My grandpa loves to recount this story from my childhood. Whenever I’d ask him a question, he would provide an answer. I would promptly ask ‘why?’, and would follow up every subsequent answer of his with another ‘why?’ until he eventually said he didn’t know.
I like to understand things. I like knowing where ideas originate, why people behave the way that they do, how systems and technologies work. My very patient grandfather would say this inclination led me to study engineering. Of course, before I made that choice, I toyed with the idea of studying fashion.
I’m glad I didn’t.
The other day I ran out of tea and decided I wanted to try a new blend. Soon enough, I was reading articles about how certain herbs can help with hormone regulation and had to stop myself from buying bulk bags of organic nettle leaf and dandelion root from a farm in Oregon. When Teslas started flooding the streets I was curious about their environmental impact and watched three hours of YouTube videos on the production of lithium ion batteries and the carbon footprint of the company’s manufacturing processes. Fashion is the one subject I never questioned. Despite firmly believing fashion serves as a vehicle for self expression, I never deeply investigated its evolution or asked myself WHY I chose the clothes I did.
The fashion industry is in constant flux, yet its rich history and influence remains. Go ask the richest man in the world if you don’t believe me! I’m sure he knows a little better than I do. For the rest of us who don’t manage conglomerates, is finding and verbalizing the WHY behind our fashion choices really necessary? The NYT podcast I listened to recently discussed the importance of finding your own taste and it argued one must think about how an item makes them feel. I thought to myself, ‘I’ve been doing this my whole life!’
Every so often I will go down rabbit holes, reading about how cashmere is made and wanting to understand the cultural influences behind some of my favorite brands— but for the most part, I want to keep fashion and analysis separate. I won’t skim the Vogue article about how bubble hems are alive and well and won’t research the history of this silhouette because that takes the joy out of something I’m passionate about. I also won’t let a fashion editor tell me piece what I NEED to buy for the summer because I want to follow my own creative instincts.
My best attempt at verbalizing why I’m drawn to these pieces:
The volume and airiness of the bubble shape is effortless and feels comfortable. These are clothes you can move in, and they will flatter you as you do so. This silhouette also gives brands an opportunity to play with color or texture contrasting (which I love).
I’m a fan of these convertible skirts from Gimaguas in red and khaki. I picture wearing them with delicate sandals and a bikini top or with white linen pants because they also work as tops too. The Claudia skirt isn’t exactly a bubble skirt but I think it’s close enough, the white is more classic and versatile but the grey is perfect for elevating a fall/winter corporate look.
If anyone has $433 to spare and wants to donate this Paloma Wool dress to me, I wouldn’t be mad about it. The brand closed their runway show with this piece for a reason. The cinched waist contrasts the volume of the skirt below beautifully.
The easiest way to wear this shape is with this top from The Line by K. I buy all of my basics here but their clothes are anything but, the fabric is so buttery and the shapes Karla designs are always unique and feminine.
Wedding guests, enter Anna Quan. This dress comes in a few colors but my favorites are sage and grey. It’s elegant, conservative, and elevated enough for a special occasion.
I despise fast fashion but I was tempted to get this dress (I resisted). Unlike Anna Quan’s, this one hits right at the waist instead of below. It’s more predictable but wearable nonetheless. This yellow mini skirt is also fun.
Allison Bornstein uses a 3 word method to help her clients define their personal style. I like this uncomplicated approach because it prevents overthinking. What are your words?
With love,
Emma