Clothes. Unless you’re a nudist, chances are you’re wearing something while you’re reading this. From socks to t-shirts to hoodies, clothing is an essential part of our lives. Oftentimes, I find myself in a tricky situation between being vocal or holding back. Recently, I realized that holding anything back isn’t honest with who I want to be. I know I can use clothes to share a message. Standing up for my values is a major aspect of what I want to do on this blog, especially when I get to wear Black-Owned clothing. Everything I do as a black woman is inherently political. So hey, I’m here to make a point.
Everything that any of us do in our lives is inherently politicized. From the foods we eat to the clothes we wear. Want to know why? International relations, but also domestic relations. As we’ve seen over the last year, people have politicized everything in our lives whether they mean to are not. Facts aren’t partisan. COVID-19 is a pandemic. We should all wear masks, stay home, and get vaccinated when possible. Facts. Certain foods or diets harm migrants or low-income food workers who companies manipulate and underpay for their work in order to maintain a supply of foods like avocados, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Facts. Governments regulate every piece of clothing and tech we use through import and exports, and occasionally sanctions from governments. Everything in our lives is political and for some of us, we can’t ignore that our lives are political.
As a Black woman, I don’t get the option to pretend like my life isn’t political. It’s not just my life, but also the lives of the people I love. I have to be conscious of the way I talk, the way I act, and the way I dress in order to avoid ostracising myself or to function within the bounds of white supremacy. I don’t get the option to pretend that politics doesn’t matter because it can affect my day-to-day life at any moment. Police pulling me over. Being told I can’t work at a company because my hair in box braids or in its natural state isn’t “acceptable”. So now, I’ve resolved that I want to take full agency over my life and my body and really give a middle finger to anyone who doesn’t approve.
Don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely love to live in a world where everything doesn’t have to be politicized. Frankly, we just aren’t there yet. One day. Making a point through clothing is just my way of taking a stand and preserving my agency. My clothes will share that women deserve to be safe. Trans people are humans and deserve to be treated as such. Also to share that, America built its foundations from the blood, sweat, and tears of Black people. I refuse to back down from these facts.
Now, I plan on using clothes as a method of standing up for my values, but also subtly as well. Sometimes there will be t-shirts or coffee mugs like this. Black-owned businesses can be luxury businesses as well. Additionally, every month, a list of 10 new Black-Owned businesses will be my last post of the month. These posts will share small businesses, large ones, but also restaurants local to me or Etsy shops I’ve found. I put my money and my time where my mouth is, so these are brands that I trust and have purchased from, so I’m confident in what I put out there.
I’m really excited for what’s to come. I can feel myself becoming more myself and I look forward to sharing this journey with you all. If you’re up to see more, click here to sign up for my mailing list where you’ll find the latest posts, but also my latest buys. It’s a great and ever-changing newsletter that goes out weekly, so be sure to sign up!