the art of intentional dressing
at the beginning of May, a package arrived at my door.
inside was Erin Walsh’s new book, The Art of Intentional Dressing – and if you turn to page 141, there I am. (squeee!)
my words and perspective on the intersection of shui, closets, identity, and manifestation… all woven into the pages of a major book about personal style and becoming.
it’s exciting (VERY exciting), but what lights me up most isn’t simply being included. it is this breath of fresh air noticing how eager people are for this conversation.
I’ve been talking shui for 20 years, and I have been in the rooms with producers, publishing houses, actors, and a myriad of other ‘house’ celebrities – and almost every conversation ends with shui is “a one trick pony. you move this, or buy that. you put a plant here, and hang crystals there. repeat.”
the thing is… the work I’ve always done goes so much deeper than décor. it lives in the relationship between people and their spaces, especially the closet.
so many people worry what I would ‘see’ if I came to their home, so let me tell you: your closet is one of the most fascinating spots. it holds EVERYTHING. old identities, old grievances, old expectations, and old versions of yourself you haven’t fully let go.
the racks hold the version of how you thought you needed to look “more professional.”
the hangers hold the version of you trying desperately to feel desirable again after heartbreak.
and, oh my, how the shelves hold expensive purchases bought during periods of loneliness, insecurity, ambition, or exhaustion.
the theme running through most? the closet houses a future you secretly stopped believing was possible.
inside her book, Erin shares one of my favorite simple shui truths: “your environment is always in conversation with you.”
whether we realize it or not, our spaces are constantly reinforcing stories back to us. so, if every morning when you stand in front of your closet saying: “I have nothing to wear…”
that is your neon sign there is an energetic mismatch between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
this is why shui will often become a very emotional process – it’s rarely about the ‘things’ themselves.
it’s about your identity, and whether your environment is supporting your BIG goals and ambitions for expansion… or clenching to your past.
so, what happens when someone decides to intentionally edit the closet so it ‘feels’ authentically them?
they stand a little taller – hello, confidence!
they make clearer decisions – good-bye, decision fatigue!
they become more visible – look at me now!
and they are more willing to take up space – take it or leave it, this is who I am!
nothing about the shui process is ‘magical’, but when your environment reflects the truth of you, it feels like MAGIC!
that’s the work.
so, seeing these ideas move into fashion, wellness, and broader cultural conversations feels incredibly meaningful and like a full hearted HALLELUJAH for me.
this wisdom deserves our attention to nuance, depth, intelligence, and most of all, curiosity.
a BIG thank you to Erin for including my work inside this beautiful book.
and thank YOU – whether you’ve been here five minutes or five years or the whole ride so far – for being part of a community willing to think differently about your space, energy, identity, and transformation.
xo
p.s. if you grab the book (amazon | bookshop.org), my section begins on page 141. and if this conversation about closets, identity, and manifestation resonates, there is SO MUCH MORE OF THIS inside The Simple Shui Course. xo
