Creatively Unhinged: Fit Battle Round of 4
Addressing authenticity and representation, both in a specific fit and in fashion.
This entry took probably the longest time to come together (as did the corresponding essay, hence the relatively delay). While I had the concept for a hiking look very early into fit battle (as those will attest), I had two separate issues to work through, one of scale and one of authenticity.
The initial idea came quickly in that I enjoy hiking and camping (less so post pandemic), though my hiking attire is usually more functional - quick drying shirt or synthetic button down, Patagonia baggies, Tevas or hiking shoes, a rain jacket for rain and cool weather. Shortly after Ro32 started I had thoughts of a more stylized version of this (a better button down, wool midlayer, red anorak, Wallabees as a riff on a hiking sneaker) and while the fit was okay it didn't feel grand enough for fit battle.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45e1f807-45cc-40de-93d7-71b8d7d243bf_567x194.png)
There are aspects of this I like, mainly because I’ve worn them before, like the anorak and Baggies combo or the silk shirt and handkerchief, but, in addition to the fit being less impressive than needed, it was top-heavy, especially with all the red accents.
Ultimately my submission for round of 32 used the same wool shirt in a completely different way, and that in turn took me in a different direction entirely for the following two submissions. I still had the idea though, and I still wanted to do something with it, partly as a form of personal expression and partly because I think it's underrepresented in MFA despite being taking cues from many aspects of “house style” or being in the zeitgeist – the Aime Leon Dore x New Balance collaboration in 2022 ad copy featured this style heavily.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e629624-c8fc-4e38-9793-b29cee7c8a06_629x323.png)
There’s a degree of pragmatism behind these fits by using seemingly ‘normal’ clothes in a different setting. While most of the preceding entries are examples of me doing this as a means to an end (getting a submission in), in this case that was the
Unlike for round of 32 and round of 16, I had an abundance of inspiration, be it true to life (1,2) or a more stylized version (1, 2). I was torn between doing something "realistic" that was a step down from previous entries or something more styled that could be derivative (one of rej's unused ideas was similar in concept) and needed to work through this to make a fit.
I spoke to a few people during this time - GSH, LeisurelyLoafing, my therapist - and one thing from GSH stuck out:
It is perfectly fine to be inspired, influenced, and take elements from others' art [...] It is even fine to *copy* phrases and motifs. As long as > you are doing your interpretation, and adding originality to that, and making it your own, *it is your art; nobody else made it*
Part of why I struggled so much with picking either style (stylized or realistic) that I viewed this particular aesthetic as "not mine" in a more tangible way than before, which I realized was due to race.
As a Black person, I am aware there are certain aesthetics for which there are fewer overt cultural ties or connections I can grab on to. It hasn’t impacted my willingness to dress in the way that I do but it is something that lends itself to questions of authenticity. While many of my submissions are based in some sort of fantasy that could be considered “race blind”, the preppy look in vote in 2 was in some ways modeled off of Carlton Banks, which made it less of a reach to adapt a fit.
The inspiration albums and comments from hikers both on- and off-trail convey that this was a white-dominant domain, and advertising in that era was marketed towards those that could and would engage in this activity – white people, usually young, in good physical condition and with a reasonable amount of disposable income. While it's perhaps improved in recent times there's still a dearth of reference materials – photos, journals, artifacts - from people of color from the past which made it harder for me to build a more stylized image that I could translate into a submission. I'm not suggesting this fit was purely one for social commentary, as my intention was still to make the best fit I possible could, but that there was a separate goal to try and represent this authentically. My thinking shifted from “replicate these reference images” to "what did Black thru- hikers in the 80s bring along the Appalachian Trail?" , having the social and situational contexts of the time. Even without actual pictures, I assumed that there was a lot of overlap between this and what people of other racers would bring, and pivoted to a more heightened yet realistic kit:
The base layer is a chambray button down shirt. The silk shirt from draft 1 was a too fragile for this fit, while the chambray texture registered as more rugged.
The mid-layer is a vintage wool fair isle sweater (almost certain it's 1980s). It added some visual interest and actual warmth, plus the blues, greens, tans and reds of the sweater were picked up by all the other items (compared to the shirt in draft 1).
(It also reads as less threatening, and I imagine that given the perception of Black people in certain parts of the trail, that people would be more amenable to helping someone that was dressed more genially.)The outer shell is the same vintage anorak from draft 1. The vivid red nylon contrasted with the other neutral and other natural fabrics.
The hat is a wide brimmed sun hat, which added extra visual interest and a degree of authenticity as opposed to the baseball cap from draft 1.
The neckerchief is a bandana, as in draft 1. The only change was I used an old ring as a bandana tie, versus using a simple knot – the shine of the ring drew attention to the bandana, especially in the detail shot.
The hiking pants are oversized PRL Andrews. The actual fit was visually top heavy, and the pleats and width offset it better than the shorts in draft 1.
The socks are from Goodwill. The stripes were another way to balance the fit visually and the red stripe calls back to the red in the jacket and bandana
The. boots are old hiking boots that someone was giving away on FB Marketplace. Given the journey to take the picture, I was grateful for these over the Wallabees or Tevas.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F26240858-ce8c-4432-944f-01caf95682d8_569x362.png)
Could I have submitted the pics in my apartment like this? Sure, but if I'm going through the hassle of dressing like this, I figured I should be engaging in the outdoors. Style to me is contextual, and through fit battle I've embraced that that includes styling and physical setting (with no disrespect to any other participant). While I’ve bounced between earnestness and satire through the duration of the competition, I felt in this instance I needed to be authentic as much as possible.
To that end I found an old backpack off FB Marketplace and packed it with most of our (mine & my husband’s) camping gear. Everything pictured in my submission as well as my tripod was carried on/in that pack, which made it all the more painful when the plastic connectors of the straps broke under the weight. I made it to a CVS, grabbed an roll of duct tape, and spent 20 minutes taping the straps to the metal frame hoping for the best, and it did not disappoint.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0dbb1d41-6e91-4410-b556-1401ce7560d8_399x266.png)
There were three departures from a traditional hiker of the 80s:
the electric lantern was functional - it was raining and dark, but I didn't want to bring any flammables
the rainbow flag we always bring when camping
"Notes of a Native Son" by James Baldwin; most people would bring the Bible or On the Road but I figured if I had the means to hike back then, then I'd also have the means to source out Black writers (nowadays I just use Overdrive)
Taking the pictures was a struggle as well, as it was raining, I was alone and was relying on my Bluetooth timer which stopped working after I took a couple hundred pictures. In the discussion thread there were many positive comments about the actual photo quality, which I appreciated.
Submitted entry
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe22dfcc8-9a48-43d4-bc3c-cbfbc7944c60_615x212.png)
I am thrilled by how this turned out. It took effort but it's a fully realized and fully executed concept, it’s a “heritage” fit but not in the typical way (Americana, workwear, etc.), it's mostly vintage, it's true to me and I think does the inspiration justice.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F93595a10-c3c2-42d9-8a3c-90380d7bcfe7_434x214.png)
Ultimately, this was a successful look, and I made it to the finals. There could be any number of reasons why this happened but I think people respected the amount of effort that went into the fit and the pictures, plus, as mentioned above, it’s not an aesthetic that is really represented in MFA or even online in fashion. That still left the question of what could I do for the final submission?
Even beyond the scope of this competition, I think there are definite parallels to the experiences those individuals of color wrote about with respect to hiking and some of the experiences I’ve had in learning about and pursuing fashion as a hobby. As stated before, I didn’t set out to champion for positive representation in any space, but I realized that sometimes that can happen by having the courage to live and express one’s self authentically.
Item Breakdown
Most items were purchased secondhand (eBay, Goodwill, and flea markets most often). Things bought intentionally for fit battle are denoted with asterisks (***) while things bought shortly before/during that were worn are denoted with carats (^^^).
Hat: Life is Good sun hat borrowed from my husband (brown)
Jacket: vintage L.L. Bean anorak (red) (^^^)
Sweater: vintage Eddie Bauer fair isle sweater (green multicolor)
Shirt: Goodfellow chambray shirt (blue)
Bandana: old bandana (red), secured with ring
Pants: PRL Andrews (beige)
Socks: from Goodwill, unknown tube sock
Shoes: vintage Danner hiking boots (brown/green) (***)
Backpack: vintage Jansport external frame (***)
Camping gear info available upon request
Thank you for reading! You can click below for the final round’s entry:
You can also find me on MFA Discord or Instagram to see more of my fits, to ask any questions about this essay, or to connect about menswear or life in general. In particular, if you had any questions or comments about engaging with fashion while in a minority group(s), I’d be happy to hear them.