Style Brief 09.23
Building a Collection.
When I look back on what is left after the purging of my wardrobe over the past six years, it’s these brown/leather pieces that continue to make the cut (and a few black coats of course!)
When I was 22, I bought this pair of western inspired, Prada leather boots. I scored them in the holiday sale at Saks 5th Avenue. These boots were me then, these boots are me 16 years later — even if I haven’t worn them since…? years…I stopped counting.
A few years after that, I acquired this Prada leather tote/satchel bag - it’s been to many, many states and countries with me. So much of my adult life has been in this bag. I even packed four outfits and two pairs of shoes into this bag for a branding shoot I was traveling to by plane. (Hells no, I am not checking-in designer gear.)
When I was 29 or 30? I fell in love with this Prada coat. It was a runway piece I never expected to acquire, but sometimes abusive partners enter into a love bombing stage and…he was adamant I have it. I haven’t worn this coat in years. A mouse ate through the underside of the collar. It’s value is worthless compared to the several thousand it cost retail. But for me, it’s a worthy lifetime investment. I’ll probably find ways to wear it until I’m 90. I don’t care what the fashion police say; pieces like this never go out of style.
When I think about why these pieces continue on with me from home to home…I think…it’s because these pieces speak for my soul. These pieces preserve special times in my life: when I was becoming something, not in a public way, but internally. Fashion can be a memory or scrapbook of the self. And, it’s as if my heart knowingly chose pieces that channeled the textures of the desert west (my heart’s forever home) before I had ever yet to be here. Imagine me walking into an early1900’s saloon, right?! Fanciest horsewoman in town.
Often, I’ll come across closet clearing advice that says get rid of anything you haven’t worn in six months to a year. But it’s not always that easy. “Getting rid of stuff” sometimes feels like getting rid of oneself. So I say, keep what you love. Keep what makes you feel alive. Keep what moves your soul. And you will build a cohesive collection over time… something that is a true expression of your magnificent being. 🐎 💚
Additional Thoughts: Your Style POINT OF VIEW
What is your style point of view? What do you want to express and who do you want to become through the power of your wardrobe?
When you have a strong point of view in your styling choices, your wardrobe naturally develops cohesion. You will be able to mix and match pieces more easily. You won’t spend as much time shopping aimlessly. Friends and family will know exactly what to give you as gifts. (Won’t that be nice?!) You may even build up a collection that develops into a greater financial investment. (Are museum donations write-offs?)
I want you to think about why you shop at a store you love. What does that store (brand or designer) offer? What do you know you can always find within their collections? What are their staples? What are their hero pieces? Which pieces do they bring back year after year after year? What is their style point of view?
Now, can you identify your hero pieces? What silhouettes, textures, shapes, fabrics, and patterns do you find yourself buying repeatedly over the years? These common threads will help you start to identify your style point of view.
