Thoughts on Fashion

Clothing is a lot like food and money, in that no matter how you spin it, it has a role in our lives. Everyone wears clothes, gets dressed, and replenishes their wardrobe in some way. For some, buying new clothes is a form of stress relief, while for others the process is stress-inducing. Now, I'm sure there's lots of people who haven't spent much time reflecting on it, but when it comes to clothing, I have a lot of thoughts.

It's not about whether your body fits into the clothes, but rather, how the clothes fit your body. My whole life, I've had people say to me how they wish they could, "pull that off," referring to some element of my outfit. I loathe that phrase and think simply changing the perspective makes a huge difference. We should be wearing what feels good and flatters our uniquely beautiful bodies and not worry about the trends or pieces that don't.

What we wear impacts what we do. A book I read this spring talked about the likelihood of success when pitching a business proposal in sweatpants vs. a suit, and the difference was incredibly drastic. I currently teach in a school where the students wear uniforms. At first, I worried about the potentially negative impact for kids and their lack of self-expression. However, I've been blown away at how putting on the uniform helps kids to "get in the zone" for school. Compared to the days we have non-uniform days (a favorite reward of the kids' and an opportunity for that self-expression), kids come to school ready to work and ready to learn. They demonstrate teamwork and inclusion, and I'm certain having one less thing to think about/decide on each morning makes a difference. The kids are working to express themselves with their words instead of what they wear/how they appear, which is such an invaluable skill.

The clothing we buy impacts the lives of others. Wow, the world of fast fashion is incredibly disheartening. I'm certainly no expert, but I've read a few books (a favorite being Fashion Conscious by Sarah Klymkiw), and I know enough to care about where I'm buying clothes and how frequently I do. From the environmental impacts to the people working to make clothes, it's incredibly important to be diligent in which businesses we support with our hard-earned money. Lately, I've been working to not buy clothes just for fun or view shopping as a hobby or habit. When I do need something, I try to take my time in purchasing, weighing all options and finding something that I can buy and wear in good conscience.

Sometimes, that means looking at thrift stores. I prefer thrifting online, like with thredup, where I can apply filters to quickly find what I need. I've also been "shopping" through Rent the Runway, to add a little fun to my wardrobe. Depending on the plan chosen, renters can pick a number of designer items each month that they can keep or swap. I've loved getting to wear things I 1000% would never pay full price for, along with that rejuvenating feeling of wearing something new/creating new outfits without having to commit. Rent the Runway is great for trying trendier items or for specific events. I'm especially excited for this option when heading to Europe this summer, where European Jenn has a way fancier sense of style than North Dakota Jenn ☺. And then I can send back all the pieces that I wore briefly for someone else to wear and love.

Less is more. Having a closet with less limits decision fatigue and forces us to get creative. After my mom died, I'll admit it was fun to explore the different items in her TWO closets. But the fact that many of the items we found hadn't been worn in decades, if ever, was so wasteful. A few years ago, I attempted a capsule wardrobe. I learned so much about how much easier it was to make decisions with less options and how excited I felt when I tried a new outfit combination that worked. Since then, I swap out my clothes seasonally. Right now, in June, my sweaters and thick dresses are hanging in the guest room closet. It helps to pick out outfits knowing everything I can see is a viable option.

You don't have to jump on every trend. I once heard, "Fashion is what you buy; style is what you do with it." Being unique, especially in clothing, has always been a priority of mine. I'm not much of a hair or makeup person, so clothes became my thing, in terms of appearance. It's easy to feel pressure to wear what's trendy - and it baffles me how trends are just decided for us; suddenly, there's nothing but crop tops and low-rise jeans EVERYWHERE?! Merrick, from Merrick's Art, always does a great job of encouraging women to try trends we're interested in but feel free to mix with classic pieces. I think that balance is what it's all about. Don't be stuck in a decade/style/etc., but don't feel like you need to join everything either.

Lastly, we weren't made for clothes. Perhaps that's why so many of us have unhealthy/distorted relationships with clothes in the first place. It's easy to get lost in comparing our own appearances to those around us (in-person and online), in using shopping as a way to attempt to fill the deeper longings in our hearts, and in worrying how we will be perceived. Knowing the truth, that we were made for so much more, can help us to maintain balance. I often find that when we stay focused on the things we were made for (love, community, generosity, etc.), we can find fun and pleasure in the other less important things, too.

-J