miawells-x

[miawells-x]

hey mia! i’ve been a follower of yours on insta since a looong time cause i love your style <3 i just randomly went to check my followers list and when i saw u there i got really really shocked (but really happy!!!) tysm for following me <3

Omg no way thank you so much for following me and supporting my stuff!!! I followed your account because it was so aesthetic and I like seeing it on my dash!! It’s so cute <3

[miawells-x]

“Why do you dye your hair?”

On being a manic pixie dream wannabe concept ideal of an anime character brought to life…

Okay. I own up to it. I like attention. Mostly positive if I can help it but this is me opening up and admitting that yes. I am aware that having brightly coloured hair is inevitably going to garner attention. For better or for worse. That’s not to say that it’s the sole purpose of this particular practice however.

As someone who was desperately insecure growing up. Attention grabbing was the last thing I wanted to be, I often felt ugly and like I didn’t belong in my own skin. Most kids feel like that but as a POC in a white dominant area, it was harder to fit in than most. I was weird, I was awkward, I watched anime when it was still considered social suicide (lol) and had no idea how to perform femininity without feeling even more alienated from my physical self.

When I turned 17, I was scouted by a modelling agency and it felt like the world flipped on its head for me. I was attractive? Other people thought I was attractive enough to model? There’s a lot to be said how *that* affected my psyche during my later adolescence but this serves as a tangible turning point for me from “ugly” to “not ugly.” But I struggled with it. The social currency that came with no longer being “unattractive” was something I was not prepared for. Interactions with the opposite sex had a newfound undertone I was grappling with, no longer being viewed as a mere annoyance but as a potential target date was a development that I resented and would confuse me further. My previous defense mechanisms and overcompensated social abilities of self deprecating humour were seen now as more witty, I wasn’t “rude” any more, I was just sarcastic, but in a totally sexy flirty way… disgusting .

All this to say, dying my hair a crazy colour made me feel protected from all these complex feelings I was having abut my appearance that would only be exacerbated in my very early 20s. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin so I changed it until I was. As if the metamorphosis I was going through within needed to be externalised some way or I’d go insane. I think it also gently forced me outside of my comfort zone to become somebody who could pull off having brightly dyed hair. I wanted to become someone who looked good in crazy colours and didn’t care what other people said. Dyed hair represented this person that I wanted to be… “hair holds memories,” but hair was also symbolic of a future to me. It was something I could control during a time when I felt lost and unsure. It was simply an added bonus that I didn’t look bad in it (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ

There’s been scientific studies as to why people change their appearances during times of personal turmoil, the most common explanation being that changing your appearance signifies detachment from a certain person, or time in one’s life. Shed yourself of the memories (physically and metaphysically). I believe in that practice but I am also just far too impulsive with my hair— it’ll grow back. Just like I keep growing too ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜

[miawells-x]

Injured but at least my compression bandage matched the fit ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

[miawells-x]

“Gimmicks don’t seduce you, what seduces you is the real thing”

On gimmicks and crafted moments in fashion. Online and IRL.

I confess that fashion runways make me cry. I’m a somewhat reticent individual but something about artists and their dedication to their craft just gets me— akin to Clairo ‘s pretty love songs adage. Seeing art in real time moves me in ways I can’t explain and I delight in that confusion.

The CSM runway is always notorious for its high fashion antics. Not to say that this label is unwarranted considering the quality of designers that have previously walked its halls. However there is also something to be said about the increasing desire to “shock” an audience rather than connect. This doesn’t just apply to the CSM runway but rather fashion as a whole— it was simply attending the CSM runway today (thank you agency eleven) that made me to think about what the fashion industry is evolving into: for both designer and consumer. In a new age of social virality, longevity within the fashion scape seems difficult to achieve but also no longer a priority. Viewership first. Core customer second.

As it’s infamously said, “all press is good press” in reference to negative press. But where social metrics are measured by objective engagement I.e angering the average viewer means guaranteed virality. Creation in general has slowly slid into relying on shock value and “rage bait” as it’s colloquially referred to online. I would be dishonest if I didn’t say that I’ve often had to ponder my specific wording in videos… will someone misconstrue this? Is it better if they do and I get more views? Do I imply something negative so people argue in the comments? If I’m too concise, will people will find me boring?

If I, as a humble lone creator feels this way when attempting to engage an audience then I cannot imagine how a bigger corporate entity such as a fashion label attempts to navigate this— or a new fashion grad attempting to find their place, any place in this world. But there is also bigger tragedy in also realising we have little choice. Navigate it or get left behind it. Figure out the algorithm or fail. Conversely, there is freedom in the lack of audience, shouting into the void is wonderful and I highly endorse it. Create without the voyeur and find your artistic voice I suppose. Rich coming from me as I post this on my public tumblr. But I never told you I was smart or anything… <3

[miawells-x]

just a girl (me) and her kitty cat drawn by da cutie @ kyaandere on twitter

[miawells-x]

Maomao

Day 88

[miawells-x]

In Defense of the Labubu:

Love it. Hate it. Abhor it. Covet it. The Labubu is everywhere and becoming a seemingly polemic figurehead. What is it? And why does everyone and their mum have it on their bag? “The Monsters” was a series created by Chinese Hong Kong Artist Kasing Lung and subsequently released by Pop Mart as mini figures, key chains and of course plush bag charms. Blind boxes aren’t anything new to me, as someone who’s BEEN obsessed with them, I found the growing public interest in what I viewed as a niche community as both a blessing and curse. Of course my fragile individuality complex took a HUGE hit but I also nurture a growing resentment for the lack of genuine respect or appreciation some people have towards this hobby.

The Labubu bag charm has infamously ceased sales (temporarily) due to growing violent behaviour and misconduct surrounding the wide smiled creatures— from literal fisticuffs to jaw dropping queues and shameless resellers. The poor mascot has become a cog in the ever speedy trend cycle of the 2020s and victim to the TikTok machine. There has long been discourse surrounding the fact that people no longer have personal style and the individual is now simply spoon fed accessories, music, clothes, food, even pet products from an algorithm that serves to ensure the risk of FOMO outweighs any semblance of real self concept… The Labubu becoming symbolic of the fact as it adorns endless bags by people who couldn’t give a shit about blind boxes or supporting independent artists but god forbid you miss out a single trend, lest you fall behind the curve. There’s more to be said about that but perhaps I’m too jaded for that conversation.

Anyway, circling back (#corporateslay) to the Labubu, do I love them? Not feverishly but I own three and care for them dearly- akin to a stray animal that wanders into your garden and domesticates itself. I also have an overbearing-ly contrary personality so if I see someone shit talking Labubu suddenly I act like they’re god’s gift. I guess I mostly feel bad for the Labubu and what it’s come to represent in the current trend cycle when at its core, they’re just funny little guys (with a side of gambler’s high) and I think the hate is unwarranted (with undertones of misogyny and Sinophobia in some posts I’ve seeing but that’s another discussion entirely). To my Labubu girlies, wear them proudly and maybe in a case or with extra key rings. People be stealing them these days…

[miawells-x]

the Bratz x Gentle Monster collab of dreams. Yes I did edit a sparkle onto the glasses hehe <3