Dressing for the Life I’m Living

Looking back, my love for fashion definitely comes from my mom and my grandma. Both of them have their own distinct sense of style. I remember watching my grandma get dressed for church, carefully piecing together her outfit and accessories. Even now, she’ll wear heels to a casual movie outing. When she stays with me, I love watching her wake up and get dressed for the day, makeup, jewelry, and all, even when we have absolutely no plans.

My mom is the same way. Every time I see her, I’m complimenting something she’s wearing. She’s mastered mixing luxury pieces with fast fashion in the most beautiful seamless way. She often buys me clothes when she’s shopping for herself because our taste is so similar.

Of course, I went through phases like everyone else, Hollister, Abercrombie, Victoria’s Secret Pink, even a Hot Topic phase in middle school. But even when I followed trends, I always added my own touches. I wasn’t really into luxury brands at first. That changed when I moved to Michigan my senior year of high school and saw how common it was among kids my age, not just adults.

I remember spending hours in stores like Claire’s and Justice, carefully picking out jewelry and clothes. My cousin and I could spend an entire day going through every rack in a store. When I started working at fourteen, most of my money went straight to clothes.

Accessories were always special to me. I remember my first Tory Burch bag, it was pink, a birthday gift, and a huge deal. Then my first MCM bag and belt. My mom gifted me my first Louis Vuitton in college. I didn’t start purchasing luxury for myself until after graduation, in my early twenties.

What my mom taught me early on was that it’s not about what you wear, but how you wear it. Luxury is nice, but it isn’t everything. I loved fashion so much that at twelve I thought I’d be a fashion designer. I used to sign my Facebook posts “FDIT,” fashion designer in training. My grandma even bought me a sewing machine… which I used only once. Eventually, I realized I couldn’t draw, but I still knew fashion would be part of my life somehow.

When it came time for college, I pursued fashion merchandising with a minor in journalism because I wanted to combine my love for fashion and writing. All of this is to say, fashion has always been a part of me. Putting outfits together was how I expressed creativity. I used to get dressed just to sit on the porch.

Somewhere along the way, that spark faded.

I became more focused on fitting in, on buying pieces everyone else had. It was easier that way. Then COVID hit, and I stopped getting dressed altogether, living in comfy clothes and pajamas. On top of that, I held onto clothes long past their expiration date. Over the last few years, my fashion just hasn’t felt like me.

I wasn’t getting dressed unless I was going somewhere or knew people would see me. Running errands? Anything went. Lounge days? No effort at all. I’d still show up for special moments, birthdays, travel, dinners, but my everyday looked careless.

When I sat down and visualized the woman I wanted to become, I realized something: she shows up as her best self wherever she goes. I stopped saving clothes for “special” moments and started wearing them whenever. Who decided the grocery store requires a sweatsuit? Who said you can’t wear your Sunday best on a random Tuesday? I realized I had been dressing based on what I saw online instead of what actually made me feel good.

At one point, I didn’t even know how to shop for myself anymore.

This season feels personal because I’m not just getting my inward life together, I’m tending to my outward appearance too. I’m dressing for the small moments. I’m shopping my own closet. I’m mixing what I already have with new pieces instead of defaulting to the same go to outfits.

The truth is, when you look good, you feel good, and that spills into every area of your life. I’d been in a mental fog, feeling off, and once I started romanticizing getting dressed again, whether it was a cute gym set, jeans and a sweater for errands, or actually styling what I already own, I noticed a shift.

I’ve fallen back in love with skirts and dresses, even in winter. Tights exist for a reason. Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself it was “too cold” to get dressed, but really, I was just making excuses. Slowing down has helped too. I’m no longer rushing through life, which means I can actually enjoy the process of getting ready again, without feeling behind.

This season isn’t about trends or labels. It’s about alignment. It’s about honoring the woman I am now and dressing like her, every day, not just when someone’s watching.

And honestly? Falling back in love with getting dressed has felt like coming home to myself.

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