My Favourite Outfit: Amber
In this series, I ask the contributor to share an image of their favourite outfit – maybe a pair of pants they wore every day, maybe a special party dress – and write about where they were in their life and why this outfit has such significance. Today we welcome Amber. She is a photographer in Edmonton, Alberta – and she just did my new photos! You can check out her work here. This is her favourite outfit.
My favourite outfit isn’t really an outfit at all, but a pair of shoes. Adidas sneakers to be more specific. I bought them a couple of years ago while on a vacation in Europe with my husband. We had planned and saved for a long time for the trip. We were having a great time – but unfortunately the shoes I brought with me were giving me the most terrible blisters. So, I was in the hunt for a new pair of shoes I could wear for the rest of the trip. In Munich I found a pair of bright pink, orange, and green patterned sneakers. They were loud and fun, and probably not something I would normally have considered buying for myself.
At that time in my life I was working at a job that was, for many reasons, not a good fit for me. The job offered a stable schedule and pay cheque, but at the end of every day I found myself completely drained of energy and creativity. It was turning me into a person that I didn’t recognize, and to be honest, someone that I didn’t like very much. I felt like a dull, washed out version of myself. I knew that I needed to make a change, but I didn’t know what to do next, and that was scary. The fear kept me rooted in a bad place for a long time.
As we travelled and experienced the amazing art, history, and scenery of Europe, it was like I was able to stop and take a deep breath of fresh air. And when I slipped on those loud, bright sneakers, I felt just a little bit more creative and stylish. I felt a little bit more like myself again. (It’s a bonus that they are also super comfy!)
Shortly after we returned from our trip I took my first photography class – and I loved it. I learned how to take control of my camera and I felt inspired to learn more, so I decided to complete a photography diploma program. Part way through completing the program, my employment at that ill-fitted job met a messy and overdue ending. Since then I have been picking up the pieces and putting myself back together. I now work for a great choir organization and am pursuing photography as a profession. I’m happy to say that I don’t feel dull and washed out anymore – I feel like my colour has returned and I match my bright shoes.
I still wear these sneakers all the time, and they serve as a happy reminder of European travels and finding vivid colour at a time when my world had turned dull.