💌 Style Mail: What to wear for the resistance
Get dressed, feel great in your outfit & do what you need to do
I’ve been having lots of conversations (with other people & myself) about where style fits in right now. Is thinking about style frivolous when there are so many more important things going on? But as I’ve said in a previous post- they can’t steal our joy. Joy is a form of resistance - so if you can find some joy in your closet, why not embrace it?
And I’m also thinking of it this way - that getting dressed & showing up is more than a form of resistance. It’s how we step up. Because this is the time to be bold. This is the time to be loud. This is the time to be YOU. Be present & take up space wherever you go. And dress how YOU want to.
I’ve always loved this quote (from fashion photographer Bill Cunningham) - “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” And we need that armor right now.
As I’ve said to my clients for years - it’s not about the clothes. It’s about how the clothes make you feel. And right now we need to feel strong. So you can get dressed in the morning, love what you’re wearing - and then forget about it. And do what you need to do.
So, here’s one way you can show up, step up & love what you’re wearing.
✍️ Style Scoop
Before I head into a new client’s closet, I ask her to do some pre-work - because a little organization always helps. And sorting through what she knows doesn’t work makes the process much more productive (here are some details on my new client process).
I also ask her to pull out some of her favorite pieces. Mainly so we can talk through why these pieces are her favorites - to start the conversation around what she loves & what lights her up. And what sometimes happens is that she shows me a favorite piece - but it’s something that she’s not (or is rarely) wearing.
Rarely wearing a favorite isn’t that uncommon. You may absolutely love something in your closet - but it’s not that easy to outfit. It could be a patterned top that you can’t think of anything to wear with. Or a bold color jacket and you have no idea what other colors work with it.
But here’s the deal. These pieces are probably your favorites for a good reason. Because they make you feel great. So, let’s figure out how you can feel great more often.
Have you heard people say, “the coat is the outfit” this winter? They’re basically saying that the coat is the ‘star’ of the outfit (which makes sense in winter, when you’re outside & that’s all anyone sees). And that’s a strategy you can use with your favorite - but difficult to outfit - pieces.
When you want to wear a favorite item, let it be the ‘star’ of the outfit. And let rest of your outfit (to use a Hollywood analogy) be the supporting cast.
This is me (obviously) in my current favorite sweater. It’s clearly an attention-getter - so I let it be the ‘star’ of my outfit. Since it’s a bold, multi-color print, I pulled a couple colors out of the print & I topped it with a denim jacket (this is a great strategy for any printed piece - pair it with items that reflect colors in the print & ground it in a neutral).
This client’s vintage 80’s blazer has a distinct shape - strong shoulders, a nipped in waist & flared at the bottom. So, it looks best with slim tops & pants/skirts with volume. So, that’s what I did - on the left it’s with a fitted black top & wide leg jeans. On the right it’s with a black mock neck top & an a-line denim skirt. And I intentionally stuck with simple black & denim to let the blazer stand out as the ‘star’ of the look.
The overall idea is to treat your favorite piece (especially unique, detailed, attention-getting ones) as the centerpiece. And then add simple items that let your favorite piece shine.
Two quick things before I’m done. First - since these items aren’t as easy to outfit, you may need some time. And I don’t mean giving yourself five extra minutes in the morning before you head out the door. At minimum, I mean figuring out your outfit the night before. And if you’re up for it, take some time on the weekend to create (and photograph) a few outfits. So you can hit the ground running on any morning.
Second - this may not be easy to do right away. And that’s okay. It takes some practice to flex your style muscles. And you may need to look for inspiration. But the more practice you have, the easier it gets - and you can create more unique & compelling outfit combinations. (I sometimes call this strategy ‘getting dressed backwards’ - read about it here.)
Will you pull out a favorite item & let it be the ‘star’ of your outfit? Drop a comment to let me know or ask for outfit ideas (or even post a picture of your outfit!).
🕶️ Style Tip
Do you have any favorite winter items sitting in your closet? Or any pieces that you want to be sure to wear before spring comes?
Put them somewhere visible. Whether it’s the most accessible part of your closet or on a coatrack or whatever - put them where you can’t miss them. So you’ll see them (and wear them) before the season’s over.
Because the last thing you want to say (once it gets warmer) is, “darn! I forgot to wear that while it was still cold.”
💡 Client Spotlight
It’s a lot of fun when I get to work with clients who absolutely love clothes. We share a passion for style, chat about designers, etc. But what sometimes happens with these clients (especially when they love to shop) is that they buy pieces - but then have no idea how they’ll wear them.
I call this ‘but it was cute’ syndrome. You buy something because ‘it’s cute’ - but you haven’t thought about when you’ll wear it. Or where you’ll wear it. Or what you’ll wear it with.
This happened with my client, ‘Naomi’. She loves vintage pieces, has a hard time passing a thrift store & is great at picking out unique items. But her challenge was that she wasn’t wearing a lot of what she owned - and she wasn’t sure why. But I figured out why when I was in her closet.
She was missing the basic pieces to pair with her amazing finds. She has distinctive jackets & blazers - but she didn’t have many versatile bottoms to finish the outfit. She has interesting printed skirts - but not many tops that they made sense with. So, when we shopped together, we focused on simple pieces to act as the ‘glue’ to hold the rest of her wardrobe together.
We only shopped together once, to fill the gaps - but I’ve been to her place three times for styling sessions. Because she has so many great pieces, I’ve had a ton of ideas for outfits!
☝️ One More Thing
Calling your representatives is a simple & impactful way to let your voice be heard.
Read this article by Emily Amick with everything you need to know about calling your reps. And check out 5 calls (they even have an app) to streamline the entire process.
Let’s Work Together!
A shallow comment. I scrolled to the picture of you in the cardigan and instantly thought “Great cardigan!”. Definitely worth stalking.
Love all of this! And I've been calling my reps daily and appreciate the nudge to continue!