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Hi I’m The Flashanista and I’m here to teach you fashion in a flash! Not only that, but I’m here to make it a tonne of fun. Every fashion art activity you explore on this blog, with your child, by yourself or even with a group of friends, takes you a step closer to becoming a “flashanista” in your your own right. Suddenly you will be “teaching fashion in a flash” and the world will be a more stylish and beautiful place.
Throughout my life I had great fortune to witnesses the incredible power of style from many unique angles. As a child living in Communist Russia I remember experiencing a feeling of deep craving to express my individuality through the way I dress, yet not having the tools to be able to do so.
Years later modeling and acting I got to portray human archetypes and transformed from one character to another with the help of brilliant wardrobe stylists. Yet for years I struggled with my own fashion identity. The characters I got cast to play or auditioned for wore vastly different things from what I eventually discovered as my own personal style. I would built my wardrobe to accommodate auditions and never questioned whether I was dressing authentically, so I never truly felt like myself.
Since my kids came into my life I take great pleasure in observing the passion with which they assert their individual style. Theo could wear his favorite pair of red shorts with white stripes on the sides day and night, no matter how worn out they are after much use. And long sleeves, turtlenecks and A-line dresses have made Evie happy from a very young age.
I was filled with curiosity as to why we, human beings, love the clothing that we love. I eventually observed that there are certain details to a garment that combine to make a certain piece of clothing a joy to wear. It’s those little details we need to be aware of in order to have a joyful and efficient wardrobe. They are simple things like the proper name for our favorite neckline or silhouette of our favorite dress. They are also small but important things like the type of fabric we prefer to touch our skin and the colors that make our eyes sparkle.
A typical person's fashion knowledge comes from popular culture, magazines (which most of the time aim to sell us something) and the act of shopping, which in the world of self discovery is like throwing darts in the dark. Sometimes we discover something we like (and it’s proper name!) and something we just waste money and end up getting rid of the horrid thing.
Some of us are lucky and be surrounded by a stylish mother, sister or friend and they share their passion with us and we learn. But some of us grow up in all sorts of other circumstances where fashion education is a luxury.
My family immigrated to Canada when I was ten years old and starting off in a new country, learning a new language and trying to make ends meet made fashion education a luxury and the least of our worries.
My fashion education came first from Ryerson School of Fashion, being on set as an actress, reading a tonne of fashion history books, some fashionably wise friends and making mistakes, lots and lots of mistakes. I think if you look at pictures of me as a child you may agree that I'm the world's most reformed fashion victim.
I believe fashion doesn't have to be a luxury. Proper, basic fashion education should be attainable to anyone and it should be simple.
That’s why I’m here.
Through out this blog, on my Instagram and in my published works I aim to gently guide your attention to “little fashion details” and help you discover which of these fashion details bring you joy. The art activities featured on this blog expand fashion vocabulary and introduce you to the world of style and the possibilities it presents. If you are an adult looking for style inspiration you can use these art activities as therapy. Use them to dream, reflect and plan you next “statement piece”, that item that, not only asserts your personality and individuality, but that also brings you joy when you wear it.
I hope you find this blog inspiring and it gets you and the world talking about fashion in a new, ethical and creative way!
With stylish love,
Inna
Throughout my life I had great fortune to witnesses the incredible power of style from many unique angles. As a child living in Communist Russia I remember experiencing a feeling of deep craving to express my individuality through the way I dress, yet not having the tools to be able to do so.
Years later modeling and acting I got to portray human archetypes and transformed from one character to another with the help of brilliant wardrobe stylists. Yet for years I struggled with my own fashion identity. The characters I got cast to play or auditioned for wore vastly different things from what I eventually discovered as my own personal style. I would built my wardrobe to accommodate auditions and never questioned whether I was dressing authentically, so I never truly felt like myself.
Since my kids came into my life I take great pleasure in observing the passion with which they assert their individual style. Theo could wear his favorite pair of red shorts with white stripes on the sides day and night, no matter how worn out they are after much use. And long sleeves, turtlenecks and A-line dresses have made Evie happy from a very young age.
I was filled with curiosity as to why we, human beings, love the clothing that we love. I eventually observed that there are certain details to a garment that combine to make a certain piece of clothing a joy to wear. It’s those little details we need to be aware of in order to have a joyful and efficient wardrobe. They are simple things like the proper name for our favorite neckline or silhouette of our favorite dress. They are also small but important things like the type of fabric we prefer to touch our skin and the colors that make our eyes sparkle.
A typical person's fashion knowledge comes from popular culture, magazines (which most of the time aim to sell us something) and the act of shopping, which in the world of self discovery is like throwing darts in the dark. Sometimes we discover something we like (and it’s proper name!) and something we just waste money and end up getting rid of the horrid thing.
Some of us are lucky and be surrounded by a stylish mother, sister or friend and they share their passion with us and we learn. But some of us grow up in all sorts of other circumstances where fashion education is a luxury.
My family immigrated to Canada when I was ten years old and starting off in a new country, learning a new language and trying to make ends meet made fashion education a luxury and the least of our worries.
My fashion education came first from Ryerson School of Fashion, being on set as an actress, reading a tonne of fashion history books, some fashionably wise friends and making mistakes, lots and lots of mistakes. I think if you look at pictures of me as a child you may agree that I'm the world's most reformed fashion victim.
I believe fashion doesn't have to be a luxury. Proper, basic fashion education should be attainable to anyone and it should be simple.
That’s why I’m here.
Through out this blog, on my Instagram and in my published works I aim to gently guide your attention to “little fashion details” and help you discover which of these fashion details bring you joy. The art activities featured on this blog expand fashion vocabulary and introduce you to the world of style and the possibilities it presents. If you are an adult looking for style inspiration you can use these art activities as therapy. Use them to dream, reflect and plan you next “statement piece”, that item that, not only asserts your personality and individuality, but that also brings you joy when you wear it.
I hope you find this blog inspiring and it gets you and the world talking about fashion in a new, ethical and creative way!
With stylish love,
Inna