I’ve been thinking a lot lately about style; and more so the evolution of my own style over the last five years. Perhaps more specifically, how the my approach to dressing has changed since the start of 2020. There’s less emphasis on appearing sleek and polished; instead opting for easy basics which I know work well. A casual interpretation of my personal style. Naturally evolving as I move through each new “season” in my life.
Wearing Moia shirt; Facade Pattern trousers; By Far sandals; Acne Studios mini musubi bag; Rosefield watch
It’s a far cry from the outfit I’m wearing above; dressing up for the sake of dressing up. With nowhere to go. The “norm” these days (am I right?!). It’s had me reflecting on my “why” behind how I dress. Focusing more so on how I want to feel in an outfit; dressing for noone other than for myself.
And when I say, the act of “dressing for others”, I’m not talking about that conscious decision we make in our early years of youth. When we’re on a journey of discovery to who we are, trying to find our place and “fit in”. I mean, the way we conform to how we’re expected to dress based on where we live, our age, or the people we spend time with. Instead of dressing for what our true self craves. I don’t think it’s always necessarily easy to pinpoint, but I do feel as though the concept of fantasy self is somewhat interlinked.
I suppose this too is one of the things that drives us to be intentional with colour palettes. Insisting on a closet that is easily mixed and matched, because that cohesion often extends beyond the hues in our wardrobe. Representing a feeling, and in part, an outward reflection of sense of self. Which, to that end, is something that’s also pragmatic. Clothing you can wear multiple ways – that fit a specific “vibe” – give you more mileage, more options, and ultimately end up feeling like a better buy than the special piece you inexplicably had to have. Despite being
My style at this point in time has largely been dictated by comfort. I don’t want to be pulling or adjusting my clothes constantly. The clothing I wear is the type that can be lived in, and I mean really lived in. But… I still want to look nice. That’s the tricky balance we’re all trying to find, isn’t it? And I suppose this is the underlying basis of my shift to more of a relaxed silhouette; larger fitting tees and knits, trousers and jeans cut straight through the leg, and full skirts which hit a little longer down the leg.
Perhaps I’m focusing on the wrong things here, but with the framework of my low buy in place, I have been putting more consideration into how singular elements will enhance my style.
