WEARING A VINTAGE BLACK MIDI DRESS

Looking back at the past isn’t always a bad thing, as wearing this vintage black midi dress shows. In its most positive form, reflecting on the past provides inspiration, guidance, experience and very valuable lessons. Lessons like what colours look best on you, what friends bring out the worst in you, what places inspire you etc. Reflection can also be great for gaining direction for your future. Especially after a long break from anything you’ve invested in for an extended period of time. While it certainly feels great to be getting back into the swing of things, my hiatus over the past year was definitely much needed.

OUT OF LOVE

Despite my great respect for those that take the time to follow my work and my love for art and fashion, there came a point where I simply fell out of love with everything else around it. The social media rage where numbers is king, and quality is a peasant. The follow back maze that almost every “influencer” and person breathing gets lost in. And the constant culture shifts, where fast fashion, superficiality and emptiness are worshipped, are amongst the many reasons I chose to take a step back from it all. Along with some personal life changes that included minimalism, trying veganism and taking up yoga, there were so many things that required me to re-evaluate the whys, whats, passions and goals.

Starting in fashion as an editorial & personal stylist, the goal was to share my creativity and inspire others. Then later on through a blog, I chose to also document my personal style journey. Sadly, sometimes it’s easy to lose your focus along the way when you’re following the crowd and not your calling. Don’t get me wrong, my content has always been and will always be authentic, but outside pressures should never be stronger than inner goals.

SOCIALLY DISCONNECTED

Deep down, I often miss the good old days, when people actually took the time to read ‘real’ blogs and websites. Now, it truly is a world of “fast fashion” all around. I’ve seen many loved quality blogs sites that are no longer active or closed down and it’s sad. Instagram has made it easy to simply focus on superficial visuals and see your life’s work in a collage of pictures without ever having to even know one’s domain name. Twitter focuses on limiting characters, while Facebook is about creating a whole new character altogether. While social media may have made it easier for us all to share and connect, it seems we’ve overshared our way out of quality and individuality and are somehow more disconnected than ever.

THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU

If you’ve ever questioned your work or your purpose, whatever industry you’re in, there’s a place for you. I mean, who wants to be everyone’s cup of tea anyway? I don’t even drink tea! Always take your time to reflect on where you’ve come from, how far you’ve come and the steps you’ve taken to get where you are now. That should always help you decide on your next move. Whether you enjoy working behind the scenes or you’re preparing for your time to shine, remember nobody’s star is equal. Comparison only robs you of your joy, so remember that your moment won’t look like anyone else’s.

LET’S START AGAIN

Time away to unwind, rewind, reflect and start again is vital. Sometimes you just have to take the time to take your time. Looking back isn’t dwelling on the past if you’re using your reflection as a lesson for development. Like the few new changes you may notice across this website. Sometimes, you’ll reflect and realise you made some great decisions in life and you can learn from that too. Like wearing a gorgeous timeless vintage black midi dress, so there’s no need to change it, even many years on.

It’s always best to embrace change as that’s the only thing constant in life. But the key word is to ’embrace’, also translated as ‘seize’, which means ‘take hold of’ change, not get swept up by it. After every reflection, should be action in your chosen direction. Wherever that leads, take hold of the changing tides & ride the waves in your own stylish way, popular or not. Ultimately it’s all about being true to yourself and strengthening your foundations.

OLD AND NEW

Fashion is a wonderful arena, where the past freely inspires the present and future. It’s amazing to see how great trends and classics transcend time. Like wearing this vintage black midi dress, that looks as fresh and fabulous with brown monogram styling today, as it most likely did in the 1950’s with round-toe heels. A great way to wear a vintage lace dress, this look shows exactly why it is ok to look back at the past and be inspired.