My Alternative Style Inspirations: Robin Williams.
A series where I word vomit about my alternative sources of style inspiration.
This post isn’t so much about secondhand and my most recent finds, but as the title states; my alternative sources of style Inspiration! I often ponder on who my style is influenced by, beyond the nods to current fashion trends (which I try to keep to an absolute minimum!); the always inspirational, Chloe Sevigny (never kept to a minimum… always worshipping at the alter of Chloe); or the standard art, historical references and of course the old copies of Fruits magazines: Who (or what) is it I look to and who gets me excited to get dressed?
The first person that sprung to mind is… Robin Williams!
Beyond the massive weight of joy he holds over me and my childhood, which I could go on about for days, as I got older I, as well as many others, realised he knew how to dress.
There have been numerous articles in recent years about his off-screen style and his impeccable taste in specifically Japanese designers and outerwear- you can read some of them here and here. So what I’m saying is nothing new and they are absolutely right in saying he was years and years ahead of his time; however, what I love and take great joy from is his ‘I do not give a fuck I just thought this jacket was cool’ attitude, for which there is an abundance of. In a way, you see so much of his personality through his clothing, the great comedic genius & seemingly kind man, shines through his fun and non-serious sartorial choices.
His younger days are an ode to Americana with his pin-covered MA-1 bomber repeatedly seen alongside college t-shirts or graphic shirts- all worn to within an inch of their lives and obviously cherished - especially that bomber!
These earlier snapshots of style were only a taster for what was to come…
Firstly, can we all just take a moment and appreciate this manic perfection.
Visvim, Issey Miyake, Bape, Jean Paul Gauliter, and thats not even mentioning the outerwear labels he loved - Robin Williams had taste and not in a label-centric way but in a way that meant that he just loved excellent clothes - whether they had a label or not. They were practical but always with an element of fun or pastiche that meant it wasn’t serious; as fashion and clothing should be. It’s not deep. It’s just fun.
With everyone finally recognising his fashion credentials, his daughter has more recently shared stories of his clothing choices, mainly about him mostly wearing crazy spandex due to his love of cycling, but also about shopping in Bape and him knowing every member of staff. As an ex-retail girl I cannot even communicate what It would be to have had Robin Williams as a regular customer. Furthermore, I think it also showcases who he is as a person - if you’re nice to retail/service industry workers, you’re a good person. Anyway, I digress - I love Robin Williams.
His style radiates a sense of self and the buzzword of the moment - personal style. No stylist, pinterest or internet to browse and pick out inspiration from, but an unfiltered, unconcerned and pure love of great clothing.
As a source of style inspiration I think Robin Williams really showcases that you should just trust your own taste, really enjoy clothing and getting dressed - whether it’s in vogue or not, you must trust that you know yourself and to not take yourself too seriously.
I think this idea of self-confidence and clothing might be a re-occurring theme within this series.