When Style Speaks Louder Than Words
“What’s the dress code?”
“How should I style this piece?”
”I never know what to pack because I don’t know who I’ll want to be that day!”
Style is such a fascinating form of self-expression: nuanced, political, and, for some, deeply personal, our clothing is a language in itself. Fashion is nonverbal communication that we all participate in, and what we wear says something about us, whether we want it to or not.
A friend opined on his podcast awhile back that “if you’re relying on a suit and tie to make a point, it probably isn’t a very good point”. His comment reminded me of all the times in my career that I'd felt intimidated by the way a person dressed, or by the car they drove, or by the bag they carried. It transported me back to junior high, when what you wore was an irretrievable part of your identity.
Speaking of junior high, younger generations are literally growing up in front of cameras all the time, and it makes me extra thankful that I grew up pre-social media. Privacy and legal concerns around children of influencers (and child influencers themselves) are finally starting to catch up to the proliferation of screens and cameras in kids’ lives, but we have yet to see the long-term effects of constant exposure to each other’s lives on the internet.
In social media culture, style and money are intrinsically linked: the language of fashion is essentially the language of money. Where we spend our dollars says a lot about our values and our lives. Personal style can be a very emotional thing: we often look to specific pieces to relive happy memories or make us feel capable, comfortable, or special.
What’s your favorite ‘feel-good’ piece in your closet? Do you have a go-to ‘interview look’ or an outfit you throw on to feel a certain way? Personally, my closet is my sanctuary: this is well-documented on my now-defunct style blog, and I occasionally share outfits on Instagram for fun. Fashion has always been a hobby of mine, and I love finding new ways to express myself through the clothing I wear.
When it comes to communication, does style speak louder than words? Everyone wears clothes, so it stands to reason that style is a powerful, personal way to communicate that’s worthy of our attention. Fashion is a language; how we dress says something before we’ve even opened our mouths to speak. So what are you saying?
(The image for this post is by Austin photographer Jessica Arroyo. I’m wearing one of my favorite vintage pieces that I’m told is “very on-brand”, sourced via Dalena Vintage. Check them both out!)