How To Dress Without Thinking
I've written lots about standing in front of closet doors, making plans
for how to dress, and generally THINKING before you put on your clothes.
Wouldn't it be fun to do the opposite? Have you ever known the freedom of
getting dressed WITHOUT thinking? Isn't there something satisfying about
not having to worry about how you look?
Think of it this way: what would you wear if no one was looking?
Would you curl up in comfortable sweats and a blanket? Would you go
barefoot and naked? Would you wear men's clothes as a woman and women's
clothes as a man? Would you wear the absolute shortest miniskirt you could?
Or would you just wear the same clothes again and again to death?
Think about what you'd do - that's your style. That's your underlying
fashion value. That is your fashion conscience, telling you how you should
really be dressing, so that you feel most comfortable and happy.
Forget the rules. Fashion designers and stylists can tell you that you
dress wrong, that you have to find clothes that are modern and hip, that
fit well, that are cut well, that are quality styles that will last for
years. But all of that doesn't matter if you don't feel comfortable in
what you're wearing. That is rule number one, above all.
Clothing is, after all, only something to protect us weak humans from the
elements. You wouldn't want to be wearing only three fig leaves in the
dead of winter. So, our ancestors adopted the skins of animals they killed, or
thick, sturdy fabrics woven from leaves and trees.
Now, you might still need to be protected from the elements. But really,
wouldn't anything in your closet be okay?
Tomorrow, try the following exercise: grab a random outfit from your
closet. You'll know if you want to wear it. Be happy when you find
something you want to wear. Keep it. Love it. Live in it.
Banish all the clothes that make your stomach feel uncomfortable. Trust
your instincts.
The day after, you'll grab at random. You'll love whatever you hit. You'll
wash it when it's dirty. And you'll wear it again and again and again and
again, with sheer joy.