Unleashing Your Inner Stoic: A Healthier Approach To Your Fashion

When I first started my career in fashion, I was intoxicated by the world of fast moving trends, the constant movement and the whirl wind of new pieces and collections. Towards the end of my career in fashion, before I exited to be a videographer, I was exhausted by it.

It took me a good year to detox from it. As a new found minimalist I thought I never wanted anything to do with fashion ever again. Meaning I had embraced my minimalist style of only classic minimal pieces and was no longer bringing in anything with a statement or any sign of a trend (which was very unlike me, especially as you know me now). I got rid of my Vogue magazines, unfollowed all my favorite brands and stylists on social media and swore off going into retail stores.

When I decided I wanted to start a YouTube channel I went through all sorts of topics I wanted to speak to. But in the end my husband said something that made the most sense…”you need to speak to what you know, where you feel you can add true value”….and that was fashion. So reluctantly I entered back into the world of fashion.

In beginning I didn’t know which box to tick, which fashion category I should be a part of. In this time my minimalist lifestyle eventually led me to reading up on the philosophy of stoicism. It made me rethink my approach to my channel and fashion in general. Then realizing fashion is within my control (such a stoic thing to say) and I can decide how I want to approach it and express it. And so can others. So came my new underlining “stoic” approach to my channel, helping others find their control in fashion.

I’ve never actually said this out loud to anyone before because as a stoic you work stealthily behind the scenes on your own practice. However, I found I can apply a lot of the stoic principles to have a healthier relationship with my personal fashion and my own self confidence. So I now feel it’s my responsibility to share that with others to help in their growth as well..

5 years later, after starting my new relationship with fashion because of my YouTube channel, I find that I love it more than I ever did before. Now understanding it more from a grounded perspective that makes me appreciate it in a whole new way. Sort of like any good relationship there can be a toxic version or one of growth. So here are some of my favorite stoic inspired approaches I like to take when it comes to my fashion relationship:

Mindful Awareness

At the heart of stoicism (and so many practices) lies mindfulness—the act of being fully present in the now. But how can we apply this to our personal style? Mindful wardrobe curation. Instead of impulsively grabbing at whatever piece strikes your fancy in a fleeting moment, hit the pause button. Does this item truly make sense for you? Does it align with your values? When I make a fashion choice that is a conscious one it helps me to curate a collection instead of just collecting clothes.

Embracing Minimalism

You’ve heard me say it a thousand times, less is more. It’s the minimalist mantra. Simplicity and minimalism can help us hone in on what truly matters. We can adopt this approach for our wardrobes by decluttering and investing in timeless, versatile pieces of high quality. Then maintaining that by using mindfulness. This gets rid of the noise and distractions in our closets. Allowing for our true style to be apparent and accessible always.

Inner Harmony

I know, sounds cheesy, right? Well stoics believe that happiness is an inside job, independent of external circumstances (you should hear about some of the examples of people with some serious messed up external circumstances finding inner happiness. You’d never complain about your life again). Let’s take this nugget of wisdom and apply it to our personal style. Instead of dressing to impress, let’s dress to express (I know, again with the rhyming). Our style then becomes a reflection of our inner self. Rather than an unauthentic copy of someone else’s. Nothing wrong with pulling inspiration from others. But it should always go through the filter that is our own inner translation to make it authentic to ourselves.

Practicing Gratitude

Something that should be practiced in every aspect of life. Another stoic practice is negative visualization which helps in gratitude. Picturing if something you have was gone tomorrow. Or recognizing that there are so many others that have so much less than you. Let’s sprinkle this sense of appreciation over our wardrobe. Revisit your closet with fresh eyes, breathe life into forgotten pieces, and create new ensembles with an appreciation of what you have in your closet. The result? Reduced consumption, increased creativity, and contentment right here in the present.

Resilience is key

Do you remember me talking about wearing things that scare you for a week? This is something to help practice resilience to others judgement and your own self consciousness. Because once you push past that, you’re free and resilient. So, explore new styles, step out of our comfort zone, and become adaptable. By embodying resilience, our style will evolve and mature, just like us.

Now, I’m not saying you have to suddenly become a stoic over night to implement these things into your life. Only that you can create a healthier approach to fashion by using some stoic principles like introspection, authenticity, and mindfulness when making your choices. It will elevate your personal style beyond fleeting trends and toxic advice.

So, there it is my friends. My biggest confession….I’ve been subliminally feeding you stoic advice through my channel. Now unleash your inner stoic and rebuild your relationship with fashion….she’s such a lovely friend ;-)