Tien-Jen

I was recently watching a video which made me think about how important it is to dress well. What we wear reveals how we feel about ourselves and how we’d like to present ourselves to the world. The video made me reflect on the popularity of dressing casually, the rise in clothing consumption and the obsession with trends. The message that we always need more clothing causes dissatisfaction and a desire to shop more. A timeless wardrobe helps us develop a strong sense of personal style and whether we may admit it or not fashion is important.

Dressing well is a form of self care. Taking time to groom ourselves and dress well is a form of self care, as it shows respect to the people you’re interacting with and respect for yourself. Do you notice how when you wear something you feel comfortable in you feel lighter and more confident? Feeling good ultimately comes from within, however, it’s undeniable that what we wear can impact on how we feel about ourselves.

Shop less and wear more. There is an impulse to buy more in a consumerist society that tells us to keep up with ever-changing trends. There’s a blessing in shopping less and wearing more because you can then truly develop your personal style. You can also save time in deciding what to wear, save money on buying numerous clothing and have a deeper understanding of what suits you.

Environment and pollution. Clothing is one of the largest polluters in the world and fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions. It’s inconceivable and shocking to think of the amount of clothing that is discarded every second of the day yet it’s the harsh reality in our society. We live in a superficial society that aims to influence us to spend more money and live a certain kind of lifestyle yet we should praise repeating outfits and cherishing quality clothing.

Clothing should be designed to be worn year after year. There seems to be this idea of staying fresh and new in fashion and regularly wearing something different. Somehow this idea through the digital age was accentuated that being seen in the same outfit isn’t acceptable. However, have you noticed how trends will often circle back in another decade? Quality clothing that we enjoy wearing year after year is what clothing is ultimately meant for. Sadly, a lot of clothing now is poorly made and designed to be worn and quickly discarded.

What do we leave to the imagination? Nowadays, it seems common to see people wear clothing that shows more and more skin. Clothing designs have all kinds of cuts and strips and transparency. Some are done in a stylish manner and others unfortunately look unattractive and attention-seeking. Fashion is a form of self respect. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a short dress, but it’s how we present ourselves that makes the difference.

Developing a sense of personal style. When I was a teenager, I remember buying whatever was trending. From crop tops, leather skirts to playsuits and leopard pants. It felt like I was playing pretend as I didn’t feel truly myself in those clothes. These were clothes that would end up being worn once or twice and then remain untouched and donated at the end of the year as they weren’t true to my style. Do you notice how you can really see when someone is completely comfortable and confident in what they’re wearing and vice versa? Remember that your personal style will always be timeless.

Art by Renee Gouin