making your wardrobe your own
the importance of personal style.
There seems to exist a contemporary need to define ourselves under a label that describes in a few words every part of us—personally, professionally, and sartorially. But we are more complex than that. And our wardrobes are just like us. They are filled with bits and bobs that combine our uniqueness into what is called personal style.
Through our clothes, we portray who we are to the world. Simply through dressing, we are consciously or unconsciously choosing which ideas we are communicating about ourselves. But it is not simple. Certain wardrobe pieces are embedded with hidden (and not-so-hidden) values, and we embody them in how we dress. Thus, essentially, a dress is never just a dress. Once we put it on, it becomes part of us.
As there are so many more choices than there once were, it has become more important and more difficult to know how to dress. Amongst loads of information and inspiration, there must be enough coherence within our wardrobes to communicate the idea we want with confidence. Although it shouldn’t be as restrictive as a label (or an aesthetic on Instagram), it should still be reflective of us.
Finding which clothes represent us is a permanent process of self-discovery as we, and thus our wardrobes, are permanently changing. Owning clothes that are inherently us is about knowing ourselves: our values, identities, and personalities. And getting to know ourselves is an important part of the process. Not only are we presenting who we are through our clothes, but we are also being judged for them—whether we like it or not.
What I call “own wardrobe” is the collection of wardrobe pieces that perfectly represent us. It is about creating codes and curating pieces accordingly. It is about collecting pieces to be cherished for a long time. It is about choosing our tastes over trends. Ultimately, it is about making your wardrobe your own. There is nothing new about it. Still, it is worth emphasizing this theme as it is a recurrent issue even among fashion devotees (myself included).
The concept is based on the idea that a wardrobe could and should be composed of clothes that stand the test of time. Although it is about going back to basics, it is according to one’s own basics—not jeans and a T-shirt if they don’t represent him or her. Someone’s basic is another one’s statement piece, and vice versa. But it goes beyond that. Along with basic pieces, we look at not-so-basic and statement pieces.
Basic pieces are the ones we reach for on almost every occasion and season. They are usually understated and, thus, can be easily combined with other pieces. Not-so-basic pieces are the ones we reach for on specific occasions or seasons. Although they are not necessarily easily combined, they are pieces that give character to a wardrobe. Statement pieces are the ones that stand on their own. They are usually exaggerated and, thus, cannot be easily combined with other pieces. They are also the pieces that make us experiment and expand our taste for their unique properties.
The concept opposes the idea that a wardrobe should be limited to a few pieces. Limiting ourselves to a few pieces is to miss all the possibilities a wardrobe offers. Thus, both quality and quantity are significant in offering enough choices for dressing. Balancing both is important to create enough opportunities for mixing and matching pieces.
Ultimately, it is an editing process. Amongst waxing and waning trends, we must edit our wardrobes according to our tastes only. Setting codes around pieces’ properties, such as color palettes, textiles, textures, patterns, silhouettes, and more, creates a scheme for a wardrobe according to ourselves. And these codes dictate what goes into it or not.
The concept is simple, and so is its process. But going through each step of it is not. A wardrobe should be edited until it is essentially us, sartorially and otherwise. In the following letter, I will go through the steps of editing your wardrobe, one step at a time.
