Where Spirit Meets Fashion

Welcome to my Fashion Blog. My name is Carly Blackwell, and I invite you to walk with me in my journey though fashion. 

Even though I have been working with clothing for over twenty years, with my first experience being a part-time sales associate in Ladies' wear at Wal-Mart, I always felt a disconnect from fashion. Either it was too expensive, or I was too self-conscious in my body or spirit to wear many pieces in either trend or more sustainable styles.

In the fall of 2018, half a year ago now, I landed a Style Advisor position at a high-end department store. Very early on I was aware that I didn't have the confidence to look the part, put together outfits, or sell with assertiveness. Once it became apparent that I wasn't succeeding to the satisfaction of expectations, I started small, learning more about textile. This helped my confidence grow, and it became a bit easier to talk to customers about the pieces. 

Eventually I became more familiar with the inventory. I discovered that my style, or what I wanted my style to be, was much more edgy than I was letting on, in my almost religious garb look. Working with designer clothing was for me the same as when people say you can't go back to Mac and Cheese after eating Filet Mignon. I tasted the luxury of designer clothing and it became something I no longer wanted to avoid. I became ready to move on from the easier, softer way of spending my money on cosmetics, perfumes, and handbags, to investing in higher quality pieces of clothing.

Something I also noticed was the almost physiological reactions I had to some of the more edgy pieces - the ever so massive "distressed" look that is killing it right now. It would make me almost sick to see this intentional "destruction" of garments, when I still wear some pieces that I have had for nearly ten years and (to my belief) still look new. 

But fashion IS emotional: it's art, it's designers' blood sweat and tears. I realized that I am hugely spiritually connected to fashion, recalling when I was younger and had nervous reactions and bewilderment to many of the pieces I saw modelled in runway shows. I began to make a connection between my emotions and fashion....clothing - one of our basic needs of life!

That is why I have named this blog "spiritual fashion": my immediate goal is to discuss and dislodge some of those emotional blocks that we can have with fashion, because clothing stirs up a ton of excitable feelings and even has the power to propel us forward, or hold us back. 

As someone who I find to be one of the most inspirational designers, Eileen Fisher, says, style evolves. And it's in this same spirit where I hope to see growth with this blog. Just as I started at the bottom in wardrobing, I start at the bottom in my fashion writing, with the hope that I can continue to be inspired, and to inspire others.