Tim Gunn: A Perfect Model for the Fabulously Simple
photo credit: elyziumfields
Tim Gunn of Project Runway is the ultimate icon of simple sophistication. This is a man who insists that a solid wardrobe consists of just 10 pieces. In that spirit of refreshing minimalism, here are a few lessons we can take from Tim Gunn: the man, the host, the guru.
“A couture post-office uniform is not going to work.”
Or, put differently, no one on a farm cares about your Benz. In short, fashion needs to be functional. Style should help you live your life, simply in a more colorful way. It should never impede you from doing the things you love to do. Whether you need room to stretch and breathe, comfort to run and jump, or the freedom to roll around the grass or jump off a swing, your clothes should make your day more fun. In all areas of your life, style should be a value-added component and never a distraction or excuse.
“Looking good takes hard work and commitment.”
Things that look effortless are often far from it. When you see a person who appears to have it all together, keep in mind that they’ve likely worked very hard to get to that point. Whether your goal is to look fabulous or accomplish amazing things, Tim Gunn has just given you the two secrets of success: hard work and commitment. Hard work will get you 90 percent of the way, but commitment is what ensures that you stay on track during the hard times (ie, stirrup leggings and pegged pants).
“Underwear is the foundation of fashion.”
I love this quote, because it acknowledges the importance of what lies beneath the surface. Taken in a larger context, your habits are your underwear–they support you and determine the outcome of many of your actions. Consider the art of personal finance: you can master fancy techniques and have incredible vision, but if you don’t spend less than you earn (that’s your financial underwear) your portfolio, or wardrobe, won’t amount to much.
“Having quiet time alone is just so repairing. That’s why my environment is so important to me.”
Quiet time is when you become truly you. When all external stimuli are gone, what thoughts are you left with? What dreams do you conceive? If you want to dream bigger and deeper, creating a conducive environment is an important step. I wouldn’t say it’s absolutely vital, but I think Gunn is onto something here in that our environments do affect our lives. It makes sense to design them to reflect the places you want to go and the person you want to be (or already are).
“There are thousands of designers who would love to be in your place. What’s the matter with you?”
This is Tim’s response to those who complain about the Project Runway work load. I think it’s a wonderful mini meditation on gratitude. No matter who you are, there’s a pretty big likelihood that there’s someone who would love to be in your place. Perhaps you’re doing well for yourself financially. Maybe you’ve got one person in your life who loves you completely and totally. Perhaps you’ve got an education and an analytical mind. If you don’t appreciate the gifts you do have, there are plenty of others who would ask you, “What’s the matter with you?”
Finally, “Make it work.”
Make it work is a mantra you can truly live by. When Tim Gunn tells people to make it work, he’s encouraging them to work with what they’ve got. It’s a call to accept who you are and where you are, and make it as fabulous as possible. Forget what you don’t have. What can you do right now to make things better? In the end, it’s often a recommendation to take something away–in other words, to simplify down to basics. Now that’s a catchphrase I can get behind!
Do you have a favorite Gunn-ism? I’d love to hear, so please head into the comments and let your opinion be heard!
July 24th, 2008 at 6:12 am
“Looking good takes hard work and commitment.”
Substitute ‘Looking’ with ‘Performing’ and think of sports superstars such as Tiger Woods (golf) and Manny Ramirez (baseball). They perform and make it look effortless and have to integrate the fundamentals of their sport with the subtleties necessary to give them an edge over their competition. When the subtleties start to overshadow the fundamentals, their performance overall diminishes and they’re back with their coaches working on the fundamentals.
July 24th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Hi Sara - I have to confess, I’ve never heard of Tim Gunn. But I love the way you’ve taken his tips on fashion & applied them to life. The one on underwear is my favourite. I guess developing the right habits is crucial to giving yourself a solid foundation.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Hi Mark–
You got it! That’s exactly what I was trying to convey. And Tiger Woods is such a great example. He makes it look easy and undeniable, but he’s also the hardest working man on the tour.
Hi Cath–
Tim’s got two shows on Bravo and a book out (in case you were interested). The point about underwear really clicked with me, too. It’s definitely something I can work on.
July 24th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Never heard of this guy either, but this sounds like it might be a Gunn-ism: I’ve read that you should have classic pieces in your wardrobe and then each season you can buy something trendy. I guess that would be like really knowing who you are and what you like, but at the same time being willing to try new things. How did I do?
July 24th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Marelisa,
I think Tim would be proud. After all, there’s a balance to be struck between being practical and having fun.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I have to agree that effortless is rarely truly effortless. So yes, there is always hard work involved!
July 24th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
These fashion tips are actually life tips. I love the way you have put them.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
“Make it work!!!” LOVE it. That’s my favourite Tim Gunn expression - I say it all the time myself since I started watching Project Runway. What a fun show.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Vered–The good news is that sometimes that hard work can be fun!
Avani–Thank you! And yeah, I love that the ideas behind fashion can extend so much farther into our lives.
Jeanne–Woo-hoo! Another Project Runway junkie! I totally missed this season’s premiere, though…
July 24th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Underwear is our foundation to our wardrobe. My underwear says that I’m practical (I wear boxer briefs) and like the worn in look.
Great post Sara! The more that I read your blog and ZenHabits the more I cut out the clutter, which makes me happy.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Karl–Hooray–another response from a male! I’m glad that you’re ditching the clutter, and I hope it’s making you feel lighter and happier. And thanks for the info on underwear… I think.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Hi Sara,
Tim Gunn is great, isn’t he? I love “Project Runway”, but usually forget when it’s on. Thank goodness for reruns.
I like the “quiet time”. That holds true for me. If I don’t get my quiet time, I can get cranky. Yikes!
July 25th, 2008 at 6:48 am
I don’t know this person too. But I am so enjoying his quotes. ““Underwear is the foundation of fashion” is so true!!!
Thanks for sharing! Lovely article! Stumbled!
Evelyn
July 25th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Hi Barbara–
Ditto on the quiet time. It’s a necessity for me! And yeah, I too seem to always catch the show on reruns–especially the weekend marathons (much to my husband’s chagrin!).
Hi Evelyn–
Thanks so much! Makes you think twice about your underwear, doesn’t it?
July 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Great post, Sara. My favourite is “Things that look effortless are often far from it.” I’m reminded of this when going to a live performance. The artists make it all look so easy; like dancers doing pirouettes, who have worked hard for years and years to do it well - it’s no wonder I can never seem to get it right after a couple tries.
This helps me to realize that if I want to succeed, I have to work at it.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Hi Laurie,
That’s exactly the message I took from it, too. It’s inspiring to know that with hard work and commitment, the world is at our feet.
July 27th, 2008 at 6:23 am
[...] A Perfect Model For The Fabulously Simple [...]
August 10th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
[...] Tim Gunn as a model for simplicity from On Simplicity [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 6:30 am
I don’t know this Timm Gun either, but I like the ideas you’ve listed here, especially “style should … never be a distraction”.
And I know I’ve used “What’s the matter with you?” more than once, but probably not the in way you’re using it here.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Dave: Haha! Yeah, we’re probably not using the term in the same way, but it is pretty effective in either context, right?