[A client conversation I had recently]
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. self-acceptance & style
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. Tips for working with a stylist
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:
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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. environmental sustainability takes new strides
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.
Social sustainability progress slides backward
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.
How can you help support sustainable efforts?
Graphic tees for the Super Bowl
I've been checking the PANTONE Color Institute's website daily this month, waiting for them to announce the Color of the Year. They finally announced it! Did you know that for nine months every year, a group of trend watchers scan high-profile events in multiple industries to determine the color? They compare notes until one color emerges victoriously and is revealed as the PANTONE Color of the Year.
Does anyone else feel like they just handed us lemons and told us to make lemonade? While this message is totally hashtag inspirational [cue eye roll], I'm losing hope that the Color of the Year represents any actual upcoming color trends.
SHOP THE COZY ultimate GRAYSHOP ILLUMINATING YELLOW |
About meAs your Personal Stylist, I can help you refine your wardrobe, learn what to wear, and save time. Learn more. Archives
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