THE FOLLOWING ADVERTISEMENT HELPS KEEP THIS SITE RUNNING:
Story Behind The Cloth:
A Fashion-Philosophy Blog Seeking to Unveil Meaning Behind Personal Style.
Style Story Interviews:
Style Advice and Inspiration:
Alissa’s Style:
Style is an art; a deep form of expression that may often be difficult to put to words, but is meaningful and full of feeling.
Behind our choice of fabric, color, texture, and fit are memories, emotions, and ideals that we share in code.
Whether consciously or subconsciously, we’re remembering things about ourselves and sharing it with the world through our outfits.
It’s not always pretty either–sometimes our clothes have something to say about fear, pain, and insecurity–But what good, beautiful story doesn’t include these things, anyway?
Fashion is a unique form of exploration, and personal style gives so much opportunity for self-discovery.
Join me on this adventure of unveiling what is meaningful behind fashion, and learning to authentically share our true selves through style.
THE FOLLOWING ADVERTISEMENT HELPS KEEP THIS SITE RUNNING:
Most Recent Blog Posts:
Other Style Personalities Coming, Soon!
Style Story Interviews:
Style Story Interviews were created to show just how much beauty there is in human similarities and differences alike.
Without similarities, there would be no connection; Without differences, there would be no inspiration.
Join in on this adventure with us as we hear the stories of people with all sorts of backgrounds, personalities, thoughts, fears, hopes, sorrows, strengths, weaknesses, dreams, worldviews, and ways of expressing themselves–All through the lens of personal style!
Classy Colorful Confidence: A Style Story Interview with Shannon Holmes | + Thoughts on Building Confidence, Alabama Culture, and The Beauty of Kindness
Shannon is a cheerful wife, mom, grandmother, and Realtor who lives and works in the Birmingham and Auburn areas of Alabama. She enjoys sharing her love for fashion, color, and life on her Instagram @StyleShenanigens.
Her confidence is unwavering, every day is an opportunity to be her best, and it truly shows in the playful professionalism of each outfit she wears. Her classy silhouettes elude her high standards for herself, and every pop of color gives way to her warm, open personality and kindheartedness. She’s incredibly sweet, passionate about life and people, and her upbeat attitude is inspiring.
Attitude & Artistry: A Style Story Interview with Kader | + Thoughts on Culture, Confidence, and Compassion
“I think the most iconic thing [about my style] is my attitude. I grew up in a culture where women are expected to wear certain things and expected to behave in certain ways … The more I found myself internally, the more it is reflected to the outside world. I’m confident, outgoing, friendly, and open minded and when it comes to my style I feel like I project the same characteristics.” – Kader
Kader oozes confidence, charm, and creativity in every outfit she wears. She appreciates beauty and beyond the surface, she holds a universe of profound thoughts and a heart of gold.
Gyaru Chameleon: A Style Story Interview with Lizzie Bee
You’re most likely to find Lizzie having fun, twirling in a cute, floaty, pink dress, and making silly faces. She’s a sweet, playful, and hard-working blogger who writes about being Gyaru (which translates to “Gal”)–A fashion and lifestyle subculture that originated in Japan and exists all over the world.
The Gyaru subculture centers around having fun with fashion, being unafraid of breaking the “rules” to create something more exciting– life itself becomes a party, and “get wild, be sexy” is one of their most prominent mottos. The style is extremely eclectic and focused on boldly being yourself.
Vibrant Urban Poet: A Style Story Interview with Tajinder Kaur | + Punjabi Culture and Sparking Conversation Through Clothes
“No matter what style I choose to wear, whether it’s streetwear or a whimsical style, colour and confidence will always be present.” – Tajinder Kaur
Tajinder is determined, talented, genuine, beautiful, and has a unique and vivid sense of style. What first brought her blog to my attention is the mix of her quirky style along with her beautifully raw poetry–It’s an example of a fashion blog that is truly a “must-read” and not just a “must-view”.
Read her Style Story to learn more about her:
Reckless: A Style-Story Interview with Gwen Bielicki of “Reckless Resale” |+ Confidence and Mental Health
Gwendolyn Bielicki is a fashion reseller on Poshmark, designer, mom of three young women, and a wonderful friend who is incredibly inspiring and thought-provoking when you get the chance to get a glimpse into her mind.
She’s an overcomer of depression, anxiety and OCD. A quiet but wise, quirky, imaginative soul with so much beauty to offer the world. Soulful, unconventional and by the beat of her own drum, the word that most reflects her style is “Reckless”.
Alissa’s Style:
I love juxtaposition, duality, contrast, dialecticality…
No person or thing on earth is just one thing–And we even, often, “contradict” ourselves with our wildly different traits!
Our quirks are what make us beautiful and unique–
and i think the most beautifully interesting styles are the quirky, juxtaposed, “contradictory” ones, too,
because they embrace the weirdness of individuality.
I am a wild but docile, perfectly imperfect walking “contraction”:
I am idealistic and cynical, bubbly and introverted, emotional and stoic,
strong and delicate, blissful and melancholic…to name a few quirky traits.
Read the Most Recent Chapters of my Style Journey:
“It Isn’t Love If It’s Selfish” – An Outfit Representing Lost Love and Vulnerability
For so long, i’ve told myself: “It isn’t love if it’s selfish”.
There’s still nothing in me that has stopped believing that’s true.
Desire paired with selfishness is only possessiveness and in action, it’s only consumption.
It’s cruel and it enslaves. It suffocates. It disregards the needs, wants, and desires of another. It inflicts pain to all involved.
But what makes something selfish, anyway?
I’m not sure i actually know….. Is everything i want automatically selfish in my mind?… everything i think i can’t have?
Long Question – An Outfit Representing the Painful Beauty of Heartache
Have you ever felt heartache so strong, so beautiful, so wonderfully painful;
…one that makes you sigh with relief, contemplating that you’ve lived and loved to the fullest you could possibly imagine…?
I Didn’t Mean to Let Our Relationship Die – An Outfit Representing Relational Sabotage
I wonder all the time if i sabotaged our relationship.
Together for 5 beautiful years…Over in the blink of an eye.
Am i the villain of my own story?
Trailblazing – An Outfit Representing Paving My Own Journey
There’s a long journey ahead, and i need to trailblaze the path myself. The paths society has paved do not suit me. Attempting to walk them is dangerous to me and full of strife. “Normalcy” may not exist for me and i don’t want to attempt to adhere to it anymore. I MUST figure out how to make life work with my own needs.
SO, i’m gonna build a “skoolie” to live in!
Your Love Was My Favorite Adventure
I don’t really have a place to call
“home”. That used to be an idea that would excite me and send wonderful
chills down my spine… “Alissa the nomad”. For as long as i can remember
i deeply believed that was my
one and only possible destiny;
the only thing that could ever
make me feel whole.
Now all i want is to go home.
Blog Posts About Fashion, Humanity, and Storytelling:
The Strength of Accepting Weakness
Accepting weakness begets strength.
I am queen of my darkness, and equally queen of my light.
I can own my struggles, i can own my pains, i can own those emotions that feel so very close to death.
They are mine, but i am not theirs.
I can relax in who i am, moment to moment, and see beauty even in the dark and quiet.
Classy Colorful Confidence: A Style Story Interview with Shannon Holmes | + Thoughts on Building Confidence, Alabama Culture, and The Beauty of Kindness
Shannon is a cheerful wife, mom, grandmother, and Realtor who lives and works in the Birmingham and Auburn areas of Alabama. She enjoys sharing her love for fashion, color, and life on her Instagram @StyleShenanigens.
Her confidence is unwavering, every day is an opportunity to be her best, and it truly shows in the playful professionalism of each outfit she wears. Her classy silhouettes elude her high standards for herself, and every pop of color gives way to her warm, open personality and kindheartedness. She’s incredibly sweet, passionate about life and people, and her upbeat attitude is inspiring.
Attitude & Artistry: A Style Story Interview with Kader | + Thoughts on Culture, Confidence, and Compassion
“I think the most iconic thing [about my style] is my attitude. I grew up in a culture where women are expected to wear certain things and expected to behave in certain ways … The more I found myself internally, the more it is reflected to the outside world. I’m confident, outgoing, friendly, and open minded and when it comes to my style I feel like I project the same characteristics.” – Kader
Kader oozes confidence, charm, and creativity in every outfit she wears. She appreciates beauty and beyond the surface, she holds a universe of profound thoughts and a heart of gold.
Fashion-Psychology and Mental Health Blog Posts:
The Strength of Accepting Weakness
Accepting weakness begets strength.
I am queen of my darkness, and equally queen of my light.
I can own my struggles, i can own my pains, i can own those emotions that feel so very close to death.
They are mine, but i am not theirs.
I can relax in who i am, moment to moment, and see beauty even in the dark and quiet.
Connecting With Emotion
Spending some extra time deciding on my outfits is my favorite way to recognize my emotions and prioritize my mental health.
Artistic expression has always allowed me an avenue to slow down, explore, and find beauty in the things i feel.
Sometimes connecting with my emotions feels like pure magic… I find power in being in sync with how i feel and accepting myself as i am.
Sketches of Anxiousness – My Anxiety-Inspired Fashion Collection
I felt inspired to bring how i was feeling onto paper in the form of conceptual fashion sketches.
I thought i’d share them with you for two reasons:
1. To give hope that you’re not alone and that others understand what you’re going through.
2. To shed light on what mental health issues feel like–anxiety in particular–and hopefully bring in some more understanding and sympathy.
Fashion Tips and Style Guides:
Witchy Style Guide: 4 Powerful Elements of Gothic Bohemian and Dark Mori Kei Fashion
Powerful, magical, dark, and dramatic fashion for fierce and romantic individuals with great curiosity, serenity, love for nature, and humble understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as well as the depths and beauty of life and death.
If that sounds like you, read on to learn how to create a wardrobe that is as Witchy as your soul, and venture into a life of magic of your own creation, as these powerful but graceful looks inspire you to embrace and strengthen all aspects of yourself, equally unafraid of your light and your dark
Kick-Ass Style Guide: 5 Strong Elements of Edgy Cyberpunk Fashion
Baddass, sleek, and edgy looks for the brave and daring, fighting souls who don’t sense defeat and look forward to the future.
The optimistic-realists, who realize the world is cruel but believe they can do something about it–Unafraid of playing dirty if it means they have a chance to make a positive difference in the lives of themselves and their loved ones.
If that sounds like you, read this guide to learn how to create a wardrobe that is as Kick-Ass as your soul, and embrace your life’s mission as these vigilant looks inspire an exciting, reckless, courageous life full of obstacles to overcome.
With this distinct, headstrong, looks-could-kill, Cyberpunk wardrobe (inspired by secret agents and vigilantes) even the most mundane days are full of bold purpose.
A Simple Guide to Creating Your Quaint Style | Cozy Mori-Kei Fashion Tips and Inspiration
Charming clothing that is reminiscent of quiet and content, cabin-in-the-woods life–perfect for peaceful, sweet, nostalgic, quirky, independent (and especially introverted) individuals with a love for nature, creative works, and the idealistic thought of more simple, natural and relaxed living.
If that sounds like you, read on to learn how to create a wardrobe that is as Quaint as your soul, and slip into a quiet mindset as these nostalgic and cozy looks inspire a tranquil life full of simple pleasures and independence, surrounded by nature. With this charming, warm and comfy wardrobe strongly inspired by Mori-Kei (Japanese – Translates: “Forest Style”) you may experience a sense of peace and comfort in even the most hectic of days.
Outfit Ideas:
Shop ’til You Drop
A wildly glamorous outfit with a glittery, strapless crop top, sequined, leopard-print, high-waisted leggings, bright red furry teddy coat, lipstick-shaped purse, and red bowtied heels.
Peacocking
A fabulously glamorous party outfit with a white button-up shirt, white and silver tuxedo-coat, silver trousers, feather-print bowtie, pink sunglasses, and hot pink snake-print loafers.
Wild Paradise
A leisurely glamorous outfit with massive vaycay-vibes. Light blue silk crop top, leopard-print fur coat, silky metallic-gold high-waisted trousers, palm-leaf print hair wrap, feather earrings, and floral leopard print slip-on heels. It’s possible to mix ecclectic prints and still look elegant.
Shop:
Witchy Hats for Halloween and Beyond
Whether you’re shopping for a Halloween costume or updating your day-to-day wardrobe, a good witch hat will help you embrace your inner magick like no other accessory!
Browse and shop my curated lists below for witchy hats that are elegantly classic enough to take you through this Halloween season and beyond!
Glamorous Luxury Holiday Gowns That are Worth the Expense
Each holiday brings another great excuse to treat others (and ourselves!) to a wonderful time, full of memories; and each celebration brings the perfect opportunity to dress up!
Best Black Friday Fashion Sales and Deals for 5 Different Styles
Holiday shopping has begun! Have you started checking items off your list?
Whether you’re shopping for your family, friends, or yourself (or if you just want to enjoy browsing) i’ve got loads of hand-picked items for you, sorted into 5 different styles.
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