Ramblings About Inspiration
Monday, August 29th, 2011 | 33 Comments 
Today I was thinking about inspiration. 
This weekend I opened up my Rinka photo books. Especially “Love Myself” from 2009. It’s so beautifully done and full of daily life inspiration. It seems superficial on the surface; clothes, makeup, recipes… 
but to me it really churns up feelings of inspiration and aspirations throughout all aspects of my daily life. 
Inspiration to me is a 2-way street. 
Though it can find me on its own, I can also hunt it down! And neither is a guarantee of course. I feel thankful I’m not some designer/artist who depends on inspiration for a paycheck. Sure I’m a Web Developer and I do design things, but mostly I’m doing continual work or server administration. 
So for me I focus on the search for inspiration in my non-work life.
That amazing feeling like Christmas morning! 
Happiness and anticipation! Suddenly you have all these options you want to try or goals you want to meet. I feel somewhat invincible with so much to look forward to. 
Well not all inspo is so lasting. Mostly I find the tiny blips. The day to day inspiration. But sometimes I’m struck with it more thoroughly and it can inspire real changes.
Like with used mix style. Sure, the look and shops have been there for a long time. And I had purchased a couple of Seda & PS magazines back in 2008. They were nice but not monumental. But last summer when I stumbled upon Vintage Mix Girls [古着MIXガールズ] and saw the spread of Yukako (the reason I bought it,) I can remember the whole moment! 
I came upon it at a time I was feeling stuck. Wanting a change but not sure what or how; unable to contextualize exactly what I was feeling or needing. I know, it’s just a magazine! 
But to me it was this fixed point that struck like lightning. I flipped through it nonstop from the moment I found it. At the store, at the hotel, on the plane home, then AT HOME and … throughout the year… even a few weeks ago. I found new inspiration I ran and scanned in for my phone. Things that maybe didn’t feel exactly for me last year but do now.
I feel the need to nurture my inspired-side a bit more lately. This summer has been particularly busy/stressful/what-have-you and taking time to discover & feel inspired is just something I’ve pushed aside. 
It gives me something to smile about & look forward to throughout the day. Not to say I’m completely uninspired, but I’m definitely feeling hungry for more! So it’s time to hunt down & consume!!
Romeo N Juliet - Clazziquai
Was listening to this while typing. I found this song, as well as many others from Clazziquai and FreeTempo, last year around the same time. It’s sorta nostalgic but also I still listen to these songs constantly almost daily
Jenny posted at 9:30 pm ; Monday
TAGS: self discovery
33 Comments »
« 古着MIXガールズ Subscription | Used Mix September Street Snaps »
//view HOME PAGE
Jenny
now I will try one more lol guess my internet is bad as you said :((
guess i will need to purchase more magazine on mix style, it has good inspiration! btw I love those neko
I think I’ll try to post some tomorrow. I want to… Hope I find the time to scan stuff xD
Sorry your Internet and my blog don’t play nice. But….. You’re first \
/
yay~ finally! well, many people in my country kept tweeting how sucks our internet became :(( and now my tweetdeck is broken too TT_TT
D: ah that blows chunks!
OK the links I tweeted about!!!
For just shopping inspiration I’ll look at:
http://www.lagarconne.com/store/index.htm
http://www.shopnastygal.com/
http://www.topshop.com
http://www.chicwish.com/
http://us.asos.com/
*japanese
http://www.spinns.jp/
http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/salus/
http://zozo.jp/
http://www.rapty.com/
http://www.parco-city.com/shop/02fai120/02fai120
I’ve bought from (online/in store)
http://www.southmoonunder.com/
http://www.pixiemarket.com/store/
http://www.uniqlo.com/us/
http://www.freepeople.com/
http://www.zara.com/
http://www.hm.com/
OMG thats alot and helpful! thank you
x
I really enjoy Clazziquai’s songs, especially Alex’s soft voice. Very relaxing to listen to on the way home from work or school. Might I suggest you check out Yozoh as well, I really enjoy her song ‘Nostalgia.’ = v = ~♥
Awe this is actually when I listen too! Usually on the train home after work
Thanks for the Yozoh recommendation!
I like looking through old photo books and mags when I need some inspiration. Lately I’ve been wanting to change up my style… I’ve been looking a different mags but haven’t gotten a lightning moment yet
Hope you get struck soon
Changing of the season making you contemplate a new direction or just where you are & your current lifestyle??
Oh just lately ive been thinking i should dress more age appropriate because someone told me i dress too young for my age lol. You are a great inspiration for me too
D: *face I literally made* ~~been ‘dere t_t
As I need inspiration I will start to clean my messy room, and listen New age style music together.
I love read some models’ article, too. Their sentences doesn’t like teacher’s lessons, just like chat between friends
That’s so true & sweet
I love how inspiration is everywhere, and always around. Though sometimes you can be inspired and have no way to express it! Magazines and photo books are definitely big sources of inspiration for me, too. And just because it’s clothes, make up, and recipes doesn’t make it seem superficial, because everyone has different interests, and everything has meaning, because it’s not the item, but the feelings you get from it. Like you said~
I’m thankful I changed my major, so that I can be a part time designer and have a stable career. I think this is my favorite post of yours because it’s inspiring in itself! All this talk of inspiration makes me want to go hunt some down, too.
(Wow, so rambly and kinda preachy sounding! OTL)
This is a fav post? Wow thank you. I wasn’t sure how it would be received as I was typing away
And your comment wasn’t rambling or preachy at all 
No worries
Oooh I love Classiquai~! I =D And I really agree with what you’re saying - life has been really busy lately for myself as well, and it’s difficult to find time to stop and smell the roses~~! =O I find for myself, I really enjoy going to cafes with the lovely soft jazzy-ish music. I either study (summer school…
, chat with friends, or flip through magazines, all while “people watching”. I think watching/seeing what others are wearing or doing helps to inspire myself~~! Of course blogs (yours included!!) are also a big part of it, it’s inspirational to know what people do day-by-day.. The small things that nobody thinks much of really makes an impact I think~
i’m loving the song
So positive post today. Inspirational things are everywhere but sometimes we are blind! It’s amazing when you found something that make your heart skip a beat.
Pd: I love Rinka too!
\
/ thank you, thank you I’m glad it came out uplifting in a weird way!
I agree about Rinka’s Love Myself! It’s a big inspo for me~~ And so is this post
)
Have you read Jille before? I bought a copy randomly for the flight back and I thought it’s quite cool~ Need a new replacement for PS :( I’m swaying towards Seda but PS has more of the Oji-girl style and quirky things that I quite like~~ (plus good furoku
Yeah I’ve downloaded & flipped through Jille every now and then, it’s a great casual magazine
I never really got “hooked” I guess because it leans slightly more towards baggy street casual.
Jenny! I love this song! More song recommendation please! I need new music to listen to and I pretty much love ALL kinds of music so you could recommend anything, I’m 99% sure I’d love it
Have a lovely week!
xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD I love FreeTempo more if that helps
I find that spending time alone at some park(a rare find here in my area so I have to go a bit far) and listening to chill music soothes me and clears my head. After that I feel more refreshed and inspired to get creative
One of the things that makes me feel inspired is looking through IKEA magazines/catalogues ^^ Just spent my whole morning doing just that, I feel great now!
It’s a great feeling to get inspired! It really is like lightening
lol, I love all the tabs
Ohh, I LOVE Clazziquai! ♥
♥
This post struck such a chord with me~ I think it’s important to feel inspired on a daily basis, no matter how big or small, because it’s what helps us get through the days.
Your Vintage Mix Girls mag with all the little kitty markers is SO cute too,
Haha yeah I usually use reusable bookmarks but they were all in a different magazine at the time
Sometimes it’s so hard to explain to other people why the things that are important to us have such an impact in our lives… So though you found inspiration in ‘just a magazine’ it’s great what it has done for you!
And I love Clazziquai
So true, even to people close to us let alone on a blog for everyone haha!
a renewed feeling of inspiration is always good! sometimes i like to look back at things and then i get all nostalgic. but the inspired feeling feels so good (for lack of a better … anything? [the phrase escapes me]).
I love how you describe the feeling you get when inspiration hits you - you’re spot on! It’s such an exciting feeling, isn’t it?