Essentials of Getting Dressed #04: How To Dress Authentically ‘You’
Outfits of the week, life updates and meeting with Goldstories designer Subikksha Balaje.
Running errands comfortably. Full look description below.
Getting dressed begins with our bodies.
When we dress to hide our arms or legs, or to mask our other insecurities, we cut ourselves off from our bodies and arguably, our style and self-esteem suffers for it. Lately, I have found authenticity in getting in touch with my body head-to-toe.
The canvas silhouette. Golden hour in Brooklyn.
Being more in touch with our bodies can mean taking more time attending to our hygiene, practicing yoga or even just being naked more often.
To me, it looks like mixing and matching my favorite pieces for multiple occasions…Here, early mornings in Manhattan before movement:
Uniqlo linen shirt (available in other colorways) and easy cargo pants, Scanlan Theodore tank top, Oofos sandals, up top. Below, same look with Rothy’s flats, Uniqlo bag and Goldstories necklace (details below).
Sometimes I enjoy highlighting one feminine feature when I’m wearing baggier clothing. It allows me to feel slightly sexy and sassy while also being comfortable in my skin.
This look obviously works with or without the linen shirt.
However, I like carrying an extra layer for cold rooms, and in case I feel uncomfortable or exposed on the city streets, which happens from time to time.
Another version of this ensemble, with a few tweaks:
Styling the same pieces in different ways makes for a very different overall look.
I added Uniqlo’s denim coverall jacket (currently sold out), my Ferragamo crossbody bag, Ray-ban sunglasses and WSJ baseball cap for an entirely new appearance with the same skeleton pieces.
This uniform works just as well at night, I might add. Here, I attend a birthday party on the Lower East Side.
I styled my tank top with DÔEN Hilaire pants for a similar silhouette with a more sophisticated finish.
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Last week, I met with Goldstories at Cafe Amrita to get to know designer Subikksha Balaje and her self-described "eco-luxury" brand. I kept my clothing casual, which helped with the nerves associated with meeting a new person, regardless of the purpose of the meeting.
I added a couple more rings from Able than I tend to wear to make the outfit slightly more dressed up and on theme with the nature of our meeting. San Francisco-based fine jewelry brand Goldstories plays with textures, movement and non-traditional color combinations, turning their pieces into wearable art.
Styling pieces from Goldstories with Able three dot ring and Huggie hoops. Goldstories designer Subikksha Balaje shows off her own ‘wearable art’ designs, below.
A few favorite pieces of mine from the day:
Stunning rings from Goldstories, above. Below, their breathtaking gold heart pendant.
A standout piece, the diamond and gold evil eye pendant depicts a nazar, which is said to protect the wearer from the envy of others. I think we could all use a little more protection from the haters:
Hate on me, hater! Goldstories’ diamond and gold evil eye pendant with my Uniqlo shirt and Madewell jeans.
I took the protection with me:
Uniqlo denim coverall and biker shorts, Ray-ban sunglasses, Tod's sneakers (similar ones), Ferragamo crossbody bag and Goldstories necklace.
I wore an Adidas tank top, underneath. We are finally entering layering weather!
I spent the following week cat-sitting in Brooklyn for a bestie, which made for very different outfits of the week:
In Uniqlo biker shorts, here.
My essential cozy, staycation looks:
Today, I head back to Manhattan.
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With that, thank you so much for being here. It has been a long two weeks as we stumble our way into Virgo season. Until next week, take a little time to get in touch with your body (head-to-toe!!) if you’re comfortable. Comfort in our bodies means comfort in our clothing, period. :)
Yours Truly,
Kyoko
I am not compensated for the features listed in All-Year Season. My sincerest thank you to Goldstories and Uniqlo for supporting the creation of this post.
