Fashionable Storytelling

When you open up your eyes each morning to the blank page of the day that lies before you, what story are you hoping to tell? For me, I am usually on a mission to portray the message to myself and the world that I have my sh*t together, because most of the time, I do not. My mornings consist of me routinely smudging my mascara as soon as I put it on and spilling coffee on the floor in a frantic rush to gather my things and get out the door so I can get to my job and present a put-together, competent image to the world. You see, even after forty years of walking this planet, I am mostly a hot mess. But, the clothing that I step into each day tells the world otherwise.

The mornings when I button up a crisp white shirt, layer it underneath a cashmere vest or a wool blazer, and slide into my most respectable footwear, my story screams that I am a confident, successful, and completely competent woman- especially helpful for those 8 am reminders when life points out to me that, clearly, I am not. Every person has a character living inside of us that we wish to be, and whether we know it or not, the way that we dress ourselves is our way of sharing that person with the world without saying a word. Clothing is more than just a layer of fabric that sits over our skin and keeps us warm. The outfits that we use to style ourselves relates the story of who we are, who we have been, and who we wish to be.

I think that our ‘who we wish to be’ is the number one driving force behind how and why we shop for the styles that we choose to wear. Because whether or not we are avid readers, we create a story in our heads about the character we want to become, depending on our situations. The heroine. The confidant. The romantic interest. Perhaps we want to feel as though we were born into royalty, that we are a world-renowned expert in our field, or that we are about to embark upon some epic adventure that will change the course and trajectory of our life. Like the genres of the books around us, each and every one of us crave adventure, romance, thrills, and magic.

Sounds exciting, right?

It is! But, before you scoot yourself to the store or begin shopping in my Poshmark closet, or wherever you go to find quality clothing at an affordable price, you first have to ask yourself the question What do I wear? It’s a reasonable and logical question to ask. But, in order to reach the fullest potential of the power that clothing can make in our lives, we need to be asking “A More Beautiful Question” that looks like this:

What story am I hoping to live in this moment, and what do I need to wear in order to help that story come to life?

Ok, so that was two questions, but, in defense of asking questions of ourselves, author Warren Berger says that when we want to create change in our lives, it is necessary to break free of familiar patterns of thought. Asking yourself questions about your personal story and the future story you are creating about the person you wish to become is an important step toward reaching your destination, because manifesting anything has to begin with a thought, followed by action. The right mindset is often a catalyst to growth. In the case of fashionable storytelling, we first imagine the part, then dress the part, in order to be the part.

I decided that this winter I wanted to embrace the cold, snowy, blustery weather that Michigan often throws down and rent a cozy, fireside cabin in the middle of the woods with my fiancé where we can relax and unwind in nature and reward ourselves for all of the hard work we put out in 2021. I wanted this experience to feel like a Lifestyles of the Rich And Famous retreat, so naturally, I needed the outfits to go with the scene. Cute outdoor winter wear for a vineyard snowshoe adventure, check. Cozy fireside sweaters and leggings for unwinding from the day along with a glass of wine, check. Luxurious satin sleepwear for a soothing night of sleep, check.

As a consumer, I shopped for clothing that supported the story that I wanted to tell, but as a reseller, I can take that lesson in storytelling with me into the future to create a similar experience for my buyers through the items I list by asking “what do I need to provide in order for my client to tell their own story?” The more creative we can be with consumer storytelling allows us to reach a greater variety of people. The beautiful questions that we ask serve as the foundation for the beautiful ways in which we can enhance the lives of others.

Whether you are a consumer or a reseller serving the needs of others, I encourage you to imagine the story you wish to tell and seek out items in support of that vision. Use the free resources on my PRINTABLES page to assist you in planning your ideas and creating your shopping goals.