ERIN SIMMONS studio

Whether we’re aware of them or not, we all have values when it comes to getting dressed.

Most of the time, they’re subconscious.

We know we like something. Or we know we don’t. But when someone asks why, it’s harder to explain. We reach for vague answers. “It just feels right.” “It’s not really me.” “I don’t know.”

Discovering your fashion values isn’t simple. It takes reflection. It often takes years of trial and error. It requires paying attention to patterns rather than reacting to trends.

But there’s something powerful about putting language to those feelings.

When you can name what matters to you in clothing, getting dressed becomes clearer. Buying becomes more intentional. Letting go becomes easier.

Here’s one exercise you can try.

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Start With One Garment

Go to your closet and pull out your favorite piece.

Not the most expensive one. Not the most impressive one.

Your favorite.

The one you reach for instinctively. The one that feels like home.

Now ask yourself:

• Is it oversized or fitted?

• What color is it?

• What fabric is it made from?

• How long have you owned it?

• Does it have a story?

• Are there places you can’t wear it?

• Are there temperatures where it doesn’t work?

• Does it highlight a part of your body you love?

• Does it soften or conceal a part you feel protective of?

• Where does it fall on your body? Cropped? Long? Structured? Fluid?

• How often do you wear it?

• Do you save it for special occasions or wear it daily?

• Does it remind you of someone?

• Does it belong to a different chapter of your life?

• Is it meaningful because of utility or because of memory?

• Do you wear it when you want to be seen?

• Or when you want to feel invisible?

• Does it make you feel like the best version of yourself?

• Or does it allow you to relax into a softer, quieter version?

Don’t rush the answers.

Write them down.

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Look for Patterns

This exercise isn’t about analyzing one item. It’s about uncovering what it reveals.

You may discover you value:

• Comfort over structure

• Structure over softness

• Sentiment over novelty

• Utility over aesthetics

• Being seen over blending in

• Longevity over variety

Or something entirely your own.

That favorite garment is not random. It speaks to your values.

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Why This Matters

When you don’t know your fashion values, you outsource them.

To trends.

To influencers.

To well-meaning advice.

To sales tactics.

But when you understand what you value, your closet starts to make more sense.

You stop buying pieces that fight your nature.

You stop believing what the fashion machine is telling you you should wear.

You start building coherence.

Your wardrobe becomes less about performance and more about alignment.

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A Quiet Practice

This isn’t a one-time exercise.

Over time, pull out a few more favorites and repeat the process. See what overlaps. Notice what surprises you.

The goal isn’t to label yourself.

It’s to understand yourself.

Because style doesn’t begin with trends.

It begins with values.

And values, once named, become anchors.