Dressing for the Day

Sometimes I wonder, who am I letting dress me today?

Each day that I get myself up and out of pajamas, I have to decide, what am I in the mood to wear and what is best for me to wear for this particular day. Sometimes that involves a casual outfit, others it involves a bit more dressy. My favorite is when I have a wedding or other joyous event that I get to dress up for.

I have always loved fashion. I have so many sketch books from growing up where I would draw clothing designs I would like to make and wear. I took a few sewing classes, but mostly I have only ever taken old cloths and tried to turn them into something for my teddy bears and dolls or a costume for myself here-or-there.

I do find myself, though, with a closet filled with cloths and shoes, as my dad so kindly pointed out to all of our wedding guests. That is okay! I take pride in knowing that I have a collection of over 100 pairs of shoes and boots, some of which I have had since middle school, and still wear. I even have the ones my grandmother wore to her wedding and my parent’s wedding, although I need to stuff a little tissue into them to fit.

As a kid, especially as an adolescent, we want to fit in, and often fashion is a key factor in determining if we fit in or not. I remember begging my mom, and she eventfully gave in, for sophie shorts and popcorn bubble shirts. It felt like almost every middle school girl had or wanted these for summer camp. I really believed that if I had these then I would be considered cool… but no, I soon realized that was not how middle school worked. Thank goodness for school uniforms! At least it limited this stage of my very terrible choices in conformity-based fashion.

What hasn’t changed is that what I choose to wear heavily represents how I am feeling that day. And not always is that feeling clear. In middle school, it meant I felt I didn't fit in. As an adult, my attire reflects my daily activities and emotions. If I feel well, I put on my makeup and dress up, if I feel icky, I may opt for workout pants and a big sweater.

However, sometimes how I dress can be deceiving. I may wear something a little dressier than my mood or the occasion calls for, because dressing up can help me feel more like myself, even on my worst of days. Sort of like when I would study for an exam or have an interview over the phone, because getting dressed has a huge impact on our ability to focus and can increase performance level. It may be a placebo effect, but it's a pretty great one.

Knowing this, I make a great effort to have a closet with options that I am proud of and comfortable in. I have learned it is better to find pieces that I will cherish and can be worn across settings. Being able to combine tops, bottoms, sweaters, and dresses to shift between events is a lot of fun to me. I also then feel I am saving financially and it reduces clothing waste (although, I generally give my clothing to someone else once I don't like it or if it doesn't fit).

I wonder, if during your spring cleaning this year, you can look through your closet and find some outfits that can be re-purposed for events or days you wouldn't otherwise have thought of. Or maybe, you want to do a clothing swap with some friends! During a time that we are all spending more time at home than planned, maybe you can carve out a little time to explore those deep dark corners of your closet.

As you look through what you have, think about when you bought it, why you bought it, and if you are comfortable in your own skin when wearing it. It may help to remember to ignore your inner middle school self, who wants to conform to societies standards, and ask yourself, “do I feel comfortable and am I happy with how I am presenting myself to myself.?”

xoxo,

Shana Bryn