. He was that person who said it was ok for me to swear, and it was ok for me to be an awkward teen, and it was ok for me to not like things that everyone else seemed to be a fan of.
There was a time when I wished it was someone else who would okay all of these things for me rather than an author who knows not of my existence. But now I think if it was anyone else, I probably wouldn’t have listened.
I used to feel caged, as a matter of fact I often still do. The difference between being caged as a fifteen year old and a twenty five year old is that now I am the one who is doing all the self-caging.
But not with this outfit.
When hush approached me with their pieces of quiet luxury (the stitching, the fabrics, the cuts), I started moulding outfits in my head. The first thought was to go for a classic look – throw in a manly tie, brogues and go back to their PR team and say, there, here’s your outfit. Done.
But no.
It was that cage within me slamming doors and turning keys in locks again. I started to feel I needed wings or at least feathers. And so I started to rethink the outfit. I decided to add a subtle 90s twist with a feather skirt and trousers as well as double up the lace with this Dior vest and Creations by Liv Free hat. All of these touches made the look little bit more floaty, whimsical, poetic. A little bit more me.
I guess I am just not meant to be caged.
