My Fashion Story..

What’s your fashion story?

When did you begin writing it’s pages? What chapter did you struggle with most? Who and what inspired you along the way?

My earliest memories of fashion are the days that I would go with my mum to take out our Layby at Best n Less, Tweed City. She’d usually purchase in large volumes and seasonally for my 5 siblings I, and always made sure my sister and I were dressed in matching outfits. I clearly remember a striped skivvy with cord overalls and Colorado boots to be precise. Raiding the Cheetah factory sales around Currumbin for matching swimmers, head bands and bags was also an early highlight. It soon upgraded to Pacific Fair hits on a Saturday after we’d played netball/football. I was always so happy and grateful on these days, and when we’d arrive home we would parade our new outfits for our dad to the theme song of Man O Man, (who remembers that show 😂). 

Before I knew it I landed a job in retail at age 13 where I would spend the next 6yrs working weekends and school holidays, and growing my love for fashion. I was always the family representative to buy presents for Mother’s Day etc and my sisters have long been recipients of my hand-me-downs. When we were a little older, one of my sister’s even promised to buy me a pair of shoes if i’d go and do her shopping for her, (perhaps this is was my lightbulb moment of “I could actually get paid for this”). For as long as I can remember, before I’d fall asleep at night I’d be planning outfit combos in my head.

Throughout high school I most definitely used fashion as a confidence shell. I’d describe it as getting up and putting my armour on. The way I dressed or presented myself seemed to make me come across as really confident, when underneath I was, in fact, very anxious with such low self esteem. I’ve always had a huge issue with entering public places such as arriving at an event. I would spend 3/4 of the night at high school parties hiding in the car refusing to get out because I couldn’t shake the anxiety to actually enter the party. Clothing can’t take all the credit, but I soon realised that if I dressed a little left field in well put together outfits including bold accessories; that people would then greet me with “I love your earrings” or “where’d you get your dress from”. I used fashion as a deflection of how awkward I always felt and it helped work as an ice breaker for me on many occasions. It quite literally shielded my weaker interior and became my shell of confidence.

Now, when I look at an item of clothing, it tells a story. I see a dress and remember how it stretched over my big belly at the baby shower of my first child, I see a pair of shoes that walked me across the stage to receive my University Degree, I see a jacket I used to put over my mum at chemo because those rooms were always cold.. 

Fashion has different meanings for different people. Along with different meanings at different times throughout their life. I love how fashion can help transform as a person and the evolving stories it will forever tell. Don’t let anyone write your fashion story but you!