I am genuinely intrigued by what people wear.
It always tells something about their personal unique stories. Personally, I owed it to fashion in the journey of defining myself. Growing up, fashion was a more literal, tangible, understandable representation of the more transcendent ideals that was out of the reach of the little girl I once was. Through fashion, I gradually learn about who I am, where my values lie, how to set boundaries and even the kind of life I want to lead. There is no specific procedure, no 5-step shortcut. It has just been an exciting intuitive trial and error sort of journey, with the help of my mother and best friend.
Figuring out my fashion style led me to answer some great questions.
Who am I? How do I want to present myself? Do I want people to focus more on what I do than how I look? How much comfort am I willing to sacrifice for sophistication or charisma? (The answer is zero, if you wonder.) Do I feel confident and 100% myself in jeans, leggings, short skirts or dresses? What kind, specifically? Do I feel underdressed in sporty clothes? Do I feel pressured or empowered by a leather jacket? Does red match my eyes, or berge, or basic black and white? These questions speak tremendously with me about my personal map of values. Many times, tracking how I pick clothes helps me be mindful about my personal mood and conditions, and even adjust it accordingly. This is not the same for everyone, but fashion, for me, has been an amazingly useful tool to self mastery.
Mindful dressing certainly helps with my boundaries and self-respect. It has the same feel of making your bed in the morning. The discipline makes me feel a little proud of myself, and reminds me how much I deserve such constant decent self-care. That being said, I am not someone who would spend an hour or two choosing the right outfit. After much exploration and practice, it never takes more than 10 minutes to identify the right outfits for any usual occasions. Indeed, as a female, it truly feels satisfying to just be completely sure about how you want to dress for anything with little to no hesitation.
To wrap everything up, I never aim to be fashionable. I dress to get closer to the best version of my bizarre foolish self, to connect with and honor the Universe’s unique work in me. That’s how I create my personal style.
Now go grab your mom or your besties for some consultations. Try this intuitive method yourself and let me know if you too see terrific results. Just don’t forget to be patient with yourself because great things might just take some time!