What Inspires You??? What drives you to and to stand out? When I close my eyes and just take it all in; the beautiful earth, the taste, texture and smell of the air, the sights and sounds of nature….. I am inspired. It is hard for me not to gain new insight into the world with every breath that I take. Ideas can flow from natural beauty; the goodness that God and Earth have given us. I look at all the elements. The sun radiating light gives us energy. The subtle ripples of a tide pool, or the pounding crash of the ocean waves; flowing water can be so inspiring for many. The human spirit has a vibe and energy that
others can feed off of, the inspiration can be endless.

Trend Forecasters and Software, museums, Blogs, and any other forms to unblock your creative think-tank as a Designer are important. Auras, different cultures, languages, religions, and fashion that may be foreign can open our eyes and insight to whole new worlds of inspiration. When the great ideas stop flowing and the pressure is on, what do artistic minds turn to as kindling for their creative fires? I have compiled a list of “go to” sources that always seem to help me in my time of creative desperation……

Music is an expression of self through organized noise, beats and rhythms. Not only listening to music, but tailoring the type of music to the project at hand can create mental images, in which you can translate into physical images and ideas. Create a playlist and listen to it as you WORK!!!! Try MUSIC-MAP to find great new artists and music.

Here’s a sure fire MINI kick-ass playlist that really gets my juices flowing!!!:

*Hollywood Nights – Bob Segar

*Heart of the City – Jay-z

*Far Behind – Social Distortion

*I Want it All - Warren G Feat. Mac 10

*Nothing But a Good Time – Poison

*Beast of Burden – Rolling Stones

*Til I Collapse – Eminem

*Eye of the Tiger - Survivior

http://www.music-map.com/

Art………….. Man, do I love and get BEYOND inspired by art! Explore! Don’t worry about your knowledge of an Artist… if you like the work-fantastic! Of course a Museum is a rather OBVIOUS source of inspiration, but I like to try to find unique museums with unusual exhibits on display or visit galleries when I am traveling in obscure locations. See Below one of my favorite Artists that I discovered off the beaten path…Coop. He loves Women, and represents them in such a fun, cheeky exciting modern/vintage way!!! I am soo inspired, I want to dress his beauties!!!!

Coop “Phantom Surfers” Poster

Coop “Unsane” Poster

Sex….. It’s best not expand on this one, but it is a FANTASTIC source for inspiration.

Cover of Madonna’s “Sex” Book

Nature is the oldest source of inspiration…. We dance as animals would move and make music as birds would sing. Next time you step outside, take a deep breath, close your eyes and take in all your surroundings. You just never know what you might be inspired by. You could learn something completely new about yourself or someone else. Get Inspired!!! It’s exciting and will give you a new, fresh take on life. Go for walks, bike rides, or a swim and take a look at everything in a new way, from the sky to the gravel. Nature has awe inspiring patterns, color palettes, textures, and shapes that will have you appreciating everything in a whole new light. Below are some photos of Yosemite National Park, one of my favorite places for beautiful goodness and inspiration…… GO NATURE!

Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

Flea Markets: I just love rummaging through other peoples’ old crap, searching for my next serious score. I really believe that someone’s trash could be another man’s treasure. Flea Markets are a fantastic peak into the past of many different closets and lives of very eclectic personalities. Spend an afternoon going to one of my favorite Flea Markets including…. The Kyoto Vintage Market – Kyoto, Japan, Clignancourt Market – Paris, France, The Melrose Trading Post – Los Angeles, CA, The Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA, Bermondsey Market – London, England, Long Beach Stadium Flea Market – Long Beach, CA, and last but not least – some East Coast flavor….. The Hell’s Kitchen Street Market - New York City, NY is pretty awesome too.

Found at the Flea Market

Dublin Flea Market Poster

Flea Market

Flea Market

Flea Market

Me at the Flea Market

Film both old and new are packed with vivid imagery for everyone in ANY creative field. I love to rent an old movie for fashion references of the past, as well as watching a new flick on opening night for inspiration on current trends. Some of my favorite movies to draw fashion inspiration from are: Funny Face, Factory Girl, Sex and the City, Clueless, Dazed and Confused, Saturday Night Fever, Marie Antoinette, and Bonnie and Clyde, just to name a few.

Funny Face

Sex & The City

Clueless

Dazed & Confused

Saturday Night Fever

Marie Antoinette

Blogs are a great way to get inspire by other people. Surfing the web and viewing all the fabulous blogs
available, is a convenient way to search for a digital Muse all from the comforts of your own home!
Some of my favorite blogs that I visit regularly are……

-A Shaded View on Fashion

-The Cut

-Retro Thing

-Sea of Shoes

-The Selby

People Watching is such a HOOT, and a great excuse to stare! If you happen to live in a cool city like I do, then pull up a chair at a sideway café, throw on some dark shades, and just sit and be entertained by what the many characters are wearing, saying or even doing. People watching is not just for Sociologists anymore! Take notes, snap photos, and sketch all the while you are drawing from others’ creativity.

People Watching

Travel: Move around, go a different route to work, take a trip to a far-away land; but wherever you go, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN! Stay alert. Take pictures and sketch! If not, the risk of missing out on a great unexpected source of inspiration might just pass you by. Here are some of my favorite destinations that have inspired many collections….

Amsterdam

Big Bear

China

Eiffel Tower

Tokyo

Architecture/ Interior Design: With the curvatures of buildings, the interesting patinas and ornate moldings, historical building structures around the world can become awesome sources of inspiration to draw from. Some of my favorite buildings to visit old and new have conjured up many new ideas for my art and fashion including The Kinkaku-Ji Temple – Kyoto, Japan, The Temple of Heaven – Beijing, China, The Koln Cathedral – Koln, Germany, The City Center - Las Vegas, NV, The Peninsula Hotel - Hong Kong, The Guangzhou TV Tower - Guangzhou, China, The Walt Disney Concert Hall -Los Angeles, CA… oh, and my list could go on, and on… (Reference my Shanghai Blog for pics from the recent 2010 World Expo, to see the latest in international architecture. It is really mind blowing!)

Disney Hall

GZ TV Tower

Temple of Heaven

With all the resources available, it is impossible to not be enlightened and even re-energized by your surroundings. Inspiration Pick-Me-Ups are not only fun but educational. Enjoy, and be mindful that LIFE ISN’T ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF, IT IS ABOUT CREATING YOURSELF….. So get out and get inspired!!!

Peace, Love and Fashion,
Meghan

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