Friends, we’ve been fooled.
We’ve been fooled to believe that there is such a thing as a fashion rule. We’ve been told over and over again that there are certain indispensable “essentials” that must be a part of every wardrobe. We’ve been told that we’re not capable of dressing ourselves– that we need experts in the fashion industry to help us out.
But here’s the truth: our closets are our closets. They can be however large or small we choose. Our staples are our staples. They have to fit our lifestyle, climate, and needs.
For years, I was fooled by the fashion industry into believing that my image was made up of the clothes that I wore. I thought I needed to dress well in order to be seen and appreciated by others. I spent countless hours in front of the mirror– in dressing rooms, no less– trying to find my true self somewhere in a pile of textiles and price tags.
What changed my mind: refocusing on better things
I wrote about why I shrank my closet back in July of last year. I have realized that, in so doing, I truly have become more aware of the need around me. I’ve become less wary of how my friends and family make me look. I’ve become more generous without a lot of items in my shopping bag waiting to be purchased.
Ultimately, I’ve found joy in building my own small wardrobe. I still wear clothes that I love, and have even built a fair-trade accessories arsenal to increase the mileage of my current closet. But I would have never done this without the initial realization that I had bought in to complete myths designed by the fashion industry to keep me coming back for more. Here are a few of them.
7 Fashion Myths to Stop Believing
1) Everyone needs a good pair of jeans.
No. There are a number of so-called fashion “staples” that the experts insist we must have. Jeans are an interesting example: they’re everywhere here in the US, but they’re not very versatile. I’ve found jeans to be hot in the summer and not warm in the winter. If finding the right pair of jeans is impossible for you, then you probably don’t need them.
2) Your physical appearance dictates (limits) what you can wear.
False. The fashion industry loves to tell us what our bodies can or can’t “pull off.” There may be some aesthetic truth in their claims, but it’s nothing we can’t see for ourselves in the mirror. When it comes to building your wardrobe, try it all on in the fitting room; you may be surprised.
3) Some colors are in; others are out.
This is not true. If we eliminated every color that “used to be trendy” from our wardrobes, we would have nothing left to wear. Color trends go in cycles– and every color known to humans has trended at some point. So wear the colors you love. It’s all been done before.
4) Newer always means better.
No, better means better. I’m no fan of pilling fabrics, but that’s why I opt for long-lasting quality pieces I can wear year after year. Just because a new collection has arrived does not mean it contains pieces that are better than what I currently have. Shop for fit, not for trend.
5) Your wardrobe has to fit within a style theme.
Not necessarily. It is perfectly okay to pull from various style genres, as long as you love each piece and can mix and match them. I spent years trying to curate a certain look, and never really figured it out. I liked many styles equally, and have learned to be happy with my eclectic wardrobe.
6) Clothing is the first thing someone notices about you.
No, it isn’t. Most people notice your face, posture, and affect, to name a few– things that clothing can enhance but certainly not change. Furthermore, your reputation often enters the room before you do. There is so much more I want people to see and know about me than simply my personal style. I’m committed to working on those things instead.
7) You need more fashion advice.
Nope, you don’t. You don’t need to see another commentary on what your favorite celebrity wore, or shop from some magazine’s carefully curated content. You can certainly use these resources for inspiration, but you certainly have the ability to develop your own taste. It may take time, but you can do it!
The bottom line: Reclaim your wardrobe.
We need to get the fashion industry out of our wardrobes, and make our closets a space that performs its function well. Clothes were made for the body, and not the body for clothes. The more intentionally we shop, the more carefully we spend, and the smaller our wardrobes are, the more time and energy we will have to focus on the things that really matter to us.
[Tweet “Do you believe these 7 wardrobe myths? #capsulewardrobe #minimalism via @daisylinshih”]
fair trade accessories: scarf | necklace | hoops | blue leather bracelet | beaded white cuff
Coming soon: more capsule wardrobe resources!
When I started my capsule wardrobe more than a year ago, I had no idea how much it would change my life. It has helped me refocus on my first loves– faith, community and social justice– and also to appreciate my wardrobe so much more. I’m currently working on some capsule wardrobe resources and I can’t wait to share them with you.
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Thanks Susannah! 🙂 I love that Nate can appreciate your personal style! My husband is the same way, and he’s seen my style evolve so much over the past 8 years!
Yes… so true! and so freeing.
Oh yay! And that’s so cool– I’m an ambassador too. 😉 I just was surprised to meet another ambassador through blogging!
Yes! Haha I wore jeans almost everyday when I worked in the Dominican Republic but man it was rough! I know the locals were used to the heat though. And I so agree that clothes look best on a person when that person feels great about the outfit. There’s just no other way!
It’s so refreshing to not have any mirrors. I experienced that while traveling and have intentionally spent less time in front of the mirror the past several years. So much freedom.
Thank you so much, Gina! You’re so right– we are our own experts. We know our needs, our bodies, and our sense of style best. And I’m curious about your previous foray into fashion blogging! 😉 I used to share a lot of outfits as well but now I like thinking *about* fashion more than sharing exactly what I’m wearing. It’s been good to step back and take a longer look at all this!
Thanks Andrea!! I appreciate that! I definitely listened to those voices for a long time. So freeing to walk away.
Thanks friend! So freeing indeed– I love feeling good in my clothes and intentional about my purchases.
Thanks Julie! 🙂 It’s taken me a while to learn that not all trends are for me. So freeing.
I LOVE the line “Dress for fit, not for trend.” I’ve realized that idea recently, that it’s too expensive/such a waste to constantly replace perfectly good, well-fitting things I like with THE LATEST TREND! Haha
“THE BOTTOM LINE: RECLAIM YOUR WARDROBE.” Yes – love this! It really captures the power behind these myths.
I obsessed over fashion for most of my life (until embracing minimalism a few years ago) and I cannot tell you how freeing it was to let go. It’s amazing to think how much time and energy can be invested into other things once we stop obsessing over how we look.
(And to clarify, I still enjoying getting dressed, but it no longer consumes me the way it once did.)
Great writing as always Daisy! x
This is great Daisy! It really makes me stop and remember how many voices are entering my line of thought when it comes to my wardrobe.
Okay, a huge YES to this post! This really got me thinking about fashion and the messages society tells us about our style. We can make our fashion choices our own, without going off of what “experts” say. We are our own experts of what we like or dislike wearing. This post made me think about fashion in a new way: I never thought about the functionality of jeans before, but that makes sense! I used to blog a lot about fashion when I first started blogging, but it wasn’t a topic I was passionate about. I think I realized that we are all individuals and while it’s fun to shop and see what clothes others like, it’s ultimately down to us! Thanks Daisy for a great post. Really enjoyed it!
I have been wearing some of the same outfits for years, and as long as they make me happy, I don’t care!
Recently, since I moved to an ecovillage, appearance is super unimportant. We don’t have a mirror anywhere in our house. People here wear the same outfit for a few days in a row. I have been wearing leggings almost every single day. It’s great!
Amen! I’m a jeans girl, always will be, even though I live in a year-round 90+ degree climate, and I love the couple of pairs of jeans that have stuck with me over the years. To me, it’s all about wearing what you love, which is why I’m not the person to go to for fashion advice, because the only thing I’ll say is, “Do you love wearing it?”
Haha! Yes! Anyone can purchase one of their starter kits and become a partner by being an ambassador for them! ? I do! http://www.theaccidentalnonadlife.com is my online space! ?
Thanks Kayla! Whoa you were involved with Noonday?! That is awesome. Do you have a blog?
These are so great, so many of them I believed myself for so long but while I was a Noonday Ambassador (wearing the same scarf today – haha!) I was freed from the burden of believing these things! <3
The first thing I notice about someone is their smile. 🙂
I love this so much! It’s important to encourage each other and empower one another to be body positive and wear what WE want to wear. Nate’s told me that one thing that attracted him to me was that I wore things that were just a tiny bit unique while not looking silly. He appreciated that I marched to the beat of my own drum.
I think number 7 is a great one! 🙂 I don’t put much fashion advice on my blog as really it’s so unique to each individual – their wants and needs and budget.
Really agree with the colour one too – how many times was burgundy rebranded? Burgundy/oxblood/maroon/marsala. Kept reading that it was different and we ‘should’ buy it again each season..that’s when I stopped buying fashion magazines.
Away From The Blue Blog
You are so right about all of these! Especially that some colors are in while others are out! I think color is one of the best ways for someone to express their personality and mood and shouldn’t be limited to what’s in season!
I have a friend who doesn’t wear jeans. She bought some when they retired and started traveling in an RV because everyone RVing wears jeans, right? She was a world traveler for years but didn’t like jeans then or now so she’s back to wearing what’s comfortable for her. Just because she spends more time in their RV than on airplanes now doesn’t mean she isn’t still traveling so her existing traveling clothes still work for her.
Another friend who also doesn’t normally wear jeans gladly bought a pair when she discovered a place she could ride horseback on the beach. She used to love riding so having this experience again made buying jeans worth her while.
We all get to decide what works for us.
So agree with #6. And I wish fashion articles were less about so-called staples and in-colors, and focused more on fabric and proper fit. Would have been nice to know as a teen/college student on a budget! When I think of all the money I wasted on clothes in my younger days, I shudder. Did I miss a post on pilling fabric or is that a future idea? I’ve been pickier about fabric/fiber and construction lately, but some things are still hit and miss.
6 holds a lot of truth, and I wish people had a better understanding of how much our personalities shine through regardless of what we are wearing, but we are a world filled with selfie pictures and it doesnt seem personality shines through as much in a selfie as it does in person.
I know a couple strong characters who may not have perfect features aesthetically, but could have fooled me because their personalities were awesome and I just saw them as attractive. Even extreme features just seemed to take on a new sense of beautiful with the right personality.
Love this! I’ve fallen victim to believing so many of these things to be true. It’s a bummer, really. These “rules” don’t make me feel good, and they take a lot of the joy out of picking out my outfit. Thanks for the inspiration to kiss these goodbye!
xoxo
Kat
I agree that jeans don’t need to be a staple in every wardrobe. I personally don’t find jeans very flattering to my figure. I prefer to wear skirts and dresses over pants anyway.
I 100% agree that you can pull from all different styles! It makes your wardrobe more “you” than limiting yourself to a certain style
So, so good! I’m with you — I spent many years and countless hours in fitting rooms trying to figure out my look. Basically, I was trying to get away from my standard v-neck and cardigan uniform, but now I’m learning to embrace it. If that’s what’s functional and comfortable for me, so be it! These myths are so easy to believe when they’re pervasive in much of our culture, but you’re right that they’re just not true.
I could easily get rid of more than half of my wardrobe and not even miss it. I definitely don’t try to follow a trend so luckily i don’t buy clothes too often!
Great tips though!
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