Summer is upon us, well at least theoretically. Despite the fact that we continue to be plagued by violent temperature swings and rain, so much rain, I remain hopeful that the weather will, at some point, improve. While we wait, I’ve been contemplating on an important subject: my summer wardrobe. Five years from the onset of COVID (and everything that came along with it), I’m finally finding my way back to a more considered approach to dressing. Comfort remains top of mind, but I’m also rediscovering how much fun it is to express myself through my clothes.
Working from home has made the act of getting dressed more of an optional hobby than it once was, and over the past few years I’ve leaned pretty heavily into cozy, comfy clothes. Even when I do venture outside the house, I rarely stray too far from my tried and true pieces. And while I don’t expect to be wearing anything that far outside my (literal) comfort zone, I have found myself strangely drawn to less, shall we say voluminous, silhouettes lately. Like all visual arts, dressing is about proportion, and finding a pleasing aesthetic often requires balance.
I’ve always loved oversized shapes and soft, easy fabrics, so it wasn’t hard for me to slide into an endless rotation of sweatpants and t-shirts. But I’ve also always found joy in crafting an outfit. The perfect look in the perfect moment, though fleeting, can be unexpectedly powerful. It’s not just the act of bringing together the right pieces, but the way they can make you feel, both physically and emotionally.
Clothes have long been one of my favorite tools to express myself and as I’ve grown so too have my clothing preferences. I’m no longer interested in anything remotely fussy or uncomfortable, but I also crave a certain level of polish. Pieces that blend comfort and beauty with simple but thoughtful shapes and high quality fabrics. As summer draws near, I am determined to find new ways to strike that perfect balance of ease, cool, and of course self.
In the few moments I’ve had to spare outside of thinking about what to wear, I've been pondering on what the overall vibe this summer will be. Last year, I wasn’t really expecting much but was pleasantly surprised by the somewhat unhinged, weirdly fun vibes of summer 2024. Remember the Paris Olympics? President Biden dropping out of the US election! It was indeed wild times. Will this summer be able to match that same level of unpredictability? Well if history teaches us anything, unfortunately, yes, probably.
So while we await the next calamity, I’ll be looking inward and recalibrating my own personal vibe to present a refreshed version of me, at least aesthetically speaking. Although we can't predict the future, we can dress for it!
Summer breezes❤️😊