‘Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
~Judy Garland
Iconic Photographer Bill Cunningham's film on stylish New Yorkers
To me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of being in New York City is having the opportunity to people-watch. I love that I never know who or what I’ll see and I can always count on finding unique-looking people walking down the street. New York peeps are proud of their originality and seem to have no qualms about strutting their stuff.
Instead of having a high school mentality where everyone tries to fit in and dress alike, Big Apple residents seem to be a one-of-a-kind, confident bunch. A jaunty tilt of hat, an unusual combination of patterns or colors; they would no sooner dream of dressing like their companions than they would wish to assume another person’s identity. Taking risks and trying new things come easy to New Yorkers who embrace Popeye’s philosophy: “I yam what I yam and that’s what I yam!” No Bobbsey Twins, here.
The same attitude seems to carry over to their homes. After working with thousands of Manhattan clients, it’s clear to me that most NYC folks are interested in having their apartments and houses reflect their unique personalities and not their friends’ design style.
Of course original people can be found everywhere, yet several years ago I worked with a woman in Florida who’d previously hired her friend’s designer because she loved the way her pal’s home had turned out. Six months later, her house looked like a carbon copy of her lady friend’s and she and her buddy realized they were both unhappy with the outcome.
In fact, my client was surprised to find her home was actually uncomfortable to her, which is why she called me in to help redesign it. Fortunately, it took us only 6 weeks to make adjustments in each room so her place could reflect her taste and lifestyle (and her husband’s) and not her friend’s.
How do you feel about individuality versus conformity? Is having your own unique look important to you? Do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable showing the world who you really are?
