My mothers’ sense of fashion and life style moto is: less is more.
Firm believer in the power of neutral colors, soft forms, straight lines and almost no prints nor accessories. She’s never going for the spectacular look, so as a child, I didn’t take much interest into fashion.
I was raised-up to play around and let the hazards of life to the adults. Eh-hem, spoiled child.
Dedicated my after-school time on sports and spending time in the club with friends. Living in a small town, Caribbean climate all year round, and a lot of time to fill. For what is worth, this type of modest life had its pros, my family used to make a two-time-a-year shopping spree to the nearest big city.
Oh- I remember with great yearning, the feeling of going home with tons of bags from a day of shop until you drop.
Back then I used to wait until the perfect moment arrived to wear my new clothes, now I take the price tag off as soon as I get home and start playing dress up: mixing the new pieces with my old ones. Is best you know what looks good now, and not any given day when you have to dress in a hurry.
In my high school years, being cool meant a pair of blue jeans, best if baggy, with a tank top and sandals or sneakers. Hair, as long as possible to hide underneath my skeleton body, or so I thought. It was all about a sport looking casual outfits.
Sometimes this style still follows me as a grown up, but I don’t let it drive my life. Every day I get to dress a different personality, given my mood and the kind of errands on agenda. I dress the perfect house wife, or the enjoyable friend that keeps the fun up with her besties, or a femme fatale for a date night.
I learned sexy back at the university.
These girls wore the most feminine outfits! it made me change my sneakers to hills and make-up became a thing. Playing the girl became the most entertaining game of all, with my nails done every Friday, started watching my diet, my wardrobe and fitness habits.
My jeans became skinny, mastered the art of walking with stilettos and a mini-skirt. Thanks to my paternal grandmother that encouraged me to show-off even when I thought I looked awful, she tried to let me know I was young and had the right to be confident about my looks, and that I will regret it if I didn’t wear whatever I wanted just for the sake of other peoples opinion. I miss her.
My college boyfriend was a very classy guy, while I was more of a hippie style. He will often tell me I should take more care into my appearance, which offended me. What was I doing so wrong?
I will never be comfortable being the star of the show, but sometimes I like to be complemented about my looks. Today I know character doesn’t change, but personality does. Everybody likes to like, I’m not the exception, I pay much attention to the way I handle my body and over all attitude, so my outfit can stand up for me.
My simple way of life and introvert self, has often given me more problems than not, so I`ve learned to empower my looks by using clothes as an armor for this outgoing society.
When I moved to Spain, everything changed: my life, the weather, my friends, my style… at first, I did not know how to dress for the winter. The first coat I bought looked like a plastic bag, I still don´t know why I made that purchase but it became the only thing that protected me form the cold winter, and it wasn’t even that good.
Is not easy to get to know the right type of fabrics that will keep you warm and comfy. After the first winter and catching many colds… I learned to pick the right type, I still own a pair of coats from those firsts years and people still compliment me when I wear them. That’s how I know a made a good purchase, because they have lasted over the years.
I was attending Movie and TV Production classes with a very hippie crowd, I wore lots of jeans with sweaters, sneakers or boots, and tried to dress up with my scarfs, hats, nice nails and make-up. Hair had a life on its own, didn’t think much of it, I guess I had nice hair back then. Had lots of fun, party a lot!!!
Can´t complain. My fashion journey continued, now as a working grown up women, with more money to spend on clothes, I kept discovering new stores and stylish wardrobes.
My first nice job was at a Sales and Marketing department of a nutrition company, there I had the chance to express my creativity through managing web sites, publicity, video production and editing, while traveling through Europe and Africa. I usually had to attend to events where I get to dress up my alter ego. I guess my outfits represented how I was feeling: new job, new places, new money, new friends and even a new boyfriend.
I was happy, felt I was making it. And it showed.
But as life has its ups and downs, I quit that job looking for better work conditions that allowed me to explore more on fashion. My attitude towards money and life changed, I had to save and stop spending.
Didn’t even window shopped, stayed home every weekend and didn’t had much interest on my looks. It was like having a break with myself and almost caused a break on my relationship too. Saving like crazy wasn’t making me happy and I wasn’t even saving that much, too much sacrifice for almost nothing in return. Had to change my ways!
After realizing I did have one or two cool things to wear, I started investing in, nice face creams and makeup, became an expert in shopping for basics and sometimes, when I fell in love, shopped for specific pieces of accessories to update those basics. Changed apartment, started working out harder, eating healthier and my whole approach towards life changed.
I was exited to go shopping, this time for a different body and style. I was able to look for diverse kinds of clothing that never spoke to me, but now I was gifted to wear.
I also picked up on meditation and started practicing yoga, studied for personal shopper and style consultant, read books on the subject and studied the lives of the most outstanding women in fashion. I also quit my unsatisfying job, started traveling with my boyfriend, Marie Kondo my house, picked up the clothes that made me happy, donated the ones that didn’t, and filled some bags of used pieces to give away in H&M and Other Stories in change for a discount.
With my decluttered closet, I have everything under control. When I go shopping, I recognize what I already own, what mixes with what and know for sure what I need to buy without over spending nor having an overwhelming experience at it. I know where to look and wich stores to go to, when to make an investment and when is better to leave my credit cards at home. I`m just having fun shopping and dressing up, its like therapy, shopping-therapies.