With all the Black Friday sales going on these past 3 days I've noticed that when I go shopping (online or in person) I'll always go out of my way to choose the most seemingly random thing in the store. Something that I originally maybe didn't even like that much but it caught my attention and after I've weeded out the items that I consider to be short-lived, not quite me, or anything in-between I end up with only those random pieces sitting in my basket. When I get home I'm in a difficult state where on one hand I'm giddy with joy for my new unique piece, but on the other hand I'm baffled with what the hell I'm going to do with it and questioning whether I really did make the best shopping decision.

After reading about the history of the house Comme des Garcons this weekend and the pioneering of it's founder Rei Kawakubo I came across this quote,

"I think that pieces that are difficult to wear are very interesting, because if people make the effort and wear them, then they can feel a new form of energy and a certain strength."

This quote not only reassured me in my choices of random clothing, such as the army green high-waisted suspender pants featured today, but it gave me new insight into possibly why I do choose to pick out these out-of-the-ordinary pieces. I don't want to look like everyone else, no one does, but it's more than that. It's a desire to want to do something new and great with something old or weird. Or to do something even weirder and possibly change your perspective, and my own, of what can be considered wearable or the ever dangerous word, "tasteful".

It's a constant war against fast fashion. What will last, what will be thrown away for next years purchases. When I shop I try to avoid purchasing items that fit to perfectly into the fast fashion realm of pop up trends (key word "try"). I want my pieces to surpass that life, or lack there of. I don't want them to be defined by the moment or by the past's moments. I want them to have a life of their own, constantly evolving, transcending time.

All photos by Alex Jaramillo