Acceptance and Change (your clothes!)

first posted 8/7/13

Welcome to the middle way....

I am a DBT therapist, which means that I work with Dialectics.  What is that?  I always think of the closely related word: dialogue.  A dialectic is the interchange between two extremes.  Usually it is a "thesis" and it's "anti-thesis" coming together in "synthesis."  

The shorter definition is the middle, or "both / and...."

So a central dialectic in DBT is: ACCEPTANCE and CHANGE

A student of mindfulness practices radical acceptance, while also being responsible and accountable for change in her life.

So what the heck does this have to do with EXPRESSING YOUR TRUTH?

I have mentioned before that I experience and observe times when this process of trying to discover the truth about one's temperament (or type), in order to wear the right clothing to express it, becomes rather like the spin cycle!

Over and over again, I see women rub up against their shadow and resist recognizing aspects of themselves they'd rather not see. .. and it usually starts with watching myself do that.  

 I keep making the point in my facebook group that if you decide your type and it means that you continue dressing the same way you are already comfortable with, then why are you doing this?   Prepare yourself to look at yourself as a whole, non-judgmentally.  What is it that you may be repressing and thus resisting?  Can you allow that to show?  It may just be the aspects you dread that once you accept, you will become authentic.  I know that the aspects of myself that I repress always find a way to come out sideways, anyway.

So, accept who you are in totality when you look for your type (or season), and then change (your clothes!).

Update

Beginner's Mind

This blog, for me, has been a research receptacle.  I just like cataloging what I learn as I go.  More and more, I stumble upon a lot of opinions and even competition between theories and systems.  I have learned a lot, but I will never be done.  That is how I like to learn.  It's why I like astrology, you can never be done learning about it.  I like considering different perspectives, but with a looseness that doesn't require too tight of a commitment, and doesn't preclude truth being in several sources.

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Mindfulness Videos

Re-Inventing Your Wardrobe

If you know your Type, or you are experimenting, one of the first things you're going to start doing is evaluating the clothes in your closet and seeing what works, what needs to be put in storage (don't throw it out right away!), what you need to buy, and what could be modified!

This post is about how to modify your wardrobe, so you can get the most out of what you already have.

Here's another link on how to UPCYCLE your clothes.

Mostly how to change color, but also design lines, etc.

My related pinterest boards:  shoe refashion

My related posts: shoe refashion and spray paint for leather

http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/12/mixing-rit-dye.html

Dye: How to mix your own custom colors

Type 1                                                                     DIY Type 1                  No black: Put your black clothes away in storage for now, until you are pretty sure you're Type 1. Color palette: Use the ColoRit Formula Guide to choose tints of colors to redye some of your lighter clothing. You can also buy all kinds of women's clothing items in white and then dye them in your palette colors, by visiting Dharma Trading. Examples,    Rayon Crinkle Gauze - Gypsy Blouse, Smocked Romantic Tank Shoes: Add polka dots to your shoes, see this post, or perhaps spray paint them a tint. these are dip dyed How to Mix Your Own Custom Colors 500 Warm Red: 2 Tsp Tangerine, 1 Tsp Scarlet, 1 Cup Water 80 Coral Rose, 1 Tbs Golden Yellow, 1/8 Tsp Cherry Red, 1 Cup Water Tinted Yellow 75 2 Tsp Lemon Yellow, 1/8 Tsp Tan, 1 Cup Water 586 Seafoam, 1 tsp Aquamarine, 1/4 tsp Kelly green Tinted Blue 198 1 Tsp Royal Blue, 1/2 Tsp Teal, 1 Cup Water Tinted Purple 473 1/4 Tsp Purple, 1/8 Tsp Navy, 1 Cup Water Trying on T1

Type 2                                                                   DIY Type 2                                                                  No black: Put your black clothes away in storage for now, until you are pretty sure you're Type 2. Color palette: Use the ColoRit Formula Guide to choose greyed tones of colors to redye some of your lighter clothing.  Or dye items with Rit Pearl Grey, to tone down colors. You can also buy all kinds of women's clothing items in white and then dye them in your palette colors, by visiting Dharma Trading. Examples,   3/4 Sleeve Twist Front Tee, Peace and Love Halter Top Shoes: Update your shoes with designs that add femininity, such as with ruffles or bows.  Or spray paint the a gray or silver tone.   How to Mix Your Own Custom Colors   Pink: 116 (1/2 Tsp Petal Pink, 1/4 Tsp Taupe, 1 Cup Water) Cool Red: 133 (1 Tbs Fuchsia, 1 Tsp Violet, 1 Tsp Dark Brown, 1 Cup Water) 493 1 Tbs Wine, 1 Tsp Tangerine, 1 Cup Water Toned Orange (Salmon?) 79 1 Tbs Golden Yellow, 1/2 Tsp Cherry Red, 1 Cup Water Tone Yellow (though T2 doesn't really wear yellow) 49 1 Tbs Lemon Yellow, 1 Cup Water Toned Green 227: 1 Tsp Teal, 1 Tsp Kelly Green. 1 Cup Water Red-Violet: 431, 354, 169, 389, 430 (too many to list) Purple: 525 (1/2 Tsp Navy Blue, 1/8 Tsp Wine, 1 Cup Water) Blue-Violet: 164, 212, 184, 178, 435, 391 (too many to list) Blue: 438 (1 Tbs Royal Blue, 1 Tsp Black, 1 Cup Water) 173 (1 Tsp Denim Blue, 1/4 Tsp Taupe, 1 Cup Water)  Add   Pearl Grey to mute any color Trying on T2

Type 3                               DIY Type 3 The Type 3 Woman                                                              Peacocks & Leopards                                                                 No black: Try reverse dye with bleach to change your black clothes into rich tones of neutrals and rusts.                                  When "throwing out all your black clothes" isn't in the budget. Color palette: Use the ColoRit Formula Guide to choose shades tints of colors to redye some of your clothing.  Also try tea dyeing. You can also buy all kinds of women's clothing items in white and then dye them in your palette colors, by visiting Dharma Trading. Examples, Asymmetrical Tunic, Asymmetric Rayon Tank Top Shoes: Add a natural element to refashion your shoes and increase texture, or spray paint them to change their color.   How to Mix Your Own Custom Colors      143 Chile Red: 1 Tsp Tangerine, 1 Tsp Scarlet, 1/4 Tsp Cocoa Brown, 1 Cup Water 89 Shaded Orange: 1 Tsp Tangerine, 1 Tsp Sunshine Orange, 1/2 Tsp Cocoa Brown, 1 Cup Water Shaded Yellow: 55 1/4 Tsp Purple, 1 Tbs Lemon Yellow, 1 Cup Water Shaded Green 293: 2 Tbs Lemon Yellow, 1 1/2 Tsp Dark Green, 1 Cup Water Shaded Blue: Evening Blue Shaded Purple 419: 1 Tbs Navy Blue, 1 1/2 Tsp Wine, 1 Cup Water Trying on T3

Type 4                                                       DIY Type 4                                                                                     Saturated Black: The only type that can keep their black clothes.  In fact, you might want to dye some of it a crisper black if it has faded, such as your jeans or slacks. Color palette: You can use a lot of the pure Rit Dye colors to dye some of your clothing items with more saturation. You can also buy all kinds of women's clothing items in white and then dye them in your palette colors, by visiting Dharma Trading.  Actually, you can wear white too! And they sell some items in black. Examples,       3/4 Sleeve V-neck, Ladies Jersey Tank Shoes: Redesign your shoes or spray paint them to create a more chic look.           classic Rit colors Trying on T4

... but hey, don't listen to me or anyone, EXPRESS YOUR TRUTH! Jane