My journey with fashion is one of self acceptance.

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As a teen I struggled, as many do, with how my body looked. I used fashion as a way to hide the parts I did not like about about my body. I wore the brands I thought were “cool” and spent a lot of time & money trying to fit in. This made dressing myself feel like a part-time job. Shopping for the right clothes and researching the most flattering, acceptable fashions resulted in hours in front of the mirror, clothes strewn across my room, only to end up feeling frustrated and mentally exhausted.

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College led to the discovery of video bloggers who shined with body-positivity. I studied the human body in figure drawing class, and learned to appreciate just how amazing and beautiful it is in all it’s form, structure and spirit. I signed up for yoga and fitness classes and started to care more for how my body felt and less about how it looked. This forced me to look at myself and others with careful attention and appreciate how varied and interesting we are as people. 

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I fell even more in love with art, design, and history. I learned to approach my outfits with the same experimental attitude as if they were elements of a painting. This new approach to style allowed me to think about color and texture in a way that inspired my art. A delightful cycle of authenticity that I had discovered as an artist.

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#WhatCydWore is a collection of my outifts from a daily art challenge. Below you’ll find the highlights selected from the 100 days I participated. This project started as a way to gain momentum in my style as an illustrator, but I realize in hindsight it is built upon a foundation of personal growth. This is a celebration of acceptance that I hope may inspire someone, somewhere, who may be sitting in a pile of clothes on the floor frustrated with what is in the mirror.