Question 1: What does the term ‘fashion’ mean to you?
Answer: “The clothes and accessories that you be sportin’.

Question 7. On a scale of passive to highly involved – what is your relationship with fashion like?
Answer: “Marginally Involved.”

Question 8. Do you find dressing an easy/enjoyable/other experience?
Answer: “Easy.”

Question 9. Does clothing allow you to be imaginative and express yourself?
Answer: “Yes, yes it does.”

The participant has accumulated quite a large collection of items that have been accumulated over many years and have been brought with him on his travels across the globe. He elaborated on the existing categories with his very own unique categories which broadly came under the description “purely functional’ or ‘fun, playful items’. Other subsections within the wardrobe were- ‘the animal section’, ‘party shirts,’ ‘different categories of warm clothing’, ‘man hats’, ‘comfort plie’ and ‘shared category (items shared with his partner)”. Interestingly some of the favourite items were impulse buys (see African outfit worn in picture) when the participant embraced the moment /occasion and bought something as a reminder of that happy occasion.

Participant 4’s varied categorises and enthusiasm for his wardrobe was quite infectious. The power his clothes give him is evident as the items in his wardrobe items enable him to fulfill a role/function in his life.

His hat collection exemplifies this as she has hats for every occasion (see photo) summer, rainy day, and roles “Sherlock specialty’ “creepy paddy cap.’ He says he wears the crazy patterns on his party shirts “to show I’m not fucking about.”

His collection of animal t-shirts is quite extensive (see photo) and interestingly the prints are getting progressively more colourful and louder- a sign of his increasing confidence with clothing?

He attaches a lot of sentimental value to clothing and has kept band, event t-shirts from events he attended.

We were very entertained by the visit to your wardrobe. It was obvious the care and time you have put into collecting and cherishing many of the garments contained within your wardrobe.

We are however curious about how you compartmentalise your ‘work’ and ‘play’ outfits and do not allow these worlds to mix? It seems you use clothing and adornment as definition of a social role (Roach& Eicher,1979).

You have a lot of practical pieces in your wardrobe that get a lot of wear at work but which you brushed quickly over in the wardrobe visit. It was quite the reverse with your more theatrical pieces that you take great pride in but which are relegated for home use only.

We are curious about what it would be like for you if you mixed it up and spread the ‘fun’ and ‘wear’ load across your wardrobe? Could you extend yourself to satisfy your self-actualisation needs, related to expression of personal creativity on a regular basis based on the ‘hierarchy of needs” (Maslow, 1954).

Would this allow you to fully embrace all aspects of your personality, leading to a more consolidated sense of self? If you embrace your playful nature and enliven the routines of life, might it lead to more enjoyment of dressing/clothing on a daily basis? And possibly a more heightened interaction with others?

“A few things I’ve documented with my camera in the last week:

Picture 1.Making cheese requires an artisans outfit, going for style and a good cheese hat, this combo made mozzarella that melted and tasted amazingly, but wasn’t pretty to look at.

Picture 2.Working from home requires the ultimate in comfort and style. You’ll see I’ve got my moccasins, African pants, and my bear t-shirt. Soon it will be naptime on the sheepskin rug.

Picture 3. Incorporating a hat at work was a tough one, I figured my Sherlock hat could be used in situations where a lot of brain power was required.”

Additional comments: “I haven't got the courage for African outfit yet, although I was wearing just the pants with my cow shirt yesterday...but that was at home.”

Releasing and empowering one’s existing creative capacity and unique point of view

We the Hackers would like to build on your own creative skills and capacities by imparting some of our knowledge about garment construction/sewing to enable you to mend some of the items in your wardrobe i.e. the jumper with the rip (see photo right) or your zebra pants (see photo)?

We think you have a creative, imaginative, unique and yet practical approach to clothing with very specific needs (i.e. durability- hiking). We would like to encourage this further to see where it leads. We particularly like your idea about inserting a flap into your bear onesie (animal costume), which would make it more convenient to wear. We hope this would in turn lead to you wearing it more often, reinforcing the independent task set in stage 4.

We hope by empowering you further you will release that creativity!

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