VOGUE

royal elastics shoes | h&m Jeans | clutch thrifty gold-piece | chain-mail shirt from Shanghai | thrifty leather jacket | nasty gal vogue hat.

I remember when I was growing up and I had a phase where I thought the coolest thing ever was matching an entire outfit by a single color. There was a period of time it got so serious that I wouldn't leave the house without a pair of clean socks to match my all white fit. There was another phase all I wanted to buy was Spitfire. I didn't own a skate board or hang with anyone that did, I simply fell in love with this Logo of a grinning fire ball (don't ask me why). I think my mom found joy in my enthusiasm towards clothes and would support my phases from baby blue velvet (FUBU) sweatsuits to triple XL certified basketball jersey's. She could recognize that I was finding myself through clothes that brought me identity. I remember being ridiculed by my peers for wearing spitfire when I clearly didn't skate board, or wearing a pair of FUBU shoes when I was the palest kid in the class. At the time It was painful to here words of judgement when all I wanted to do was fit.

When I piece together an outfit I think of the influence of every garment. How it makes me feel and what I channel when I wear it. I am giving you a chain-mail shirt and a Metallica leather jacket. This shirt connects me to my Norwegian heritage and awakens the warrior. The jacket makes me feel like a bad boy. In my hand is my favorite clutch that brings out a classy women from old hollywood era. The shoes are clearly from the future and give me an element of urban astronaut. The hat ties everything together and lets you know that I am on my way to a ball. Not just any ball "The Ball" and I am ready to charge down the runway in my moon boots.

I have compassion for that kid who is buying brands to be accepted. I ask you to stop validating yourself by what society boxes your mind into believing. You are "Cool" because you are the only person in this world that can be you. Your story is not going to be the same as the person sitting next to you, this is what makes you an individual. Don't fear your imagination.

Inspiration | "paris is burning" (this movie shall set you free)

photographer | Sylvia Gunde