Why I Don’t Think About Dressing ‘Respectably’ Anymore

I have known one of my good friends since high school. We met at church, which is ironic because as adults we both became nonreligious. She once sent me an Instagram reel of one of those young, edgy “new school” pastors giving a sermon. He was on stage in relaxed clothes, very distressed jeans, holding […]

If Clothing Is a Language, Why Say “Don’t Judge”?

One of the first ideas you hear in style advice is that clothing is a kind of language. What you wear communicates something about you. But it starts to get confusing when you place it next to another common statement: Don’t judge people by their clothes. Those two ideas don’t fully reconcile. If clothing is a […]

When Dressing for Masculinity Starts to Look Off

There’s a certain type of style advice aimed at men that shows up online. It usually centers around looking more masculine. There is a lot of talk about lifting weights. Showing off your physique and projecting confidence. It all sounds pretty straightforward. Even helpful. Taking care of your health matters. But in practice, something often […]

Why Leather Jackets Mostly Don’t Work

I usually don’t like leather jackets on people. But there are clear exceptions. And the exceptions are what made it confusing. The Obvious Exception The most obvious one is motorcycles. A leather jacket on someone riding a motorcycle looks right. Nothing about it feels styled or intentional. There’s wind, speed and exposure. The material is […]

Why Does Everything Need Visual Interest?

Lately I’ve been reading The Eyes of the Skin by Juhani Pallasmaa. He talks about something called the hegemonic eye. The idea is that modern design tends to prioritize sight over the other senses. As a result, architectural spaces suffer when they are designed to be seen, rather than inhabited. When I read that, it […]

What Happened to the Foyer?

I’ve been looking at small house plans recently. One thing I didn’t expect to notice is how rare foyers have become. Most layouts now open directly into the main living space. You walk in the front door and you’re immediately in the house. No transition. Just… inside. I’m not sure why this is a thing […]

What Is Modesty In Dress?

I generally prefer containment when I dress. That usually means I am more covered up. At one point I started to wonder if this meant I had some kind of internalized modesty framework. Some Victorian mindset I hadn’t fully examined. An elderly woman in my office building once asked me if I was a Jehovah’s Witness […]

How To Actually Stop Trying So Hard

“So… are you saying people should just stop trying so hard?” Not exactly. Clothing still requires attention. You can’t throw on random objects and expect everything to magically work.  That works for kids. But your effort moves to a different place. A lot of style advice focuses on semiotic effort. You’re supposed to construct an identity, reference […]

What Clothing Actually Does to Your Body

I talk about “conditions” a lot, but it might help to name the specific physical variables in clothing and the body sensations they can create. These are not aesthetic categories. Also these are general somatic experiences. Someone might have a different experience.   Fabric Weight How heavy or light the material is.     Structure […]

Can You Wear Racist Clothing?

Since I wrote that post on historical correctness I started an argument with myself. If the historical significance of clothing isn’t that important, could you theoretically just wear something like a KKK robe or a Nazi uniform? Maybe you just like the style. I’ve written before that context matters in dress, but I also like to stress-test ideas. […]