Why Am I Not Into Interior Design?
I always thought I was into interior design until family and friends started asking me for help. I’m fine with furniture placement questions. Lighting questions. General spatial logic in a room. But when it’s something like, “Can you help me make my house Scandinavian hygge?” I feel slightly irritated. Even though I want to help. […]
What Makes Clothing Timeless
Recently I was thinking about Derek Guy’s article “Can Style Be Timeless?” and I remembered liking his explanation. He suggests that timeless style tends to come from three things: self-knowledge, confidence in your taste, and an understanding of culture. Over time, someone who develops those qualities becomes more consistent in how they dress. That explanation […]
Where Does “Classic Style” Come From?
I’ve been thinking about the idea of classic or traditional style. In most style advice, “classic” gets presented as a kind of aesthetic ideal. Certain garments, proportions, and materials are recommended because they are considered timeless or correct. I think its possible what we call classic style simply reflects a set of conditions that tend […]
How Trends Actually Happen
I accidentally started a trend at work once. I am in management, and there is a soft expectation that management dresses a certain way. Nothing written down, but the signal is clear: slightly elevated, slightly formal, slightly trying. During a burnout phase I stopped caring. I started wearing flannels, jeans, and sneakers to the office. This became my […]
Why Does Everything Feel Slightly Overexposed?
This is more of a thought experiment than a conclusion, but it’s something I’ve been wondering about. I’ve noticed how often people talk about feeling anxious, overstimulated, or generally “on edge.” It shows up in a lot of different places: workplace discussions, mental health conversations, even casual social media posts about burnout. (Of course there […]
Why the 3-Word Style Method Didn’t Work for Me
I understand why Allison Bornstein’s 3-word method resonates with so many people. It’s clear. It’s structured. It gives you a filter. For someone overwhelmed by trends, that framework can bring real clarity. But it didn’t work for me. The method is pretty simple. You choose three words: On paper, this sounds balanced. It considers real life, desire, […]
What Is The Quiet Side of Beauty?
Even after dropping style language and doing all the decluttering, I realized I still liked clothes. I just didn’t like my relationship with them. One thought I kept wrestling with was why I still felt so drawn to beautiful clothes. That pull toward beauty shows up in other areas of my life too. The way I curate […]
How to Use Your Style Inspiration
I think style inspiration can be useful. It can point you in the right direction, you just don’t need to replicate everything or interpret it symbolically. For a long time I treated inspiration images like puzzles to solve. I would stare at them trying to decode the aesthetic. What style was this? What cultural reference […]
How to Declutter Clothes
I did a lot of decluttering once I decided to start dressing somatically. Depending on how lazy I was feeling, I either donated or sold things (warning: you will not get most of your money back). I mainly focused on what I call my performance pieces. These are the items that quietly ask me to perform something or […]
Why I Tried Color Analysis But Refused Style Consults
I’ve had five color analyses. Two in person and three online. At the time, that felt completely reasonable for a few different reasons. One major reason is that color analysis is presented as artistic. It’s about light, value, undertone, and harmony. It sounds both technical and creative. My dad is like that. He’s a retired […]