This series is a visual diary of my struggle with buying clothes in quarantine. I love shopping and often seek validation from others through my fashion—but in my regular life, I tend to have more reason to purchase items and more self-control. This wasn’t the case during quarantine. Whether it was the added time spent looking at products on social media, the hours committed to contemplating their purchase, or the need for stimulation and something to look forward to, I fell into an unhealthy cycle of purchasing.
The title of this piece is Wrapped Up. This plays both on my model literally being wrapped up in plastic, and on the more metaphorical feeling of being wrapped up in addiction. The plastic tarp and clutter of my mise en scène (including clothing purchases and packages) represents the waste accumulated in online shopping. These realities were amplified by the fact that I had nowhere to wear these purchases, hence my model sitting in her golden gown alone in her room, unsatisfied.
Photos by Callie Keels
Modeled by Bedriye Ugur