Fashioned by Faith

#Oufitoftheday #fashion

The Coronavirus has affected the fashion world and is slowly bringing to its knees. We have traded in our skinny jeans and heels for the comfort of our fuzzy buzzy slippers and sweatpants. We have been locked away from the outside world, barred from our sense of creativity. It seems as though us fashionistas are losing our sense of style. But today, my Fashion and Digital Media Professor, Kara Van Cleaf, changed that for me. The moment Van Cleaf gave the instructions for the assignment, Outfit of the Day, I thought of the perfect ensemble.

There's a process of selecting the perfect outfit. I think we can all agree that the first step in choosing an outfit is to take note of how you are feeling. The ideal way of creating your desired look is to figure out how you want your clothes to fit on your body. Do you prefer a relaxed look or a preppy look? And where do you start? Personally, I choose my shoes first and work my way up. Today I decided to wear my Tie-dye, Zaneta ankle wrap sandals. As we embark on the most trivial time in the Coronavirus pandemic, death, and unemployment rates at an all-time high, the decisions for stimulus packages are stalled, there is no breakthrough in finding a cure and the stay-home time has been extended yet again. Amid this pandemic, we are losing our faith in believing that outside will ever be open again. This belief led me to remember what they symbolize and what led me to them in the first place. My ankle wrap sandals remind me of blue Iris flowers that blossom in the spring. Blue Irises represent faith and hope, both in which are essential to have in this uncertain time.

Miniature Blue Irises

Next, I had to make an executive decision on the bottoms I wanted to wear. Yes, A lot of thought went into this portion of my outfit because anyone who knows me knows that my go-to bottoms are usually leggings or activewear bottoms. With these shoes, neither leggings nor active bottoms would complement or emphasize its most profound meaning. So jeans it was! The dark blue in my shoes ultimately led me to the idea of wearing a solid dark blue jeans. I selected solid dark jeans that softly hugged my waist and hips and were cuffed at the bottom of the legs. Afterward, I found a white off the shoulder top with bell sleeves and white embellishments going down the center. This top created a soft spring into summer feel for me as the belled sleeves flowed in the gentle breeze while taking my picture. The last thing was to add an accessory that would add a delicate touch to my outfit. I chose my sapphire necklace that also symbolized faithfulness.

And Presto! My outfit was complete!

As I descended the stairs to take my picture, I could not wipe the smile off my face. Although I was not going anywhere, a feeling of confidence quickly filled my heart. Instead of walking with hunched shoulders and an unamused facial expression, I strutted out the door, and for the first time during this pandemic, my smile felt real again. This very moment created a sense of normalcy and was a sudden reminder to have faith when things seem uncertain.