The Soul on my Sleeve

theSOUL on my SLEEVE

Clothes don’t get enough credit. What we choose to wear has more to do with our inner selves than we often realize. We’ve all felt the satisfaction of approving a look in the mirror, but how does that energy carry into our lives? Confidence radiates from the perfect job interview or first date fit. Pinning down the local style makes us feel more at ease travelling. A new athletic set is one of the greatest motivators to work out. Ever wonder why we live in irrational fear of wasting a good outfit on an insignificant day? Why we subscribe to the cliché: “dress for the job you want, not the job you have?” Fashion is more than appearances. It’s a critical piece of our identities and drive.

COVID-19 lockdowns made me realize just how much clothing affects the psyche. Months on end with no reason to get dressed… our style junkie spirits were bound to be low. However, I began to notice that even my most adamant “I couldn’t care less about fashion” friends were using clothing to boost their morale. Even with no hope of leaving the house, we found ourselves choosing jeans over sweats when we wanted to feel more productive. Demand for genuinely stylish loungewear was at an all time high. I even spent one otherwise bleak, quarantined Friday night on the couch in my old prom dress. And it did the trick; I felt better!

Fashion is often linked to superficiality, but its influence reaches far beyond looks. Clothes have the power to express, embolden, motivate, boost confidence, and improve spirits. Regardless of whether you consider yourself “into fashion,” you curate pieces of clothing into a unique look everyday. That ensemble says something about you. Getting dressed is a daily creative outlet, and we tend to underestimate its value. Fashion is a critical piece of the expressive identity, and the outfit is the most universal art form. Your clothing of choice not only sends a message to the world about who you are, but also about where you’re going, and what you’re set on accomplishing there.

Article: Grace McCarty Model: Maddie Boone Stylist: Anna Gaylord Layout: Daven Roberts Photographer: Paige Aloise