“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”
Rachel Zoe
If you are searching for answers by asking questions such as “who am I?” or “what is my purpose?”, then you’ve started your spiritual journey.
A spiritual journey is a journey towards self awareness and connectedness with who we really are. It opens up our true potential and helps us discover meaning.
You’re probably asking then, “what do clothes have to do with my spiritual journey?”.
You may not be aware if you’re being ‘someone you’re not’. Wearing clothes that are incongruent with who you are can mean you’re stifled without even realising it.
Being your true self on the other hand, is liberating and energising.
On my own spiritual journey, as I have transformed, the way I present myself has transformed too. I’ve seen how outer style and inner transformation go hand in hand. I believe style can help us work out the answers to who we really are.
Style is a tool for a spiritual journey
The clothes you wear can make you feel inspired, empowered and confident. Or they can make you feel like you are trying to hide or fit into others’ expectations.
Experimenting with what we wear can help us see ourselves in different ways and unlock the doors to meet our true, beautiful self.
Your choice of what to wear can provoke inspiration. Style can awaken the confidence you didn’t know you had. But you won’t know any of this until you try different things.
Creativity and self-expression are sacred and are part of our life’s purpose. The creative process alone can be a spiritual journey.
If you want to experience the true power of clothes and how they can help your mind, spirit and soul, here are 5 ways you can use style on your spiritual journey.
1. Dress your body from a place of love
Use style to embrace and love your body. Learn to appreciate and accept your body by dressing mindfully every day.
Really listen to your inner dialogue and thoughts towards your body as you get dressed.
Learn to talk to yourself lovingly, highlighting and appreciating different aspects – the shape, size, texture, strength, colour – of parts of your body.
2. Use style as a way to get to know yourself
Style is not just about your clothes and your body shape, it’s also about your mind and your emotions.
By asking yourself why you’re wearing what you’re wearing, you can really find out a lot about yourself.
I used to wear black baggy clothes all the time. On my journey, I asked myself the following questions:
What part of me doesn’t want to be seen?
What part of me thinks I don’t deserve to dress and show up as my unique self?
What part of me believes my image isn’t important?
Responding to questions like this can be life changing. This is something you can do as you’re getting dressed or as a journaling exercise.
3. Dress for YOU
The most important of all.
Dressing for you means choosing what to wear without putting other people’s reactions first.
Years ago I was most definitely influenced by others when it came to style. I wanted to fit in. I would consistently follow trends and wear things that weren’t really me.
The deeper I went on my spiritual journey and began to transform from within I began to add more colour into my wardrobe, I started to play around with style more and have fun. I stopped trying to fit in and became more of myself.
Be willing to make your own choices and decisions on what to wear, without the need for approval. This changes everything.
4. Curate a style aesthetic you love
Be really aware when searching for style inspiration that you are not emulating anyone. You can easily fall into the comparison spiral this way.
As Oscar Wilde said “Be Yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
The inspiration for your style can come from anywhere; from a record cover to a film character or something you’ve seen in a museum.
Start your style story by collecting images of items, looks, colours and textures that you like. Don’t overthink this process or let any negative thoughts come up.
I always tell my clients to spend time in the changing rooms, to try everything that they like, using their mood board to inspire. This is the time to experiment with things that you wouldn’t normally try – this is a great way to stretch out of your comfort zone.
By investing time in this way you can really get more of a feel for how things look and feel on you, what works and what doesn’t, apart from it being a really fun experience.
Developing your style story takes time. So enjoy and embrace this experience as a way to get to know yourself on a deeper level.
5. Let go of what no longer serves you
Most people only wear 20% of their wardrobe most of the time.
People often hoard things ‘just in case’ or ‘maybe one day’ and it can be a sign of insecurity.
Clearing out your wardrobe and clutter is a spiritual process. The act of letting go helps us learn self-reliance and confidence.
It’s not just about getting rid of things that you don’t wear but also getting rid of old habits and mindsets. Letting go brings more clarity into your life and helps you become more conscious and appreciative of what’s most important to you.
It’s all part of the spiritual journey
Finding your style is a spiritual journey and it begins with looking inwards. It is not frivolous, it’s deep. It’s a way of learning more about yourself.
Style and spirituality work in harmony when you are truly yourself. When you find that perfect style that works for you, take pride in it and in yourself, it’s your art form. Dress to express your own truth and own it!
If you need guidance on how to tap into your unique style and feel more confident, feel free to join my facebook group or book a coffee chat with me.
First seen on The Coach Space
