An Upside-Down Tulip Makes a Great Skirt

Art by Sayna Bahrami

I envision a world that merges three realms. One filled with glitter and pink, another with fabric and textures, a third with greenery and waterfalls, all of beauty. I created the merging realms to bring attention to the interconnectedness and overlap between girlhood, fashion, and nature, which begs the question, “Where does one world end and another begin?” As children, we are so intensely connected to who we truly are; it's all we know, just as nature knows no way other than to be natural: it's the purest essence, the truest divinity. 

I wish to bring light to the fact that fashion becomes an outlet for the inner child to stay connected to this sacred part of herself through play, exploration, and expression through fashion, ultimately bringing her back to who she really is, serving as a way to be and create, which is what nature is all about, and so the cycle repeats. Everything is so deeply interconnected, much more than one thinks. 

I want you to ponder and reflect on what connects us, bringing us back to our oneness and the beauty of it all. Girlhood serves as the catalyst, fashion serves as the becoming, and nature serves as the foundation. 

I think the inner child holds the most innate wisdom. More than any philosopher could ever teach you about yourself. She knew what my purpose was without thinking about it. I trust her; I follow her; she is my greatest muse. She is my greatest source of inspiration, too. I cherish what she has to say, guided by her warmth and her joy. Because she knows the secret to life. Play and create, repeat. 

I turn to her when I’m lost, knowing she will always guide me home.

She is a sponge, absorbing all that surrounds her, yet never straying from her own path. She does not question her inner knowing. She follows what feels good, no overthinking. 

She loves fashion; she loves nature; she loves all things that sparkle. She loves flowy things; she loves structure; she loves playing with textures and hues. She is a trailblazer. She sees things differently; she sees things for what they are. She creates her own universe, and builds and adds to it time and time again, trusting her voice above all else. She inspires. She is magic. She is mine. I honour her. 

For this project, I tapped into her innate knowledge. I followed her lead. I let her guide the path, showing me where the magic lies, bringing me into her world that lives and breathes, its heart beating from her creative spirit. She understands that nature is the foundation, the creator of all things. Without nature, we have nothing; it’s where she feels the most at peace. Alive. Connected. 

She is as brilliant as the galaxies, neurons like shooting stars making headway. She knows who she is, like a tree knows its roots. She trusts her creativity the way the plants trust that there will always be rain to nourish. 

In girlhood, she prepares for womanhood, dreams of what she wants to do, and explores who she wants to be. She has known from a young age that she wants to work in fashion. So she draws, and she appreciates all things that glitter and are pretty.

She recognizes the nourishment of being surrounded by beautiful things. She notices the power of creative expression and how fashion is just as important in her identity as reading, writing, and breathing. 

It helps her find friends who will go to ballet, play Littlest Pet Shop, and know the lyrics to My Little Pony. She loves the way it connects, and she loves to match with friends. She loves the way the things that surround her makes her stand out and feel special. 

She loves being a girl. She is excited to be a woman. To merge this world with the one she can only imagine right now. She can’t wait to show others how fashion makes her feel, the alchemy it possesses, and how that feeling can be theirs too. 

She can’t wait to have her big girl job, but for now, she will daydream, create sketches, and sew outfits for her Barbie dolls, knowing that womanhood isn’t so far away, the same way the little frogs who bury themselves in the mud for winter know that soon comes Spring. 

It’s all connected because a pretty dress feels as heavenly as sniffing a lilac, or dunking her head in the lake on a hot summer day. She understands that inspiration is everywhere, admiring a flower’s silhouette along with its delicate petals, because an upside-down tulip would make a great skirt.