Truth or Fiction: You ARE What you Wear?

Yesterday my sunglasses broke, and in preparing for a trip to a bright desert, a gal has to have good quality shades, so I headed out to my favorite designer fashion store—Walmart. I picked out a few possibilities, only to discover there was no mirror in the sunglasses aisle!

For a moment I grappled with my conflicting thoughts. What were the Walmart people thinking? That no one wants to check out how they look before they make a sunglass purchase? Or, am I vain because I want to make sure I look GOOD before venturing outside in the sunlight? Am I just supposed to pick one and go with it, hoping for the best in function as well as appearance?

The dilemma reminded me of a mini-crisis I faced many years ago. I had spent several years in a healing process, trying to recover from severe trauma that had kept me relatively incapacitated and extremely fearful. Counseling, confronting, processing, forgiving, releasing, and tears brought massive change into my life.

I had healed extensively but it wasn’t until I experienced a specific breakthrough that my identity was transformed from Victim into Victor. I began to come alive for the first time in my life. Not just coping but really living.

At that time, it was almost winter, and I needed a new coat. I didn’t have any other coats in my closet and money was tight, (I could choose only one), so went to Burlington Coat Factory and began to peruse the racks of coats. So many styles to choose from! But at that point in my life, I didn’t know WHO I was: Was I black leather, sexy sleek? Pink fluffy, flashy, and cute? Sporty and active? Boring brown corduroy to blend in?

In dreams, clothing represents an outward appearance of the qualities or equipping within. Coats can portray special abilities or personality (think of Joseph’s coat of many colors).

I had an internal meltdown right there in the store, overwhelmed with the choices, not so much regarding coats, but in identity—how I perceive myself and present myself to the world. I wanted to reflect the ‘real me’. But who was that?

After careful deliberation, I finally decided on a denim coat with soft, fluffy flannel inside—because it was COMFORTABLE.

Most of us have closets full of coats and clothing fit for any occasion. What is your favorite to wear out in public? What does that outfit reveal about you? And, what would you LIKE to ‘sport’ if you knew you could get away with it? What do you have inside of you that the world needs to enjoy?

Truth or Fiction: You ARE What you Wear?