My AIGA is Fashion Freedom

Adunate works its magic from a 1917 American Foursquare in southeastern WIsconsin

Do you ever read Penelope Trunk? She’s a career columnist and founder of four startups, most recently Quistic. I follow her blog because she’s a marketing genius and if I don’t learn something from her, I know I will from her huge following of commenters.

So Penelope is quite—how shall we say—unique. Every once in a while I smile and totally relate with what she’s written, like her recent post “Your weird behavior is the key to finding your career niche”. What’s obvious is that Penelope and many of her followers have rather unrefined dress habits. They do the Steve-Jobs-black-turtleneck-and-blue-jeans thing where they wear the same clothes every day. Some have several of the same item; for example, one commenter has “15 Talbots cardigans in different colors.” Others simply wear the same single piece day after day. And finally there are some who, to which Penelope admits, are rather remiss in the personal hygiene department.

I can relate to wearing the same clothes every day. Rest assured, they’re the same clean clothes.

Being self-employed in the middle of nowhere affords me the freedom of working unseen by the scrutinizing public. That’s my home office up above and each day if I wear one of the many pairs of identical yoga pants I own just because they’re warm and cozy, who’s going to know?

(Just a little aside: The great thing about having a limited wardrobe is the justification for spending more on each piece. If you’re going to repeatedly wash and wear the same things, they’d better be of good quality.)

Anyways, let’s get to the real point of my story.

My AIGA means I have the freedom wear slippers to work.

This month AIGA is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Formally known as the American Institute of Graphic Arts, AIGA is the oldest and largest professional membership organization for graphic designers. In some ways, being an AIGA member is what enables me to scuff around in this stylish footwear. AIGA keeps me and thousands of other one-outfit-wearing entrepreneurs connected to the professional world of business and design.

AIGA uses the term My AIGA a lot. Members use it to describe what the organization means to them. My AIGA is advocation, education, ethics, fellowship and resources.

And freedom.

Freedom to wear the same clothes everyday if, for whatever reason, that’s what I want to do.

 

 

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