baj. did finally launch the first products and there is a lot of emotions around it, around the offered pieces and the feelings they gave me bringing them to life and especially wearing them.
I am only creating pieces I would wear myself and that’s what I do with every single prototype I am sewing or receiving. It’s a process until they come to life, from designing, to picking out the fabric and a lot of changes along the way. As soon as they are ready, I am wearing them, every damn day. Let’s say it’s the first stress test for every product. Look wise, material wise and comfort wise. If something is off or I get bored, the looks are out. I do create these pieces out of life situations, of emotions, feelings and sometimes even memories. Whenever I wear them, they give me a certain feeling.
For me, for example, in spring, fall and winter, my black bomber jacket is my to go piece. And I am not saying this to sell the jacket but because it’s my reality. Everybody who knows me, have seen this jacket a lot. I am living in this jacket since the first prototype was ready last year. This jacket is my hideaway space, if I feel sad or uncomfortable and at the same time it’s my happy place to make me feel good, special and fitting to every situation.
And for instance, the tie dye shirt jackets, I developed because I had this quick "inspiration" I need colors in my life. Not crazy colors, not too much. I tell you, besides animal prints these are the only colorful pieces I own. But they feel different and so good. And what´s funny, I had a crazy encounter with a spiritual teacher while traveling. We talked about behavioral patterns, changes, toxicity. Part of my healing process is also a change on certain clothing habits. He said "Black, no no. Not good for your mood". White and some colors, like my tie dye jackets, it is for my personal fashion therapy for now. But no worries, black fabric and oversize style will always be my big love and the baj. fashion therapy.
And the little neck pouch. Oh well, it makes me keep my shit together. Besides my temper I haven´t lost any belongings lately. And it kind of makes my childish side smile. Growing up, I had a bunch of them, in all forms and colors, wearing them sometimes all at the same time. It brings me down memory lane. That´s the reason I had to create one.
Anyway, this makes so much sense tho. Several studies have shown our mood can be affected depending on what we wear. Also, how we feel after waking up can affect what we pick out to wear and subsequent moods.
A study found 57 per cent of women admitted to wearing a baggy top when depressed, compared to a 2 per cent wearing one when feeling happy (baj. comment: debatable, well it was not a survey in Berlin). Similarly, 62 per cent would put on a favorite dress when happy, compared to 6 per cent when sad.
And the outfit women supposedly turn to when they are feeling down? Jeans. They are turning to their trusty denims on a blue day, the study says. Likewise, "happy" clothes tend to be those that are flattering, well-tailored and made from bright and beautiful fabrics.
Even though this was a study about woman, there will be not many differences for any gender. Emotions are emotions. Oversize, well-tailored, colorful, denim, it´s all the same.
Also, memories or emotions attached to our clothes can evoke good or bad feelings when we wear them. So, if someone is complementing our clothing, we tent to connect that piece of clothing with a good feeling whenever we wear it again. Or vice versa, if we experience some negative things wearing an outfit, we tent to not wear it again, as it makes us feel bad.
This must not necessarily be accurate for you and it´s not always the case for me. But one thing is for sure. Outfit choices are made to match our mood and are a form of self-expression. Sometimes they are even used to control or mask emotions.
baj. wants to create, let´s call them “mood swing pieces”, so you can wear them no matter what (Keyword sustainability: less clothing is more). I wear them when happy and when sad, all year long. But maybe I am bias as they are connected to the feeling of creating them and being proud, and to have pieces that are exactly how I envisioned them to be.
Well, fuck bias. baj. pieces are all-round pieces, like the bomber. They will be your to go pieces, in good or bad, your hideaway space and your happy place, your everything. And if each and every piece could speak, it would say “all good”. Are you ready for your own fashion therapy?
xx baj.