I have been using Pinterest for quite some time now and “pinning” pictures into various categories with some wild hope that someday I can copy that look. Whether it is for my house, my style, or my beauty routine I turn to others for inspiration. When I was kid, I did the same thing with collages. I had an ENTIRE wall of my room covered in poster board collages. I would stare at these images every day and think to myself, “How can I dress like that? How can I look like that?” While drawing inspiration from others is not dangerous in itself, the act of thinking you need to copy another person to feel societally acceptable could be argued is toxic.
The Act of Copying Others
Since starting this blog I have begun copying or mimicking images I see on Instagram. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to recreate pictures you see online. Especially when you recreate your favorite looks using clothes you already own. That being said the problem begins when we convince ourselves these images are considered the gold standard of style. I see these images and think, “If I could only casually wear a $600 cashmere sweater draped over my shoulders while acting like a photographer caught totally off guard then I will be accepted into the upper echelon of stylish people.”
What Finally Made Me Rethink My Mimicking Habits
There were two articles I read recently that brought my attention to the subtle and not so subtle act of mimicking others. First, Allison Bornstein’s interview with Sheer Luxe magazine on her fashion dos and don’ts. One of her don’ts is to copy a look head to toe. When I read that I was a bit embarrassed because I have been doing that a lot lately. Secondly, Laurel Pantin wrote in her newsletter titled, “What are clothes, anyways?” from a few weeks ago about how the continuing industry standard of “classic” style, or essential pieces, is not a one size fits all category, yet we treat it as such. At this point in my life I am a firm believer you doing you. Yet, all the images I have saved are carbon copies of what everyone else is viewing as acceptable style.
Final Thoughts
There is a fine line between being inspired by others, and overtly copying another person’s work. We were all taught in school that plagiarism is bad, but if you browse Instagram or Pinterest isn’t plagiarism the mode du jour?
