Top Tips for Outfit Inspiration as a Designer When Faced With Creative Block

Creativity is crucial, not just for artists but also for designers, writers, bloggers and YouTubers. However, at some point in time, creativity fades and creators and designers come face-to-face with a barrier called 'creative block', barring them from creating anything new or unique. 

Before we plunge the depths of finding a solution to a creative block, we must first understand what are the root causes of a creative block. A creative block usually occurs due to stress or unhappiness, fatigue, fear of imperfection, monotony, and sometimes, even an abundance of ideas.

Inspiration is the powerhouse for all designers to give shape to their creations according to their imagination. It is this inspiration that helps designers to brainstorm and map out ideas. Inspiration can come from anywhere. It could be as simple as a leaf on a tree outside your window. 

Now the question is what do you do to overcome your creative block and find your inspiration? Do you keep going or do you step back and breathe a little? Here are some tips to find inspiration for your next design.

Travel

Traveling exposes you to new inspirations like no other. Whether you are traveling on a train or by air to some exotic locations, there is so much inspiration to be gained from your surroundings. Since you are staying far from home, the monotony breaks and you get an opportunity to escape your comfort zone. Travel also exposes you to new cultures. As a designer, you can get new inspirations about textures and patterns by observing different cultures, their apparel, etc. Traveling to far-flung places means that you must explore places by yourself, rather than stick to the confines of your hotel room. This will ensure maximum inspiration.

Taking walks

It is the most sought-after way to fight a creative block and has been used for generations by people from different creative fields, be it art or design.  Sometimes the best way to get inspired to create something new is to simply leave your workplace and go on a long walk. The workplace can be anything, it can be your office or your work-from-home area. It is recommended that you make walking a daily ritual. Apart from taking walks, consider stretching as a way to take a break. This is great for your overall mind and body fitness.

Visiting thrift stores

As a designer, you must already be aware that the cycle of fashion repeats itself after some point in time. The fashion trends that faded a couple of years ago might rise again like a phoenix. Therefore, visiting thrift stores may give you unique ideas and inspirations to create something new. You have to keep an open mind to draw inspiration from these thrift stores. As a designer, you will be able to connect different ideas, and that is what you must do whenever you visit such thrift stores.

Have a conversation with peers and family

As a designer, you can also have a look at your family and friends' wardrobes to find inspiration for your next project. You can have a chat with your family members to get an insight into their tastes and interests and what they would like to wear themselves. Moreover, your family members and friends will help you notice real issues and struggles, which will eventually help you design practical clothes according to popular needs.

Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the most powerful tools for a designer. It is a daily source of inspiration for not only designers but also for common people looking for daily fashion inspiration. Pinterest is a free social media platform that will allow you to curate designs with images and videos which makes it a great source of design inspiration for your next project or collection. There are a lot of interesting things on Pinterest, such as pictures, illustrations and digital art, which is an oasis of ideas for any designer looking for ideas. To make optimum use of Pinterest, it's better to search keywords related to your project and see what comes up.

Read magazines

Fashion and design magazines are often inspiring as they offer quick images of the current fashion trends. As a designer, these magazines will offer plenty of outfit inspiration.  When you go through one of these magazines, make sure you have a look at the use of colors, shapes and designs and pick a look that inspires you. You can either pull out the pages and stick them near your workstation or file them meticulously in a folder.

Gather inspiration

When you see something on any website, keep a screenshot of the image or design you like. Use social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to follow designers you love and draw inspiration from their designs. When you finally have a collection of images and designs that inspire you to create something new, you can store them in a place like Google Drive and use them for further projects. 

Connect with other designers

As a designer, you must be part of a designer-led community. You can share your challenges and obstacles with them. You may be surprised to learn that they too suffered from similar issues before. They may be able to offer valuable advice that could help you navigate a creative block. Similarly, you can also offer some help or ideas if they are stuck somewhere, and this mutual communication may prove to be a win-win for both.

Looking ahead

Inspiration can come from anywhere. As a designer, it's all up to you to observe everything around, starting from a leaf to a ladybird's back. When you draw on these images, incorporating them in your project, you will discover new inspiration. Every design ever made comes from something which already exists around us. As we are connected to a wider world, this is fodder for our imagination.
If you are a designer and need some help sourcing fabrics or clothes, you can reach out to Fashinza. We work with leading fashion brands and designers to manufacture a variety of clothes and fashion apparel. We manage everything - right from the production of clothes to the delivery. Get in touch with us today to transform your outfit inspiration into your next collection.