As your wake-up alarm blasts the chorus of your favorite song, it marks the time to make a defining decision about the day ahead: what to wear. The process of rifling through our closet every morning can feel repetitive, but it’s a time for us to appreciate how much our styles have changed along with us and our experiences. A handful of factors, such as current location or upcoming destination, tend to inspire vastly different combinations while getting ready. Whether it’s spring break vacation or spending time back at home, the portable wardrobe of a traveller expresses the varying moods of daily life, no matter where we are. Between Los Angeles, Seattle, London, Seoul, Milan, and many more beautiful cities, relocation and travel teach us about our truest selves, and that evolution is reflected through our fashion choices. 

A wide variety of aesthetics have dominated the style scenes of different cities for decades. When picturing a city like Paris, the clearest image that comes to mind is one of effortless elegance. In contrast, street style in Tokyo might conjure a lookbook that leans more editorial and layered. Neither outshines the other, and though very different, they represent the city’s culture and community unapologetically. When visiting these iconic spots, our wardrobes are shaped and reshaped by the experiences we live and the inspiration we take from them. 

As an avid traveller and having lived in three different states, I can confidently say my personal style would not be what it is today without this cycle of exploration and change. From Phoenix to Los Angeles to Seattle– and many shorter stops in between– my style has been meticulously crafted over the course of experiencing countless adventures across the world. Neutrals have replaced brighter colors through chic European influence, yet bold patterns and accents have been simultaneously undertaken from New York’s notoriously individualistic fashion scene. Whenever I notice these changes in my closet, I appreciate the events that manifested new possibilities within my style. 

While the majority of our curated styles are based on personal preference and inspiration, a handful of our choices are also subconsciously motivated by local social norms. Although the concept of dressing to the nines for a quick run to the corner store is considered normal in most big cities, similar behaviors are not always received as sensibly in smaller towns. In areas like Dubai or Vatican City, it is expected that a certain level of modesty be maintained in public out of respect for cultural and religious reasons. Beyond these expectations, fashion exists to be accessible in all contexts. It has been proven time and time again across the globe that modesty provides no limitations for “how fashionable” somebody can be. 

As long as the visual language of fashion exists to evolve alongside us in all of life’s journeys, artistic expression is an entity that does not fear endangerment. Style is not just about following trends, it’s about learning how to express ourselves in a way that feels representative of each of us through our exploration of the world. The pieces in each of our closets exist as coordinates on a map, memorializing these experiences abroad that represent who we are both inside and outside of our communities.