A New Way to Navigate One Who Dresses
If the mission of One Who Dresses were to be distilled to a single thing it would likely be this: to answer the question what is style? It's a big question—one that can invite us on a winding, wondrous personal journey if we're ready.
I've been thinking about this journey, your journey and mine, through the content that lives here and in the context of the direction the site will move in the time to come, and it occurred to me that a journey like this, with its twists and turns, needs something in the way of direction. So, introducing: What is Style- a map to the One Who Dresses universe. Style is presented here as a function of six determinants: what we wear, what we think, who we dress, how we live, what we behold, and what surrounds us. These determinants are now the site's main navigation categories so content will be organized in such a way that you can dive deeply into any one of the six facets of style, or step back and take in the larger picture.
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these are the six components of style and the primary way the site's content will be organized
fashion- what we wear
Clothes, the outermost layer of style, are all too frequently mistaken for the only layer of style. This content celebrates clothes in context, looking closely at creative styling ideas, exploring the elements of a stylish wardrobe, and examining how clothes help to define our personal style.
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philosophy- what we think
But of course style doesn't start or end with a piece of clothing; who we are matters, and what we think about the world is an important part of who we are. Accordingly, our philosophy on life and fashion and everything in between is a vital part of our style.
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spirit- who we dress
Style is nothing if not an outgrowth of the human spirit. Here we lavish attention on how our spirit—our creativity and uniqueness, our intention for our clothes and the interaction between our substance and our surface—contributes dynamically to the impact we make in our clothes.
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joie de vivre- how we live
We started with the clothes on our bodies, traveled inward to the mind and spirit, and now we turn outward to the life we live in our clothes. Style emanates from a life good and well lived, from relishing in the joys of living, and from a life of purpose.
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beauty- what we behold
The pursuit of beauty is a fundamental need, and a core desire that exists at the heart of fashion. But beauty is frequently co-opted by consumerism, leaving us feeling empty instead of filled up. This work serves to reclaim beauty as a substantive, nurturing part of the human experience.
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objects- what surrounds us
Objects enrich our lives. Considering them less from a strictly utilitarian place and more from the perspective of their aesthetic, emotional,and energetic charge, the goal is to gain an appreciation for the power of our things and to learn to surround ourselves with objects of meaning and beauty.
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beyond this main navigation are six more categories that content will fall into:
my style
Here, I'll share my personal experimentations with the art of dress, including what inspires me and how I translate my ideas on fashion, and the evolution of my thinking, to the clothes I wear. This space will document the unfolding of my personal style journey.
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style matters
Home to the site's in-depth explorations of all things style-related. In a way, style matters brings all the pieces together and puts forward a set work designed to somehow challenge our thinking on style, push the boundaries of our understanding of style, or cast style in an interesting light.
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profiles
One of the most significant sources of style inspiration is to peek into the clothes or persona or mind of someone who believes that fashion fundamentally tells a human story. This forum exists to shine a spotlight on compelling people wearing clothes, making clothes, and beyond.
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runway
Fashion is a living and breathing entity, and runway fashion gives us a pulse of what's alive in fashion's organism at the moment. Here, we celebrate the creativity and beauty of the fashion industry, and don't shy away from being critical of it as well.
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happenings
Happenings covers current events, museum exhibits, and pieces that reflect what's in the news and other goings on.
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brands
In a world of anonymous clothing, this site's brand coverage seeks to foster a connection between the makers of the clothes we wear (and the things we own) and ourselves. This content will highlight brands doing things slowly, more responsibly, and with greater intention.
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As always, I'm eager for your thoughts and feedback, and to hear whether this is helpful for you or how it could be more helpful. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to continuing on this journey with you.
