In this series we are exploring ideas to help curate your signature style.
There are five parts in this series, and I've written some smaller 2-3 minute articles for you to explore bit by bit. This article is the first, and it belongs to part 1: reconnecting.
1 Reconnecting
2 Defining
3 Auditing
4 Rebuilding
5 Sustaining
Enjoy this series~
Style Series: Reconnecting #1.1
The Quote
"Noone can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it."
- H. E. Luccock
The Analogy
In an orchestra, each instrument plays its specific role as part of a bigger performance - a symphony. And if you ever watch a live performance of a group of musicians, you can’t help but notice how they all have their own spaces, their own seats, and their own, precise moment when they must strike the right notes.
Each instrument and musician has its purpose to play, and supports the harmony of the whole symphony (if played right!) - no more, no less.
But when an orchestra has an imbalance of instruments, or poorly-trained musicians hanging about, unsure of what they’re supposed to be doing or playing at any moment, things are chaotic. Anything you try to piece together sounds, and even feels bad too.
The Premise
A chaotic symphony is a lot like how my wardrobe used to feel. And though it has taken time, I now have a wardrobe that works in harmony with me. Almost every piece has a specific note to play, and it helps me in ways I didn’t expect when I set out to ‘sort my clothes out’.
Clothes tell a story
The clothes in my wardrobe now make me smile when I see them. They each have an origin story of their own.
No clashes, no chaos
All the different pieces are made up of colours that belong to a palette I chose and love. This not only makes the wardrobe look beautiful, but also means when I need to mix and match, they work in harmony and complement each other, no clashes. For example:
That jumper I threw over a dress I was wearing when I suddenly felt cold doesn’t look odd at all;
The jacket I put on in a hurry fits well with the home-wear outfit I was wearing, when I had to urgently take a trip out;
I had a few extra minutes before my meeting (and I arrived calmly) because I didn’t have to spend time putting an outfit together: it just jumped out at me when I opened my wardrobe and knew what I needed clothes for.
But this well orchestrated wardrobe didn’t happen overnight.
It took time.
But by slowly curating the pieces I chose more and more consciously, it’s helped me in ways I didn’t expect.
The 4 Reasons Why
Here are four reasons why a curated wardrobe on your own terms can help you so much:
1 - Boosts your productivity I have been developing and learning about productivity for years, but nothing has boosted my sense of productivity and efficiency than having a wardrobe I don’t need to organise constantly.
. 2 - Saves you money When you buy pieces that fit in and complement the overall harmony and functionality of your wardrobe, you often find you need to spend less frequently. 3 - Gives a sense of confidence
To have the freedom to choose what you wear is a privilege. And by having clothes that you can rely on to make you feel good no matter which piece you pull out, brings such a sense of confidence and assuredness.
There's nothing like knowing you're wearing the right clothes for precisely what you need and want them to do.
The wasted energy spent worrying about colour, style, size, or origin is nicely transformed into confidence.
4 - Brings peace of mind
Not many things are closer to you each day than the clothes you cover your body with.
I was always curious about where clothes came from and how they were made. I feel better thinking consciously and carefully about who makes our clothes, and where the materials come from. I think it is a part of being respectful and conscious in this life.
The Summary
Something that helps you save time, money and boosts your confidence might seem too good to be true.
But when your clothes start to do all those things, it feels wonderful. Having a beautiful, functional, stress-free set of clothes to cover you each day is one of the most productive and energy boosting things you can invest in and curate for yourself: it is one way to glow from within.
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