Are We Still Dressing Up?? COVID Edition Part II

Out of all my friends, I seem to have the most discipline when it comes to actually sticking to morning routine and getting dressed up everyday.  Trust me, this is a very conscious effort.  For my own mental stability, I have to stick very closely to my morning routine, which includes at a least 4 mile run, shower, and full SOSNU outfit…all by 9 a.m.  So when I hear my friends who work from home talk about rolling out of bed just in time to log in, or those who are working in underwear and tank tops all day.  Honestly, I have to check myself and make sure I am not casting judgment in their direction.

One huge factor that definitely sets me apart from my group of friends is that unlike them, I have been “working from home” for the past 4 years.  I left Corporate America and started freelancing long before lockdown, so my daily routine has been several years in the making.  This global pandemic didn’t turn my lifestyle and daily routines on its head at all.  So I didn’t have to really adapt too much, unlike every one else in the world.     

outfit details - dress: H&M (here, here); shoes: Nike (here, here); earrings: vintage (here, here); eyewear: Firmoo (here, here)

Working now as a full time, fashion business owner has a lot to do with my attitude towards clothing.  I love clothes.  They are around all the time.  There is always loads coming in, and orders of clothes shipping out.  All of my contributions to other publications are articles about fashion.  The creative content I contribute to clients and brands are all fashion related, so I guess it goes without saying that I get a kick out of getting dressed everyday.  I will say that every outfit isn’t vibrant and fully styled, but it’s a full outfit nonetheless.  The shoes are optional, of course.  Another thing about getting dressed is that it’s a tremendous mood boaster. And if I am in a good mood, I tend to be more productive and prepared during the day.  When I look good, I feel great.  And when I feel confident and great, I have the audacity to be bold and more courageous with my work.      

All and all, it boils down to the individual.  I am someone that thrives in systems and routines, so getting up and getting dressed has been something that I’ve never stopped doing since I was a young child.  I got ready everyday for grade school, then college, then working in corporate America, now working for myself.  I’ve never allowed myself to sway to far from my daily routine, maybe it’s just how i’m wired. I know that in order to have that fully optimized day, I have to dress the part no matter what.

“I want to challenge you all to try getting dressed every day for a week, and see if it’s effective??”

Simple Ways to Establish Your Personal Style

And we’re back with another one. I hope you all are well and still getting dressed…even if you’re just working from home. I know for me putting on actual outfits each day has been the ultimate mood booster, and it is something that has been vital for my productivity levels daily. I guess true is the saying that there is Power in Dressing.

We’re back this week with another post that I hope will be very helpful. After last week’s post I received tons of great feedback. If you haven’t read it yet, please go back and catch up on why I think that knowing or at least having a sense of your personal style can help in being more sustainable. However, I did notice that a lot of you sent messages asking if I would outline ways to help someone establish their personal style. I mistakenly assumed that you all fully understood personal style. Don’t fret if you don’t, it would be a delight to go more in-depth. Here is my prerequisite blog post to last week’s:

So for starters with determining your personal style, I will say to trust your instincts. Go for what you like or what you’re naturally drawn to, whether it’s currently in style or not. The latest trends aren’t for everybody, so if it’s something that you aren’t so sure about it will definitely show. Your clothes will look like cosplay or as if they belong to someone else. The operative word in the phrase “personal style” is PERSONAL. So you've got to own it.

Next, take a moment to assess the foundation of body’s shape. Minimal understanding of this is vital, as it aids you in purchasing clothing that actually flatters your particular body type. You will surely look and feel your very best.

Contrary to popular belief, developing your personal style doesn’t start with clothing. I would recommend that you allow yourself to be influenced by indicators such as silhouettes, art, literature, values, cultures, even nature. Honing in on these things will help cultivate a more organic sense of style that is uniquely yours.

Now take a look inside your wardrobe and identify any iterative clothing. A great way to start narrowing down what your personal style is is to simply look at what you have a lot of in your closet. Those duplicate styles, colors, etc. may hold the keys to your very own personal style. Here you should notice your own signature and statement pieces. Also, note random or odd pieces in your closet. It’s not necessarily bad to have items that are just one off (unlike anything else), but ask yourself why did you buy them. Are they aspirational pieces that you just don't know how to style yet or did you purchase on a whim and it’s something that you don’t intend to wear and should get rid of??

While you’ll still in your wardrobe see if you can spot any common THEMES. Is your style seemingly modern, boho, classic, vintage, trendy, etc. Once you’ve done this and are looking to expand your wardrobe and further shape your personal style, use those theme words as references when searching inspiration sites such as Pinterest or even Instagram. This tip may be helpful when online shopping as well.

Another great tip to help lock into your personal style is simply take pictures of yourself in outfits that you feel the best in and use them as reference photos when making spinoff outfits. This will aid in creating a more coherent style. If you don’t have anything to photograph yourself in at the moment, screenshot people online or even celebrities whose style you like. Locate outfits that epitomize your idea of your personal style.

I hope this information has been helpful. Although I promote personal style, the biggest take away is understanding that we as women are mutable, and the things that we like or are drawn to can change as we change. A number of factors can influence our style. It isn’t static, evolution is inevitable.

How understanding your personal style help you become more sustainable

For those of you who have been long time readers here; you guys know that this blog started as a photo journal. I would post my outfits daily and give details about where I made my purchases. There wasn’t much commentary at first but eventually, we began to engage, and build our little community over our shared affinity for vintage, vintage-inspired, and thrifted clothing. I’ve later become more and more conscious of my own personal style, as well as developing a greater appreciation of the look and quality of pre-loved clothing over the years. Fast forward nearly 10 years and a lot of us are advocating for “global sustainability”.

So how did we get here?? To many of us, sustainability is this buzzword of sorts. It’s oftentimes used in conversations about saving our planet and/or avoiding “fast fashion”. Let’s put that into context. What is sustainability and how does it relate to fashion you might ask? Well, sustainability in fashion is all about looking at the entire life cycle of a garment. Stopping to consider how our clothing is made, the condition of the factories and the well being of the workers making our clothing, the dyes used, and how and where the fabric is sourced; as well as it’s biodegradation once we discard it. It stems down to CONSCIOUSNESS. Consciousness when we get dress every day.

When getting dressed daily having a grasp on your own personal style definitely has its benefits. Aside from saving time, knowing your style can save loads of money which is sustainable. Personal style isn’t necessarily about wearing the latest trends or what’s popular. Great personal style is all about trusting your instincts and wearing only pieces that are quintessentially you. These items in your wardrobe will be the pieces that you feel your absolute best while wearing.

It is so very important to hone in the pieces in your wardrobe that you love. The faster you identify iterative patterns in how you naturally dress; next, reflect on how those clothes make you feel. I’m 100% positive that you feel confident and beautiful in those pieces. Let these items become the staples in your wardrobe. Build your everyday outfits around the pieces in your closet that bring you joy, so that you can ignite those happy feelings daily.

Secondly, lean into the classics. Buying and wearing majority classics is a great way to guarantee sustainability. Classics are those key pieces that should be in everyone’s wardrobe regardless of personal style. They are considered timeless, and most importantly when you invest in buying classics you don’t have to waste money purchasing several pairs of particular items. There is always an occasion for a crisp white shirt, dark rinse jeans (that fits the booty good), a black shift dress, and a comfortable pair of neutral pumps.

An additional way that understanding your personal style can help you be more sustainable is simply by shopping vintage. I can confidently proclaim that vintage clothing is well very constructed and long-lasting. No matter the decade, rather a 1990s color-blocked silk blouse or 1950s day dress, the material is sturdier and made to withstand the times. Thus, if your wardrobe is compiled of things you love which so happens to be vintage, you won’t have to worry about wasting money purchasing and repurchasing clothing.