I took a trip to the St. Louis art museum recently, as I was in need of a little bit of artistic nourishment.

Upon entering the first gallery I was overcome with emotion. I don’t know why as it was nothing I hadn’t experienced before, but something took over me.

Unable to articulate to anyone how I was feeling, I rushed to grab my best friend’s hand and brought it to my chest. My heart was beating wild. Although words were not flowing out of my mouth, my blood was rushing fast within.

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At the sight of the gold leaf frames and cracked oil paintings, all I could hear was the symphony of noise thumping beneath my Ralph Lauren turtleneck ticking faster and harder than I had ever experienced before, making it almost hard to breathe.

I couldn’t control it, but my heart felt as if it had leapt from my chest and was flopping around on the oak floors beneath me.

That is what art is supposed to do. It is supposed to make you feel emotion in some sort of way. It is what I wish for with every outfit that I pick out. I want a reaction, a story, or a memory. I want art.

Whether the emotions inflicted by what I am wearing are good or bad, it is completely up to the person perceiving it. I’ll be honest, I don’t dress for myself, and neither do you. We are all guilty of wearing an outfit because it will make us fit in, or to get the job or simply to appear to be as normal as possible.

Wearing clothing within itself is not just shielding you from the elements of the cruel world, it also serves as a picture without the need for words. When you have no words, it speaks for you.

Fashion can be a boisterous laugh, but it can also be a cry for help. Everyone sends signals through it or tells stories with it, much like any oil painting or bust does. It tells a story and portrays its wearer’s innermost emotions and thoughts.

That is why clothing is my everything. Not often do I stand silent, but when I do, you will know how I am feeling by taking one good look at what I am wearing. The sight of me is always a capture of what my inner workings are doing. Not only do I get to control what I am wearing, I am subconsciously controlling how you are perceiving me.

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While standing beneath an outlandishly large and quite pompous painting of Charles the I of England, I felt the need to curtsey. If you are a history person, I know you are questioning my sanity, but hear me out.

When presented such a master work of art, and seeing the beauty of the meticulous placement of everything, I couldn’t help it. Everything was controlled and thought out, not only in the painting, but down to what that very dead man was wearing. It gave a sliver of sight to what he probably felt like behind the oil. It made me imagine what royal regalia would feel like.

I like to imagine that it is the same feeling as stepping into a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Untouchable. It seemed strange staring at a painting of this treasonous man but not giving him the respect that his outfit demands. His dress very much catered to what he wanted as opposed to the thoughts of those who viewed him.It seems narcissistic, but we all do it.

Example: On this particular day, I wanted to be seen as a person who enjoys art and museums, so of course I opted for a cape. The red gloves and hat only added to the vision.

When you wake up in the morning and look at the rack of clothing you have available, you look for what will be most appropriate for the day’s tasks. It’s so easy to not focus on the details and get lost in comfort and trendy fads. We lose ourselves and our stories on a normal day to day basis because we lack the detail.

Not a single soul isn’t guilty of getting into a daily routine of just throwing on some random outfit without really putting any detail into it whatsoever. In recent times, it’s become more apparent due to the fact that now people never know what is appropriate for some settings.

On those more special days, you lay out what you are wanting to wear the night before. You think very hard on that decision and pay extreme attention to detail. That is art. That is showing off what you are to the people who surround you.

One time while meeting someone’s parents, I wore the most spectacular white rabbit fur coat. I felt extremely pretty and youthful, and that’s what I thought that outfit portrayed. It didn’t help that I had a Clara Bow-esque bob at the time and plucked my eyebrows down to a thread, but I imagined that I looked like the vision of an extremely fashion-forward person.

I stepped into their home and was immediately observed as the most overdressed, but I showed them who I am. If you know me, you know that a big over the top fur coat just screams my name. Perhaps the outfit is just a summary for the real book you are about to read?

Art isn’t the real story, it’s just a depiction of what the artist wants you to see. You are the artist, and your body is the canvas. Clothing is just the art you put on it. When an outfit is boring and fast fashion, it is reminiscent of mass produced print “paintings” from Target. When you buy nice and classic garments that are timeless, you can be comparable to Gainsboro, or Rembrant.

You can add expression and fine details, as Frida Khalo did not only through her brilliant works of art, but also through her clothing. Anyone can do it, you just have to learn how to bring your art to life. Clothing is a direct line of expression, why not spice it up and make it enjoyable to look at and perhaps inspire emotion?

Staff reporter Aaron Elliot can be reached at [email protected] or on instagram at aaron.elliott_. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

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