The American Craft Council public retail show in St. Paul starts tomorrow, Friday April 20th, and runs through Sunday (for details follow the link at the bottom of this article). If you are planning to attend and are interested in trying on Art to Wear, here are some tips from an experienced Art Fair groupie….
1. Wear a neutral in your element, especially on top. I wear the same color top and bottom or a foundation piece like a black fitted top and jeans (I’m Earth…Fire could wear a brown basic, Air navy blue and Water dark gray or dark muted brown). Also wear a jacket or sweater that is easy to take off and put back on so you can try on with efficiency! You want the art piece or jewelry to be featured without competition from pattern or dominating colors….
2. This is not a time for wearing fashion footwear unless they are the most comfortable shoes you own! Go with comfort and support….at most fairs you are on your feet for several hours and you’ll thank your shoes if they cushion your body and spine.
3. Get artist cards at the places you really like and write down the booth number if you wish to return. Know that if you love it and wait, it may not be there if you go back later. Purchase, if possible, in the moment in which you “connect” or you may have buyers remorse. Remember if you get one piece that you “love” in your element, you can wear it forever!
4. Bring your fan along to check if something is in your element.
5. There are usually an abundance of scarves at reasonable prices….look through your wardrobe before you go and note which things need to be tied together with an accessory such as a scarf. Either clip a small fragment of the material from the seams if possible, or use colored pencils to color the tones into a notebook you carry with you.
6. Have fun and let your creative juices get inspired!
And remember, you can add shopping tips of your own or tell us about your great finds by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. If you are reading this in email just click on the title at the top to see the original post.
More on the St. Paul show from the American Craft Council website
About Michele
Michele already mentioned this tip: take a small digital camera or photo phone and have a friend capture you in something you really like. I can’t alway spend half of the next month’s mortgage (like I did one year!) but I am always inspired by what I see. It truly is art of heart. The people watching is great — and if you do find that “just right something” — you will enjoy it for years.
Thanks Michele, for these great tips! I still need all the help I can get figuring out how to shop for fire!
I don’t think I’ll make it to the event this weekend, but just wanted to thank you, Michele, for all the wonderful information!
I wasn’t aware that one has to keep all these things in mind while attending art fair. Thanks for the informative post.