I’ve written a number of posts about fashion allowing us to express different aspects of our personalities.  Now that it’s October and many of us (myself included) have begun to feel some pressure to come up with a really clever costume for Halloween, I’ve started thinking more about how fashion allows us to TRY ON different personalities.  After all, it’s no coincidence that we sometimes refer to fashion as “playing dress up.”

On Halloween, of course, we can go to extremes, but even on a regular day, there are ways we can have a little fun with fashion by subtly adopting looks from others.  Doing so allows us to step outside our comfort zone, without going too far, to see if something new works.  If it does, great … make it your own.  And if it doesn’t, well … you can always change clothes tomorrow.

For example, today I was feeling in a Top Gun kind of mood.  I know what you’re thinking … whaaaat … where are the aviator sunglasses and bomber jacket (not to mention the Kenny Loggins soundtrack)?!?  It’s a totally fair point, but I was going for subtle.

You see, Top Gun has been in my head all weekend.  On my flight back from New York last Friday, a very kind gentleman helped me put my carry-on suitcase in the overhead bin, and when I looked at him to thank him, I discovered it was none other than Goose himself … Anthony Edwards!  And then the next day I got my hair cut, and my amazing stylist Chris took it shorter, and as soon as I saw it styled (and also because Goose was still in my head), I couldn’t help but notice a Kelly McGillis-Code Name Charlie vibe.

So today I put a little more curl in my hair and used a little more hairspray and then choose an Altuzarra button-down striped shirt (rolling up the sleeves, of course) with the accompanying contrast-striped pencil skirt.  Not a total copy of the professional-but-feminine astrophysicist/civilian with Top Secret clearance Top Gun look (again, it’s not Halloween), but definitely inspired by it:

It was fun to do a little experimenting today.  Sticking with the same tried-and-true looks day-in, day-out can get a little boring.  Not to mention … who isn’t a sucker for Top Gun?