What Do You Wear On a Really Important Day?

Picking outfits and choosing meaning.

Until now, the most meaningful outfit I've ever worn was my wedding dress. I had never planned on doing too much with my look that day, I thought maybe I'd find something easy. But one day, I saw a gown that I simply could not walk away from.

I guess that's how it goes sometimes.

The eyelet empire waist dress was by an independent designer, it fit the vibe of my outdoor event, and it was just so me. I was comfortable – no frills or bright whites, just simple. It was so important to feel like myself, not some version of me that was expected.

So last week, when I decided I wanted to really put thought and meaning into the outfit I wore for the launch of my book, I channeled that same idea. I'll be reading at The Strand on September 29th at 7 P.M. I want to honor the ideas of the book, that fashion should be functional, and chosen with care and respect for the people who made it.

At first, I was looking at second-hand clothing. We know that shopping this way is significantly more sustainable and that felt important. I did buy a dress but later returned it to the store when it just didn't fit quite right. I realized I was trying to force it in a way, which would mean that I'd only wear it once, and not feel like myself. The dress just wasn't it.

What outfit is me, though? What helps tell the story of this moment? I thought about how I love overalls and jumpsuits. I think it's the ease of one outfit and honestly, the fact that it's pants. This led me to the idea of a suit – I own one that's very business and didn't feel appropriate for this occasion. After looking for days, dodging the fast fashion ads filling my screen, I found something that felt easy-going enough and included separates that I think I can wear for a long time. The pants are Mara Hoffman, who is a designer featured in the book. To me, the suit I chose represents the seriousness of the topic I'm speaking on while still feeling relaxed. It's also black and white, representing the two very stark sides of fashion and clothing that are a theme throughout my book.

And now that Worn Out: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion's Sins is out you can buy it here!