Intellectualizing vs. Experiencing Fashion

A Personal 5-Day Style Challenge to Revive a Wardrobe and Spark Inspiration

Nov 16, 2024

Hey Fabric Snobs!

How are you enjoying your stay in the Style Society?

It’s been a little over two months since I began posting on Substack, and I’m still finding my voice when it comes to fashion writing. Fashion has always been a physical, visual expression for me, while writing has been poetic, but merging the two has felt a little odd. Just check out my personal Substack newsletter, Her Progression. The tone of that publication and this one feels like night and day.

In August 2023, I began a year-long independent study on sustainable fashion with the intent to turn my brand, Lilac Reign, into a fully-fledged conscious clothing line B-Corp status-worthy. However, my research yielded way more than I ever expected. Learning about fabrics, chemical dyes, unethical supply chain practices, and the environmental devastation caused by the fashion industry planted a seed of urgency in my soul.

I’ve always been a wellness and planet-loving girl, but this new intersection of fashion and wellness offered a way to merge two passions.

The process of producing a fashion line—from concept to product—is tedious. Adding additional caveats, like using quality natural fabrics, non-toxic dyes, and manufacturers with ethical practices, only extends the timeline. Still, everything I’ve learned about the state of the fashion industry, combined with my decade-long professional experience in fashion, felt too important to wait. Thus, this newsletter was born.

I must admit, I’ve become a bit obsessed with spreading the gospel of sustainability, especially in ways that aren’t drastic and can be easily implemented from day one. But because the need for sustainability is so serious, I felt like I had to be as well. On top of that, there’s so much nuance to the topic that I’ve struggled to find my groove—balancing my playful, sassy voice with the gravity of our fashion choices. I hope my latest post strikes a better balance.

Polyester is for Losers: The Fabric Snob Manifesto

Chantal

November 13, 2024

Read full story

With my focus so heavily grounded in intellectualizing sustainable fashion, I realized I had abandoned physically experiencing it. Working from home can already make it easy to get lax with dressing your best, but I had sunk beyond opting for a cute loungewear set. I had resorted to sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt, which is so not my style.

Since defining my Style Signatures and laying out the blueprint for my wardrobe revamp with The Style Bible, I’ve felt a major gap within my wardrobe. Though it’s now only filled with my most-loved pieces after my 80/20 closet purge, I’ve been feeling uninspired by its contents—or at least by how those pieces have been previously styled. That, coupled with a new self-given haircut, has left me in a full-on style rut.

So, I challenged myself to a work week of putting effort into my outfits and finding new ways to wear and love my old pieces. I wasn’t allowed to wear any of the unsightly lounge clothes I was previously clinging to, and I had to document my outfits. Here are the results:

Day One

Starting Day One strong, I tapped into an aesthetic that’s the exact opposite of my typical Mondays: Corporate Baddie. (The “corporate” part, of course, because I’m a baddie forever.) I usually spend Mondays cleaning and running errands to prep for my work week, which really starts on Tuesday. But I decided to use this Monday for writing. So for the outfit, I went for fabulosity and functionality– something I could feel comfortable in but could also spark my creative quill.

For my hair, I planned to slick it back but embraced my short fro instead. It made the look more stylish, elevated, and intentional—even though it was wash day and a bit frizzier than I’d prefer. The hair felt like it complemented the ostrich feathers on my wrist, adding a whimsical touch to the outfit.

In the past, I styled this Lilac Reign archive blouse with a Y2K-esque rhinestone skort, heavily leaning into the bling. Now, older and less impressed by shiny things, I paired it with a cotton, striped skirt from Black Market White House (similar linked). While this outfit would likely still be a distraction in a corporate setting, thank God I’m my own boss.

I must be honest, I naively started this challenge in the second half of my luteal phase so this challenge definitely wasn’t executed in a consecutive fashion, but I did do it for 5 days. Which sums up to a work week, so mission completed- kinda. 😅

Day Two

I initially planned on doing a more elaborate outfit but as my luteal phase drew to an end, the less energy I had. So I chose cute, comfortable and chromatic for this day. Though form-fitting seems counter intuitive during a time known for bloating, I felt so cute and cunty sporting my neutral 3/4 quarter zip up dress. I kept the accessories simple with my gold Fossil watch that has a matching colored face as the dress. I also added my orange/brown lens sunnies to make it more playful. I mostly sported my leopard print slippers during the day but for the brief time I went outside to record some b-roll video for another project, I paired the look with my Minnetonka fringe boots I’ve been wearing since 2013. For the day’s scent, I finished the look with Nomade by Chloe.

Day Three

Day Three’s schedule was filled with a lot of personal errands and writing so I needed today to be comfortable and functional. With a quick trip to TJ Maxx to grab a new journal, I wanted my outfit to scream elevated and effortless street-style-chic. To lean into my feminine side, I paired my knit chocolate brown and fringe pants with a black, square scoop-neck body suit that is comfortable and curve hugging in all the right places. To complement the warmth of the look, I finished it off with my favorite sunnies, which read brown with this look, and my Jordan 1s ROTY. In the theme of warmth and amber the scent for the day was Chloe Nomade.

Day Four

Day Four was a work day at the library so the fit had to be cozy and functional, but cute and inspirational enough to help me confidently power through my task list. This sleek, two-piece light brown set is my go-to for days when my to-do list overpowers my focus on what to wear. It’s effortless and has thumb holes on the sleeves–how cute! Styled with a pair of White Nike Air Maxes and, of course, my new favorite sunglasses, this look was a no-brainer.

DAY 5

Wanting to wrap the personal challenge with a look I love, I opted for one of my favorite knit dresses that features a mock turtleneck, bell sleeves and a front tie, mechanically reminiscent of a DVF wrap dress. To complement the incredibly high slit while staying warm, I paired the dress with a pair of black knit thigh high socks I purchased almost 10 years ago from Urban Outfitters. To complement the warmth of the look, I layered the Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmer Oil –it has to be the oil as I hate the smell of the actual perfume– with my signature scent, Good Girl Supreme by Carolina Herrera.

Final Thoughts

As I reviewed this collection of outfits, I quickly noticed how I leaned into neutral tones, the complete opposite of my usual style. But considering the current state of my wardrobe, my apathy toward the city I’m living in, and my disillusionment with the world, it makes sense.

Typically, I’d see a consistent neutral palette as boring and safe, but this experiment reframed it as a representation of transition. My wardrobe is evolving. I’m moving soon, growing out my haircut, and finding my fashion-writing voice. Surprisingly, neutrals have given me a sense of stability during this period of change.

While I don’t think neutrals will remain at the forefront of my wardrobe, I appreciate the perspective they’ve given me. As my closet grows with pieces reflecting my newly defined style, I now see the role neutrals play in balancing my maximalist tendencies.

No matter how much we intellectualize and plan a perfect wardrobe, true style is discovered through experiencing fashion—the good and the bad outfits. Both approaches are essential, but leaning too much into one can lead to a loss of focus in articulating your authentic expression.

Incredible style comes from experimenting—whether you’re starting from scratch, post-purge, or looking for new ways to view your wardrobe. As we evolve, so does our style. Being willing to self-assess without judgment gives us the freedom to reframe our relationship with clothing in a playful and curious way that feels fulfilling and satisfactory.

Community Feedback

What did you think of this personal account of a mini-style challenge? As our global Style Society community grows, I’d love to get your feedback on how Lilac Reign can best be of service to you! What type of content do you enjoy most?