Beware: the innocent taste of freedom, the unquenchable desire to experience every gift in life,

the sweetest sound from the engaging spirit of opportunity, the smallest move toward the unknown and the feeling of rebirth is only the beginning. If you chose to ignore the warning and proceed to the unexplored territory of your spirit and soul, you will learn that life is about all you were missing, and all that it offers is the freedom to be who you are.

This summer I was reborn. It was through this rebirth that I came to see the degree to which my life was influenced by an industry that produces more ugliness and spiritual corruption than most people realize. Through the mastery of disguise and deception it convinces impressionable young people to relinquish their freedom by following trends dictated to them by advertising. I speak of the fashion business and its invisible, persuasive hand that guides our purchasing power and freedom.

It is not difficult to see the influence of the few at the top of the fashion hierarchy. We are a collective society and in this case it works against us. The fashion people have taken advantage of our apparent need to be safe and risk free. We will cover our bodies with the clothes they provide for us, we will accept their definitions of cool and hip and we will buy into their images and become what they want us to become. Are we at their mercy or do we have control over the current state of our freedom in fashion? Freedom is a right and value and yet at the same time we take it for granted. Surrendering your freedom is equivalent to giving up your life in many ways. The freedom to choose extends to fashion. Why wear gray and not hot pink? Who says we can’t wear red shoes? Why shouldn’t we wear hats without a sports team logo on the front? Why wear khaki cargo pants when there are more than a few alternatives to choose from. Freedom of expression is a marvelous reward for our spirit.

We all have, in our closets, tucked away somewhere, a shirt from the Gap or pants from Club Monaco, or something with the word Nike on it, or possibly even a pair of jeans by the name of Levis or Calvin Klein. These are the results of the deception of which I write. What would happen if you were to release the inner child of imagination and give reign to that spirit which calls to you from behind the voice of reason? Would you wear clothes which you have not been told to wear by television personalities, fashion magazine editors and music videos?

I am not suggesting that you not buy clothes from the aforementioned companies. Instead buy clothes that you feel they help identify who you are and project your spirit to others. Use your purchasing power to be creative with your body and dress it the way you want to. Naturally the fear of what other people think can become an issue, but that is only if you allow it to. Part of the freedom I speak of is not caring what those around you think, especially of your clothes. When I discovered that I loved wearing bright, mismatching colors, red shoes, funky glasses and loud accessories, I lost the fear of caring what people thought. Sure I might have received that odd glance from someone more conservative in their dress than I, but I concluded that it didn’t matter. Life is worth having fun.

So much of our individuality and identity is closely linked to our creativity. We are victims to fashion if our clothes are controlled purchases influenced by a force outside ourselves. By succumbing to this outside force, we have lost part of our uniqueness and therefore, part of ourselves. When you begin to wear bright colors, instead of black, or trousers other than jeans and you will understand the freedom that I have described. You will not want to turn back to your ways of old. You will look at your clothes and wonder to yourself why you wore those garments in the first place. Everyday you will try to stretch your creativity and try to out do yesterday’s outfit.

Wear what you want and you will begin to feel your power over the business. Be creative; don’t allow the fashion industry to dictate what you must buy. Give yourself that freedom and dress your body as you wish. Express yourself, savor your freedom and enjoy the sweet pleasure of creativity. Drink in the intoxication of your rebirth.

Copyright © 1999 Juli Strader

Juli Strader is the contributing Fashion writer for *spark-online. She has worked as a part time model since graduating from highschool. She graduated from university with a BA in History and Communications. Tanning topless in Munich's English Garden also taught her about freedom of expression.