One of the first things I want to know when working with a new client is what external messages they’ve been given over the course of their life about what they *should* wear. Have they been told to wear certain colors, certain silhouettes, certain types of clothes? Have they been told to dress up more, tone it down, dress their age? Where did those messages come from: mothers, boyfriends, social media? How do they feel when they conform to those messages? Does it feel right or uncomfortable?
Right now, we’re all at home (except for essential workers, for whom we’re all indebted to). No one is watching what you’re wearing (unless you’re a weirdo like me who posts her outfits on the internet). No one can see you. No one cares. Does that change what you put on?
When I was growing up, I was lucky enough to not have pressure around looking a certain way. If anything, the message I was given was that it was superficial to care about how you look and what you wear. I’m finding right now that I do care, and that’s ok, even if no one sees me.
What external messages have you been given about what you should wear and what’s happening to those messages when you’re at home and not going out in public? Are you able to let those messages settle to the bottom and clear the space for your authentic preferences to surface?
This is an interesting time to listen to yourself. What do you want to wear, what do you want to eat, how can you best comfort yourself. What are you learning?
Lots of questions and I’m really curious about your answers to all of them. Comment below and give me your thoughts.
P.S. Here’s a blog post I wrote about the evolution of my style over time and a few tips for how to identify your authentic personal style (separate from those external messages).