[A client conversation I had recently]
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Her: I'm sick of t-shirts and I want to branch out. I've never really been a blouse person though.
Me: Do you wear any of the blouses you own?
Her: No
Me: OK, then I think...
Her: That I should just force myself to wear blouses?

Mindfulness teaches us that we should focus on the present moment, while acknowledging and accepting our feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. A lesson that we can take from this practice is to dress for the present stage we're in and be mindful of how we feel in our clothes. It might sound silly, but it's an easy step we can take that contributes to contentment.

Dressing for the present stage we're in means dressing for our present body and our present lifestyle. Let go of comparing your body to your younger body or someone else's body. Your body is simply a badass vessel that lets you experience life. And whatever stage it's at, it deserves acceptance (including clothes that fit). Stop saying I'll buy myself clothes when I reach a certain weight. Sure, you can be cost-conscious and not buy yourself an entire wardrobe based on every increase or decrease on the scale. But allow yourself some clothes you feel good in at the very stage you're at.

Being mindful of how you feel in your clothes may be physical or psychological. If you always feel uncomfortable in blouses, regardless of whether it's something physical (like the fabric) or psychological (like it's simply not your style), don't force yourself into them. Most likely, you'll buy them and they'll just sit in your closet. Find other ways to branch out; a good Stylist can help you do just that.
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Accepting our true selves means to let go of harsh self-criticism and accept our own identities. To accept your true self in the style realm means to let go of setting expectations of how we think we're supposed to dress. Some believe we're supposed to dress for our age or our industry or some status in life. In the eloquent words of Gandhi, "screw that." OK, I may have misquoted him, but let go of these expectations society or you have put on yourself. Wear what you're comfortable in, what makes you feel your best, what feels like you. 

Even as a Personal Stylist, I struggle with these concepts; I am a work-in-progress. I often put an expectation on myself to be dressed in current trends that oh-so-flatter my body, some specific way I think a client would expect to see me. But you know what? We're living through a pandemic. I barely leave the house. I wear sweats most days. When I get to see a client or do something social(ly distant), sure, I wear something more dressed up and on-trend. Both outfits are me though, neither affect my ability to style my clients in ways that make them feel best, and I'm working to let go of expectations.
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Get yo'self a Stylist that understands the stage you're at (with your body and your lifestyle), what makes you comfortable, and what makes you YOU. A good Stylist will:

• expose you to current trends but not force or guilt you into them
• take note of what is in your closet that you never wear
• learn your lifestyle and make recommendations that fit it
• help you find clothes that you look forward to wearing

• To smooth a crease (which is caused when the suede gets continually pressed down in one direction), buff the crease in a circular motion with a suede cleaning brush.
• To get dirt out, gently brush the dirty area in a single direction with a suede cleaning brush. 
• To get stains out, wipe the stained area with a slightly damp towel. Then dampen the towel with white vinegar and rub it in a circular motion again. Allow the shoes to dry and repeat if needed.
• To get oil out, absorb the oil by dusting the oily area with baby powder or cornstarch. Let the powder sit for about an hour, then sweep it away with a suede cleaning brush. Repeat if needed. Once the oil is out, brush the shoe to restore the texture.

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• To be economically sustainable, a business must be profitable.
• To be environmentally sustainable, we must preserve our environment and natural resources.
• To be socially sustainable, organizations must meet the needs and health of employees and the community.
• True sustainability comes from balancing all three of these pillars.

​​In 2019, I wrote an article about apparel companies making strides to improve their social and environmental impact while balancing economic sustainability. In 2020, some apparel brands continued to make great strides in environmental sustainability despite the raging Covid-19 pandemic, while social sustainability took terrible hits.
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ThredUp and Rent The Runway created a new partnership called "Revive by Rent The Runway" that allows ThredUp to sell designer apparel that Rent the Runway retires at 80% off its original retail value. Rent The Runway has always sold retired apparel to their own members; however, the collab allows Rent the Runway to help more of the retired apparel to find new homes, which keeps textile waste from landfills for as long as possible, thus reducing fashion’s impact on the planet.
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Unfortunately, the pandemic created social sustainability progress to slide backward. As customers changed their spending, brands canceled orders and failed to pay for existing orders, causing garment suppliers to lose about $16.2 billion. Around 10% of this would have gone to textile workers as wages. This terribly impacted a group that was already highly vulnerable, such as the Bangladeshi parents that had to sell their newborn baby when they couldn't afford their bills after the garment factory they worked at shut down.

• Shop brands like ThredUp and Uniqlo that are making a difference for our planet.
• Buy natural fibers and quality pieces that you will wear at least 30 times.
• Take care of your clothes. Wash your jeans properly and repair rips and tears.
• Take along reusable bags when shopping.
• Donate your pre-loved clothing.