my substack intro! and some starter thoughts on personal style :)
i can't wait to chat more, thank you all for being here!
Hi everyone! Welcome to my substack, i’m so glad you are here!
I’ve been contemplating whether or not to start this for a little bit, but for those of you have been around since the OG stylewithsoco days, you might remember that I used to write quite a bit. I remember when I started my instagram page and style blog back in high school like it was YESTERDAY. It feels very full circle to be sitting at a coffee shop in NYC right now as I type this. I can’t help but feel a little emotional; younger me might say that I am exactly where I always dreamed I would be. I feel very grateful to be living and chasing those same dreams I’ve had for years and years. Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey over the past decade, I wouldn’t be here without you guys and am constantly inspired and invigorated by this little online community. (some OG stylewithsoco pics below, truly nothing has changed…)
But anyways, here I am, another nyc microinfluencer fashion girly starting a substack. GROUNDBREAKING. But truthfully, life is too short, to hold back from sharing about the things you love. One of the biggest things that I’ve learned through putting myself out there on the internet is that when you shine your light, you allow others to shine theirs. And if I can inspire one person through anything that I put out into the universe, that is all that matters to me! So today, I am here to talk about the subject that has not only been one of the biggest guiding lights in my life but also something that inspires me each and every single day, personal style.
I am still figuring out the best way to convey all that I want to say with you guys, so if you watched my video earlier today, you got a gist of my feelings that I’ll share here again. (BTW I want your feedback, do you like all of this in videos, do you prefer I keep it simple and elaborate more in here? This is all still new for me too and I want to be able to connect with you all in the most authentic, accessible way possible, so my DMS are always open for feedback) But here we go, personal style, lets talk about it.
For my whole life fashion has truly been my biggest passion. Some people have definitely made me feel like this is an interest that is frivolous, materialistic, and unimportant. But to be honest, putting together outfits everyday allows me to tap into my truest form of creativity, authenticity, and individuality. Developing my sense of personal style over the years has allowed me to share my truest self with my community and the world around me, to become more confident and in tune with myself every single day, and to connect with human beings in such a special way. As I sit and write this, my eyes dart back and forth as I watch the people of New York walk past me, each going about their unique lives, each in their own unique outfits. I am always absolutely mesmerized people watching. And it’s making me think, just how deep our personal style really is. Every single morning, each and every one of us get dressed. Yes, clothing is what we put on our body because we have to in order to go out in the real world, but when you really think about it, clothing is what we put on our body to live our lives. It’s the go to baggy pair of jeans you wear to grab your morning coffee, it’s the blazer you wear on the first day of your dream job, it’s the slip dress you wore on that night where you met the love of your life, it’s the pair of vintage heels you dug for at a flea market with your best friends, it’s the outfit you took that FIRE insta pic in that you cant wait to show your kids one day. It’s the uniform that truly carries us through all of life’s moments, no matter how big or small.
And it’s also the uniform that really allows us to share who we are with the world. As I continue to watch all of the people in front of me, I am realizing that each and every one of them is communicating to me in some way through the clothing they have on their body. Of course, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I love that clothing is such a huge tool we can use for not only self expression, but human connection. I think of all the little moments I’ve had where I’ve connected with a stranger through an outfit. The up and down the fashion girlies give each other when they see someone in a coveted item, the “I love your top, where did you get it?” question that I always end up turning into a full life story of the exact day, time, and location where I thrifted said top, there was even a time on the subway where I saw a young girl and her mom admiring my sparkly Miu Miu Mary Janes. In that moment, I saw my inner child in her, and I’ll never forget it.
Using this tool of personal style has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. Whenever I leave the house, I truly feel empowered knowing that I am walking out the door in an outfit that makes me feel my truest, authentic self. No matter what mood I am in, or what character I want to play that day, I know I can utilize my closet to make me feel ME. And I know this is no easy task; I’ve spent years perfecting this craft. In our world that is so overly saturated with celebrities, influencers, micro trends, and over consumption, it can be really hard to find your personal style and really hard to not just use fashion as a way to fit in. But I am here to give you all of my personal style tips and share my journey of finding my own unique sense of style over the years. And most importantly I am here to remind you that you are a unique beautiful human and the world deserves to see YOU. Fashion is a form of art and self expression that connects us all. I hope I can be a source of inspiration for you all to help you find your true sense of personal style so you can share your true self with the world.
xx
Soco
