Clothes are Woven with Memories

    Think back to some big moments in your life - from a fateful first date to the interview that landed you a dream job to the night he popped the question - and chances are, you can remember what you were wearing. After all, you probably agonized over the perfect outfit for each occasion! Or maybe it was a surprise, but when you picture a memory held dear, you can conjure up the clothes you were wearing. Not just how they looked, but how they felt, and how they made you feel in them.

    Clothing is much more than a necessity. It’s an extension of you. It’s an expression of your spirit. It’s reflective of your mood. The things we wear, especially for those big moments, from dresses to heels to jewelry, are laden with emotion. Maybe that’s the reason a woman can look into an overflowing closet and still feel like she has nothing to wear. Really, she has nothing to capture the way she is feeling. 

    Have you ever torn through your closet in search of the perfect outfit for that big day? What we wear and accessorize with reflects how we feel inside, and how we want to introduce ourselves to the world. They’re with us while we make memories; it’s no wonder that the sight and touch of a piece of clothing can flood you with nostalgia. 

    There may be no more special, emotional, filled-with-love garment than The Dress. The wedding dress. That makes me think of an earlier post on memorial bracelets that were made from pieces of Virginia’s grandma’s wedding dress. What a beautiful sentiment for the women in her family to be able to wear, and carry on the legacy of what that particular dress meant. Wouldn’t that also be a beautiful way to honor a loved one, especially one who couldn’t be there, on your own wedding day or any day? 

    Custom designs made special fabrics are beautiful both aesthetically and sentimentally. There are so many ways to incorporate a meaningful fabric, from the clothes of a loved one who has passed to quilts handed down through the generations. Fabric stimulates our senses visually and through touch, and may even bring to mind nostalgic smells associated with the memory. Smell may be the sense most linked to memory, but I think the look and feel of a special shirt is right up there too.

    Custom pieces don’t need to be limited to honoring the memory of a loved one. Custom designs can incorporate any memory or feeling. How about the baby clothes you can’t part with? Being able to wear a piece of one would bring a smile to your face far more than stuffing them in a box in the attic. You might have a dress you once adored and nearly wore out having so many good times in but you know you won’t wear anymore. Turn that into a piece of fashion you can still rock. 

    Clothing is not just something to wear, it’s a carrier of love and memories. Maybe it’s an old flannel of your dad’s that reminds you of walking with him in the woods on autumn days. Maybe it’s your grandma’s hand sewn dress that carries with it the sound of her laughter and smell of baking. To transform it into jewelry that can still be enjoyed is a heartfelt work of art. Let Virginia's expertise in custom work transform your beloved clothing and fabrics into gorgeous designs that you can wear every day. Kinda like wearing your heart on your sleeve.