Finally, a List of Soulful Finds #0001
And why I've been doing a lot of prefacing...
Procrastination. That’s it. The honest and straightforward answer.
I hyped my return to writing and sharing my soulful shopping finds, that I set up a ton of expectation (ok not a ton, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the subscription notifications, I send my heartfelt gratitude to everyone here and welcome!) and now I had to deliver. I really don’t thrive well under self-imposed pressure until I remembered I was here to put my energy on what I wanted to see more of online. People, places and things that inspire us to be mindful, purposeful, intentional, and thoughtful. Once I found my center, I calmed down and then got excited to get back on the topic again.
With this first list aka Soulful Finds #0001 (let’s figure out the next step once I get to #9999), I’ll attempt to set the scenery and give you a feel of where we are going with a selection of like-minded individuals who remind us that slowing down is living more.
Of A Certain Vintage - Inspiring how Neela distills what she wants in a piece of clothing. If only we all put this much thought and consideration into choosing our clothes. She writes, after listing down all her requirements for “a utility jacket that is made for the human who is homesick and filled with wanderlust”:
“I wish this is how considered every addition to my closet is. I wish this is the kind of obituary all of my clothes get when I let them go. Not true. But I keep trying. With practice, the thought process between seeing something and wanting it, the duration between wanting something and choosing it, and the process of decision making seem to feel more in my control than a run away train driven by desire.” - OACV
Reading My Tea Leaves - I discovered Erin Boyle through Neela of OACV, and her thoughts on how “the good part isn’t always a dramatic reveal. (And off-screen, sometimes the dramatic reveal is not so good at all.)” resonated with me.
We all love a good transformation story, a dramatic “before and after”, but the reality is, the most life-changing magic does not happen in a snap of a finger, but instead, in consistent stewardship and care, often in private with no need for validation and recognition. We do it for ourselves and that is enough reward. I think her idea deserves a newsletter of its own.
@AmySmilovic on Instagram - the founder and creative director of Tibi knows how to put into words the essence of thoughtfully curated and executed style.
Called a fashion fairy godmother by the writer Kara Brown - “She unpacks nuances of why outfits fail: why a lack of irony can make you look too preppy, why the wrong proportions make your outfit boring, why you shouldn’t match your top to your shoes.”, Amy is so inspiring that during pandemic lockdown, she inspired me to do IGTVs on style. Me! An introvert who gets stage fright at the sight of a phone camera pointed at me! But then my Mom passed away and I felt lost and aimless, it seemed ridiculous to be talking about fashion and style during such a fraught time.
That didn’t stop me from bingeing on Amy’s Tibi Style Class videos though, she helped me get through a dark time. As a business owner, I also love her approach on mindful production to keep inventory at a manageable level and not compromising on her designs just to get department store buyers to carry her brand. Her approach is, “If they get it, they get it. If they don’t, it’s their loss.” It takes a certain kind of confidence and resoluteness to stand your ground in the face of potential sales. While I have a love-hate relationship with social media, she is one of it’s true gifts. Along with…
@TheCreativeClassicist on Instagram - If Amy Smilovic is the Master, Rose is the devoted student who lives by the Master’s tenets. The girl oozes style, and she does it devoid of ego. She’s not there to impress anyone or to make you want her life. Her energy simply stems from a love of clothes and a desire for authentic self-expression.
She also advocates renting clothes, outfit repeating, spending on quality and using old pieces, because there is no shame in that.
@Ashmi.Path on Instagram - another of Instagram’s greatest gifts. The platform isn’t so bad if you know where to look actually. Her messages feel like a balm to my soul, comforting and reassuring. It was this message in fact that gave me the courage to go ahead and share my Substack to the world (well this plus a lot of prodding from my friend Kat who was pointing out the signs for me as I was dragging my heels and hesitating. Glad they pushed me!).
Her messages remind me to trust the flow of life and to just “be”. A good reminder especially when you feel caught up in the confines of the physical world.
So there, that wasn’t so hard after all! I’ve finally delivered a taste of the goods and I think I have given a strong and reasonable position on why this newsletter exists. It will be finds like this plus a lot more on my thoughts and musings and you are always welcome to join in on the conversation in the comments section.
By the way, I know I’ve been on a roll the last couple of days, churning out newsletters practically on the daily, but I’ve actually planned for this to be more of a weekly thing as I do have other responsibilities and “because substance takes time to create and grow” (got that from @lowprofilenyc). As we all are aware now, “fast” be it in food or fashion always bites you in the ass in the long run.
Till then, see you next week. Wait for the next edition in your inbox. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do!