Why your wardrobe & home probably have the same problem
I can't stop thinking about the conversation I filmed a couple of weeks ago about the changes I've noticed in my own personal style and how that has impacted on how I am showing up, both in my everyday life but also as a designer. You won't be surprised to know that I've had more thoughts about it!
There's a saying: “what you see on the runway will be on a cushion next season” and I absolutely believe this is true! I think the way we approach fashion and interiors is really similar and I actually think our homes and wardrobes often end up having the exact same problem.
We consume more inspiration than ever before
We consume SO much inspiration now. Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, trends, aesthetics, the list goes on.
Remember when inspiration was just a handful of magazines and we’d literally cut and paste mood boards together?! Every year we would cover our school diaries in stickers and cut outs from Dolly Magazine and thought we were so cool. Despite whether it was actually cool or not, upon reflection, it all felt a lot slower and more intentional somehow.
Now we have access to endless inspiration and endless shopping too, for both fashion and interiors.
And while stores like Kmart and Target have made style more accessible (which I think is both good and bad in many ways, but that is a topic for another day), I also think all of this constant accessibility can make us consume more without really thinking about it.
We’re collecting things instead of creating a feeling
Instead of creating a feeling, I think sometimes we just end up collecting things. And not in a collectable, I am intentionally doing it kind of way. We are just consuming over and over.
We buy trendy pieces because they look good on someone else.
We save endless inspiration.
We try too many different aesthetics.
We buy decor piece by piece hoping it’ll all somehow come together without having a clear direction.
And then suddenly, our wardrobes feel disconnected, and our homes feel disconnected, and we feel too overwhelmed trying to make it all work. And we seem so surprised by it all!
The importance of paying attention to patterns
I honestly think a lot of us already know what we like, we’ve just stopped trusting ourselves a little. We are listening a little too much to the noise and not letting ourselves have breathing space to identify what is at our core. What do you actually love? What is actually speaking to us?
How can we reconnect to ourselves?
So, what do we do about it? Where do we start?
Maybe we don’t need to rush every decision?
Maybe we add to cart and… pause before buying?! I know!! So hard to do, but will be so much better in the long run.
Maybe we stop trying to perfectly recreate inspiration we’ve seen online?
Maybe we just go slower?
Because once you start paying attention to the things you’re naturally always drawn to, everything starts feeling easier and a lot more fun! After all, isn't fashion and decorating meant to be enjoyable?!
Perfection is not key
And in both fashion and interiors, I really don’t think the goal is perfection anyway. I think it’s about making your mark and having your spaces reflect you. That’s when personal style starts feeling a bit more natural and a lot more like you.
I think the most beautiful homes and wardrobes usually feel curated and personal not trend-driven. What do you think?! I reckon I could talk about this for days!