A Spiritual Approach to Connecting With Fashion

By: Carly Blackwell After being subject to a second lockdown in 2020, that is continuing to at least February moving forward, I began to connect more with my health and wellness passions, and less with fashion.  But after an interesting Zoom meeting, I realized something very important about fashion - it allows us to show up visually as our best selves, and it connects us to each other. There is something highly rewarding about wearing items that are on trend, colours that are in style, and fabrics that compliment the seasons. As I have mentioned in a previous article, I never felt truly a part of in fashion. Being 5'4" on a good day, and having previously been unable to budget, keeping up with trends or even really feeling good in my clothing didn't seem to be in the cards. I therefore maintained a beauty regime through cosmetics and hair, leaving very little resources left for clothing. But something that I have discovered as of late, is that it's not about perfectly

By Carly Blackwell Fashion is making efforts to be eco-friendly. While it is a leading culprit in pollution, 1 , 2   I wanted to still celebrate the efforts that many designers are making in order to at least in some way reduce their carbon footprints.  Here are some brands that I personally work with, and some of the steps they are taking to become leaders in sustainable fashion.  Cinzia Rocca eco fur Weekend Max Mara virgin wool Tagliatore cupro ("vegan silk") Mackage responsible down certified Save The Duck with PLUMTECH® instead of down 360Cashmere  Traceable Cashmere Sanctuary recycled polyester/plastic (and super soft!) Frame sustainable cashmere Citizens of Humanity denim (The Harlow Ankle) "Act local, think global" are words I live by, and with so many brands becoming more conscientious, it is an exciting time for fashion, even amidst a pandemic. While this industry still needs to address the problem of excessive waste on a packaging/shipping level, more and

By Carly Blackwell  And just like a folk song, our love with be passed on...  - Taylor Swift, "Seven",  Folk Lore   A powerful theme in fashion fall 2020 is country. Something about being in lockdown and going back to basics, I think we're ready for this folk-threaded trend! Gucci Liberty floral crêpe dress Bella Dahl flowy button down Frame Le Cropper Leather Mini Boot

I am back in fashion! I now work at a Canadian company, working with product that is comparable to a luxury department store. I call it a “mini Saks”, and while I miss working in a big company, where I am at is safe and clean and a has potential for growth. Today I was presented with an opportunity to model in stylist picks to be featured on social media. I realized a couple of things. First, I still have a lot to learn about discerning what suits what body type, and second, I have a lot of hold ups about every part of my body. Being faced with the dilemma of finding a flattering outfit that would accommodate my insecurities made me see what true styling is. I catapulted into a new understanding of fashion, and for a brief moment I felt once again inferior, but I didn’t let that take over. Instead I decided to learn what brands we sold that I truly liked and that I want to be loyal to. Stine Goya , Frank & Eileen , L’Agence , and Sanctuary are several designers who I want to

Cardigans are in fashion. I’ve waited my entire adult life for this moment. Listed are some of my top picks. Images taken from Saks Fifth Avenue app.

In the pandemic, I was temporarily laid off from my job with Ted Baker, and while I am not sure of my official fate with the company, I have decided to do my best to get back into high fashion. While there were a couple of MONTHS in the pandemic when I threw my hands up and believed that retail would never rebound from this crisis, where I considered upgrading my education and tried to think of digital careers, as we now enter the 9th week, officially now in the third month, I had a shift in thought and feeling. I really believe fully now that luxury fashion selling is where I want to be. And seeing that women are already buying now that the stores in some states are reopening, I am so optimistic. But really, I always felt secure in high-end fashion selling, even in brick-and-mortar, because when women are spending hundreds to thousands of dollars, they want to be in a store to see, touch, try on, and finally, get professional assistance.  And while I also reached an entirely