Am I my aesthetic?
On the path of becoming more... me
Hi readers! Thank you for staying on days when I was a bit quiet. I have noticed gaining quite a number of new subscribers to my newsletter in the past weeks via an old post The rabbit hole of Mary Jane - Thank you for deep diving with me and I am glad to have you on board!
After a month long of dedicated hard work on my personal end, I am back for the long-awaited balmy summer! Well, I wish. We are having a disappointingly cool summer up north in the UK. There were a few days of heat in June yet it seems such a long time ago when breezy, cloudy and wet weather has returned. One morning the sun shows up and showers in the afternoon, the other day it is a bit of everything: rain, sunshine, hot, cold - whatever. Put it on random and shuffle, then you know you have to learn about the art of dressing for weather, not seasons in this country.
Here is also where the work of closet editing comes in. Last month, I mentioned setting up an official wardrobe with fewer shelves and boxes for better display of clothes (not seen = not worn), and it turned out polarised in terms of fabrics and colours. Coming from a hot and humid city, breathable thin layers unsurprisingly took up half my wardrobe and winter pieces in hand only combat temperature between 10°C - 15°C, the summer weather as of current. Practical warm items are missing. In terms of colour spread, my summer and winter wardrobe are indistinguishable… made up of dominating black pieces and a great ring of neutrals, only a small proportion of primary colours and a mix of prints and patterns that used to get plenty of wear in Hong Kong remains. I am wearing more neutrals than ever. Looking at my new wardrobe, I finally realised after 10 months of moving to a new country that 1) my lifestyle has changed and 2) my style has changed, too.
Some readers might not know because I have not mentioned it before, I was a vintage buyer and stylist with a bricks and mortar shop (same name as this Substack) in Hong Kong. Helping customers to incorporate beautiful old pieces to their contemporary wardrobe in person was the best thing ever — you do not simply exchange enthusiastic conversations with like-minded people, you also get to meet people who goes into your shop without previous experience of buying pre-loved/vintage yet leaving the shop with 1 or 2 newly acquired vintage pieces for they are trying to speak your language.
I always think if dressing is a language, there would be thousands of languages out there, each with its own grammatical rules to generate thousands of aesthetics with its own perceptions about fit, proportions, use of colours and styling. There are many ways to learn a language, but to speak it well with your own accent, you have to practise speaking eloquently within its parameters and develop a personal style, for instance, your gut feeling, likes and creative endeavours.
OUTFITS AS A VINTAGE SHOP OWNER:
Unlike some who try to make modern clothes look vintage, I do it the other way around. Vintage pieces are my inspiration to create contemporary looks without losing my own voice, which you might learn about my replete appetite for afrocentric elements, bold prints and colour employment from the pictures above. I try to make vintage pieces look modern so when you ask if my clothes are from Zara, I would proudly say “Thank you, it’s vintage” or “I got it from my grandmother”.
Ok. Back to 2024.
It’s July, and seasonal deals usually make shopping frivolous. People sort rack to rack to get the best summer clothes home yet you will probably find me tucked away at the back corner of some store, rummaging through stacks of winter clothes that nobody seems to have any interest in while being indecisive whether my pick would be warm enough for the cool weather. That, was the aha moment I noticed my major change in buying only thick clothes for a new lifestyle, followed by a change in personal style to have a wardrobe filled with 70% neutral colours instead of fun-giving shades of rainbow and bold prints that I used to wear a lot. Heavy layers and clothes in basic colours which used to serve as complementing spice and herbs for my collection have now become the main ingredients of my foundation pieces. Now what?
OUTFITS AS OF LATE
[TO WORK]
[TO A DINNER DATE]
[TO A COFFEE CHAT]
[TO THE PARK]
With less quirky colours and prints, my style seems unexpectedly turning towards timelessness and sophistication, which I reckon is part of a long process exploring my new taste and allowing experiments to take place while developing a realistic wardrobe with staples that spark joy in the coming five years (Yes, I favour an imaginary but foreseeable number). Does that mean my appetite for afrocentric elements, bold prints and colour employment is gone? Despite growing interest in learning more about Romeo Gigli, Donna Karan and Geoffrey Beene, I do not see myself loving Pierre Cardin, Mondi and Roberta Di Camerino any less. We evolve and grow, so does our personal style. Answering the difficult existentialist question of “Who am I?" may be a long, painful process that requires a lot of experiments and constant self-reflection, I trust developing a current and visible representation of identity, personality and place in culture is however, my path up the mountain.
NEXT TIME: I am having great fun with monochromatic dressing.
Until then,
Chris
Catch up on my previous posts:
i love that you don’t limit yourself and “allow” yourself to change and it happens so organically. for many (and me included) there is a tendency to refuse clothes because they are “not my style” but what if your style evolved and now it’s no longer what you thought it is? it was an great read, thank you!
Wow you’re living my dream! I would love to start a preloved cloths shop one day 💕 loving your looks and I hope you’re having a stylish summer!!