I’ve recently discovered that every time I’ve changed jobs (about 5 times in my career), I’ve bought a new pair of nice shoes. At the time, I tell myself I need them for the job. Sneakers for the less corporate times, brogues for the times I need to dress up like when I’m consulting to government, boots for when I’m ‘on farm’ with landholders.
I’ve learned, over the years, that how I dress matters. Not just to those who meet me for the first time, like in a new job, but to how I behave when I’m wearing what I wear. If I put on a suit (a rare occasion for me), I stand taller. If I wear my ‘usual’ clothes (cardigan and sneakers), I feel more relaxed.
What does that mean for dressing while art making? Well, I never bought new shoes when I got my first contract – or ever even thought about it? I know that, for practicality, it would be better to wear ‘junk’ clothes; clothes I’d be OK getting paint on.
But, when I dress ‘like a bum’, I feel like one, and when I feel like one, I’m not in a great space for making work. So, instead of new shoes, I bought an apron. And not some crappy plastic kitchen one, it’s a nice apron. When I wear this apron, I feel like an artist. I feel like I can make things I’ve never made before. I feel like I’m part of a longer story of artists throughout the ages; I’m doing something important.
And, whilst I know that feeling a particular way doesn’t make it true, there is research to suggest that what we wear matters. I’d never encourage anyone to buy something when they can make do with what they’ve got but perhaps, occassionally, we can treat ourselves to some new shoes, just to see where we’ll go?