Reading Peoples Clothes

In 2022, Liz began an experimental series called Reading People's Clothes, where she observed the people around her and crafted short, reflective stories about their outfits. These pieces, written spontaneously in her phone notes, offered an imaginative exploration of individuals through the lens of their clothing. Sharing these stories with her online community, she invited them to engage with her observations and use their own imaginations to paint pictures of the people she described. Reading People's Clothes encourages her audience to look up from their screens, observe the world around them with curiosity, and connect with the diverse array of individuals they might pass by each day.

By the end of 2023, Liz had written over 100 stories as part of this series, each one an intimate snapshot of the people who populate our daily lives - stories woven together by clothing, identity, and the shared experience of being human. Through this series, Liz fostered a deeper understanding of how fashion can tell a story, how we judge and connect with others, and how we can learn to see beyond the surface.

The first story was sparked by a chance encounter in a park. Liz noticed a woman, gracefully navigating her time with her children, her attire meticulously put together. The image of her - calm, composed, and undeniably present - left a lasting impression. There was a quiet elegance in her outfit, an effortless poise that contrasted with the more chaotic, fragmented energy of everyday life.

As Liz observed her, something shifted. The woman’s careful attention to her appearance made Liz reflect on her own relationship with clothes. It wasn’t just the woman’s outfit that captivated her; it was the sense of self that her clothes conveyed. Liz found herself questioning the way she dressed and the role fashion played in how she showed up in the world.