I recently read an essay by Stephanie Danan, designer of fashion line Co, titled, “The Healing Power of Fashion.” Ms. Danan shares how her parents’ careers in fashion influenced her positively and then negatively, eventually leading to a suicide attempt and years of battling bulimia, and then coming full circle by starting a fashion line of her own.
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The last couple of sentences of her poignant essay stood out to me: “As we rise to fight for our rights during these uncertain times, let’s remember that our strength comes from our rich inner lives and the extent to which we engage with the world. A pretty dress is a delightful companion, but only insofar as it is an accurate reflection of the woman wearing it.”
A pretty dress – so simple, yet something most girls like and want. We just got through Christmas – I must have worn at least five pretty dresses to various parties and to church. When I shop for a dress, I look for something unique, something that fits me like a glove, something that is flattering and beautiful. A pretty dress.
I never thought of a dress as a “delightful companion,” but that is a notable description. The dress, or whatever we happen to be wearing, does indeed become our companion. It reflects our style, projects our desired self-image, hides our perceived flaws, and becomes our public armor.
Putting on a pretty dress likely makes us feel pretty, duh. It may also make us feel confident, outgoing and worthy. But really, it’s a piece of fabric. What gives it that power? Who gives it that power? The dress becomes a reflection of the woman wearing it. But the woman wearing it should not become a reflection of the dress. Because what happens, then, when we take the dress off? Do we turn back into a pumpkin?
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The power is not in the dress – the power is in you. Your beauty, your worth, your confidence do not and should not come from anything you wear. Your wardrobe can certainly help you feel a certain way and project a certain image, but those feelings and that image come from inside you first. And who puts those things inside you?
For You created my inmost being… [Psalm 139:13] God loves you so much. He knows you better than you know yourself. He sees the beauty inside you (and outside you) and He doesn’t need a pretty dress to affirm His creation. When you put on a pretty dress (or ripped jeans, or pajamas, or a three-piece suit), make sure that it’s a reflection of who you were created to be and not the other way around.
~ Silva
Silva Emerian is a city girl at heart, growing up in Boston before moving to California in 2001. With a long and varied background in fashion, she is a freelance writer and editor, a self-proclaimed word nerd, and mom to Silas (FCS grade 6) and James (FCS grade 3). Shoes and chocolate make her world go ‘round.
If you have questions or topics you’d like to see addressed in this blog, please email me at [email protected]. You can read more from me at www.onmyshoebox.com.