Greetings!

I'm back!  After two weeks assisting Aadil with teaching yoga in London (which was about as great as one would think) followed by two weeks of respiratory flu (also about as great as one would think, snort)...I have returned.

I've actually been back to work since last Thursday, but with a dire need to "take it easy" lest I "over do it" and get sick again.  Sigh.  I've been catching up with other people's blogs, and following links around the web, getting introduced to other writers, topics, avenues.  All week I've thought about topics for my Fabulous Welcome Home to Me post, but now that I'm sitting down I've decided to offer a wee bit of a rant.  In the fabulous words of Lina Lamont, "I cahnt stayn it!"  Ready?

Please stop spreading around those "Top Ten Items of Clothing All Women Must Have" lists.  Seriously.  They're awful!  They are an affront to individuality, personal style, colorful expression through clothing, did I mention individuality?  These lists always have things like "A good pair of black dress slacks", "A good white button up", "A good pair of khakis", "A little black dress" and "A Good pair of flattering jeans".  Where's the fun in that?  By the way, that last one is an oxymoron if I ever heard one, but I digress.

I understand that the intention is, ostensibly, to simplify the wardrobe so that one can look "pulled together" easily.  While I wholeheartedly support the concepts of simplicity in clothing and looking like you tried.  The very thought, however, that millions of women across America are reading The List, and that theoretically a chunk of them are deciding to put the list to good use, means that hundreds of thousands of women (at least) are walking around in their "Good pair of flattering jeans and Good white button up"...like so many "pulled together" automatons.

I believe that, given the resources (monetary OR creative, whichever one has more access to), clothing can be used to enhance and express one's sense of self.  It should serve as an expression of one's personality, of one's individual version of human.  Most of all it should feel nice to wear and one should feel good wearing it.  I remember reading a quote from Sophia Loren once in which she said that she has never owned a pair of jeans, as she finds them coarse against her skin.  That really got me thinking about why I wore jeans, and whether or not I really enjoyed wearing them.  The answer was (1) I wore them because they are ubiquitous and, therefore, "acceptable" and (2) no, not really:  they're cold in the winter and hot in the summer, they're stiff, coarse, and rarely flatter my curvy figure.  I resolved to move them out of my wardrobe, and I haven't looked back (it's been YEARS!).

Perhaps most importantly, clothing can be a powerful means of bringing more beauty into our lives.  This is an important principle for general happiness and overall wellness, as beauty has long been considered a balm to our senses.  And, as we all know, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.  So we come back to individuality, and expression, and - you knew it had to come sooner or later...I am a yogini, after all - allowing your true nature to shine and be shared with the world.

Think about it:  when you're in the American Uniform of jeans, sneakers and t-shirts, or perhaps khakis, loafers and a collared shirt, you melt right into the masses.  You are part of the collective (yes, yes, I'm a Star Trek fan) and more-or-less indistinguishable from the herd unless you strive to make yourself stand out through talk, behavior, attitude, etc.  Do you feel empowered to speak your mind?  Do you feel able to easily express your creativity, your spirit, your personality?  Or do you feel neutral, not inclined to participate in the goings-on around you, a bit disconnected with your goals and passions in life?

Is that how you want to feel?

Sometimes a simple change of wrapping makes the whole package seem shiny and new.

Comments

[Sarah K]

This should be compulsory reading for all young ladies (and men!). I couldn't agree with you more, Kelly; the sheer blandness of the offerings in mainstream shops makes me want to weep. What is everyone afraid of?! The richest pickings are always at thrift stores and I hope I'm teaching my kids that you don't need a ton of money, a 'label' nor a uniform to be able to create a work of art with clothes!! Happy snowy Holidays!