Intentional Dressing
It sounds like a load of you-know-what, but it's all this one trick pony could think of. In our latest collaboration with Rodeo, West 31st Street is taking a deep dive into intentional dressing.
By: Elena Ossoski
Getting dressed. It’s a daily task. Mundane to some, thrilling for a special few, but necessary for all. What separates those who dress for the day from those who greet the day to get dressed is the passion for the art of inflicting individuality into their sartorial decisions with great care and intention.
One of the biggest champions of this art form who comes to mind is Amy Smilovic, best known for her brand Tibi and coining “creative pragmatism.” Smilovic, like many sartorially mindful beings, gives purpose to every piece. Instead of centering a look around a single OTT garment, this creative director crafts equally eye-catching as they are utilitarian looks with a sense of scientific ease. While the masses continue to try to create “capsule” wardrobes for themselves, Smilovic is among the rare who know that a great outfit is all about great pieces that you actually love and actually wear
Leandra Medine Cohen, (R.I.P. Man Repeller), is another woman who knows her clothes, and I mean that literally. In her frequent musings in her Substack, The Cereal Aisle, Medine Cohen plays with her clothes even when sporting head-to-toe black. Again, there is something methodical at work here, and I’m not talking about algorithms. While the lazy eye is only noting which of her quirks to copy, Medine Cohen remains inherently inventive as she continues to wow her onlookers with an abundance of styling nuances.
More than any fashion-lover-friendly name, my favorite practitioners of intentional dressing are the average Joes. Gray-haired women at community markets, shoppers, yoga-goers, and friendly faces who love a good garment as much as this girl are the ultimate source of inspiration. These dressers are beacons of hope in a world dulled by going out tops, copy-cat “style”, and microtrend fiends. They consider their day ahead and seamlessly marry cut, color, texture, and individuality with utility, comfort, and occasion.
Behind every great outfit, there is likely a multitude of answered questions: Where am I going?, What do I need?, What do I love? Back your looks with intention, rather than a thirst for Instagram virality.
xx, Elena
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