Lovely to hear from you and I can understand where you are coming from. I think your approach and attitude are right - wearing the right pieces can make you feel much more physically and emotionally comfortable.

So glad to hear back from you!

I think your observations show both how important clothing can be and yet at the same time we might be making it more complicated than it really is. That's what I've been finding about my own wardrobe habits and expectations , anyway.
And I did an EF post as well!

Just chiming in to say it's good to hear from you and read your thoughtful commentary. I am so glad you're on the road to good health. You are so beloved in this community.

Shannon, welcome back! I'm so sorry to hear about your serious health issues, and really, really glad you're recovering well. Thanks for sharing your wisdom here, too. I appreciate all you say about the importance of clothes and comfort. I've decided comfort is the key ingredient to my style; comfort is the starting point of chic for me.

Shannon I was so delighted to see this thread! Wonderful to hear from you and that you are feeling better and more energetic. I have old, old memories of visiting the Eileen Fisher shop on E 8th St in Manhattan. I need to pay more attention to what is going on there currently.
Anyway, I agree completely that clothes play an important psychological role in many ways and I am so glad you found what works to support you now!

Hi Shannon! Big hugs to you. So lovely of you to share this post. And I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I agree with everything you have said about what clothing can be. EF is so your label It sounds like you are a good place stylewise, understanding your needs in that area. Do you mind me asking how this / if this has translated into other areas of life? I have recently embraced a minimal lifestyle and it's so liberating xxx

It's so nice to hear from you! I'm glad you had clothes that brought you comfort when you needed it. Isn't it interesting how, during a crisis, decisions we might belabor in normal times actually become very clear and succinct?

I am glad that you are doing better! And I totally agree that clothes have an impact on our mood. I well remember your fabulous outfit pics. You have found your brand! Yay. I hope to "see" you soon.

I am so sorry to hear that you have been sick. I am glad that things are improving for you. You are very much in my thoughts and prayers.

Having a wardrobe that meets your needs at this time cannot be underestimated. It is absolutely crucial that you feel good about yourself. Clothing do make such a huge difference in that regard.

Best wishes.

How great to hear from you. I am in total agreement that a good wardrobe is such a boost when times are difficult. Angie wrote a great blog post on why fashion is more than appearance. If I was computer savy I would link it. But I am not. I will just say it helped me when I was working on my style direction/goals.
I have not worn EF but those that do seem totally committed to her. My sister orders from her website. She also goes to her store in Toronto. She is a totally convert.
Writing a letter to EF is a fantastic idea.

Boy, have I missed you, Shannon! But I am having difficult times me, too (starting end of /beginning of the year) and ...unfortunately always behind on the "OFF Topic":-(((. So, I did not know anything about your major health issues...just ran to read it all now....I am deeply sorry to hear all the troubles, but sooo happy that you are now on the road of recovery!!! Wish you all the best in the world, Shannon, & send you many hugs!
Now, off to read your actual post (to which, now that I read it, came back and ETA: I adhere 100% in my opinions, too!) Take care!:-)

I am glad that you are on the mend and wish you a full recovery. Also good to know how well your EF is working for you.

Oh please, can I join the EF fan club? I also love her pieces and always end up buying a few every season to add to my trove. During my own health woes, EF was my style go-to. So sorry to learn about your health issues. Your attitude is fantastic! Style is whatever makes us happiest and most at home with ourselves.

I think you're absolutely right about how clothes make us feel. I know one of my goals for this year is to build a lounging capsule that makes me feel good. Glad you are doing better!

Shannon - I don't read OT but I've missed you so much!! I am so thrilled that you are on the mend. I totally share your love of EF. My dad was perilously ill in the hospital recently and my sibs and I were doing 3 days on at the bedside and rotating so someone would be there 24/7 to provide extra care, on site intell and be a personal advocate. We were sleeping in our clothes on a cot by the bedside and my EF skirted leggings and cropped sweaters helped me feel put together while talking with a legion of drs, therapists, nurses despite almost no sleep/shower/grooming, but I was as comfortable in them as I would have been in PJ's. Clothes are our armor and they provide protection, power, confidence. I felt good in them so I could forget what I was wearing and just get on with getting the job done. I realized that everything I own is comfortable. I even slept in jeans and my Gibson riding jacket!! You know you have an exceptional wardrobe when it's that comfortable, functional and still makes you feel great. Healing prayers to you. Wishing you the speediest recovery and all good things stylish wonderful lady!! Hugs!!

Shannon, great to hear from you ! Glad the EF wardrobe helped make your life smoother at this difficult time. Life has really sent you some curve balls these past couple of years.
I am really happy that you are on the mend.

Shannon, I'm so glad to see you are doing better, and I hope it continues! And how great to have such a cohesive, easy wardrobe to fall back on. You wear EF so well, it's a natural choice. Sending hugs to you!

Firecracker - "
I've decided comfort is the key ingredient to my style; comfort is the starting point of chic for me" Love this comment! I think over the years the word "comfort" has taken on a negative connotation - synonymous with giving up. But no one looks chic IMHO when they are uncomfortable. Obviously everyone's version of comfort is different. But it's wearing what is comfortable for YOURSELF that matters.

Deborah - yes, there has been a shift in everything as a result of my health scare. I find clutter to be bothersome now and we are working towards getting rid of all that doesn't matter to us. I'm not going completely minimal but neither am I having anything in my home that isn't needed or doesn't bring me joy. Stuff for just stuff's sake is no longer welcome. But I'm also learning to "fly by the seat of my pants" - I've never been a particularly spontaneous person and have always liked to plan things, sometimes to a ridiculously detailed level. Well that went out the window when I realized that things were happening that were out of my control. So I'm learning to just let go and live in the moment. So now when hubby comes home from work and says "hey, there's this little band playing at such-n-such pub tonight, wanna go" - I do. And I don't overthink it.

lyn67 - so sorry to hear you are having difficulties. I wish you strength as you move forward.

Author Linda - welcome to the club!

Gryffin -
I felt good in them so I could forget what I was wearing and just get on with getting the job done.

" Exactly - couldn't have said it better. (and sorry to hear about your Dad)

Thank you everyone for your replies and thoughts. If I had more time, I would reply to each and every one of you individually but time is bit scarce for me today.

Shannon, all my love and best wishes to you! I did not realize the extent of your illness. Thanks for sharing your story <3 <3 <3 I'm very glad you have these things in your life - clothing - that comforts you and makes you feel nurtured!

This is a useful and inspiring post, Shannon, and one that should be seen by as many women as possible. There are so many times in a woman's life when a physical or emotional challenge--pregnancy, illness, menopause, divorce or bereavement--leaves her feeling too low for fussing over fashion, and too much in need of a lift to stay in sweatpants every day. Eileen Fisher does seem to understand how to make women feel good when their bodies and psyches are extra sensitive. I wish you good health and happiness in your comfortably chic new wardrobe.

So glad to hear that you are improving. Health issues are so frightening and can narrow your world so much. I

You put into words all my feelings about fashion and comfort. It is really is important to one's mental health to dress so that you feel good about yourself. But it is also equally important to feel comfortable. I think Eileen Fisher is one of the few designers that does combine style and comfort. I'm so glad you had a wardrobe that helped.

I have also been feeling that I want to live more in the moment and not to be weighed down by possessions.

It's lovely to see you post again. So sorry to hear about your health woes, but glad to know you're on the mend.

I very much identify with what you're saying. EF is not one of my brands, but I love what they do for others here, and I have many things that work "that" way for me - those understated pieces I can throw on for casual wear anytime, anywhere and know that they won't let me down. This is why I'm such a sucker for a great pair of pants: premium fabric, plenty of volume, dropped crotch and deep pockets.

On a deeper level, that feeling of "normal" you mention suggests something else. It's not exactly an expression of personal style, or even keeping up appearances, more like a confirmation of humanity, a way to remind oneself and the outside world I'm here today. I'm visible and I matter. So much of that is to do with being comfortable in your skin, and by extension, in your clothes.

Beautiful, eloquent post! I dream of a designer for me like that.

Shannon, so good to hear from you! I think about you often. I'm sorry to hear about your illness, but am so glad to hear you're on the mend.

As a fellow EF fan, I totally get what you are saying. She's definitely my "go to" when I'm feeling ill, or tired, or "puffy"... not that I don't like to wear her when I'm feeling good, but that comfort easy factor can't be beat. I discovered a store near here that, believe it or not, has the largest selection of EF in the country (possibly outside a dedicated EF store) and I've taken to stopping in when I drive by. Perhaps not the cheapest move, but it's fun

Take care!

Wise words Shannon. I didn't know about your struggles with health, but I've been watching someone here go through similar struggles and look completely fab in her rather Eileen Fisher-esque wardrobe. It makes me want to wear more avant-garde pieces and more EF also.

So glad you're doing better. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

Shannon! <3 I've missed you so much and have been thinking of you alot. So glad your on recovery and that EF has been there for you. Thanks for sharing your insights. There is beauty in your words. Take care! *hugs*

I am glad to hear that you are doing better and that you have found a brand that speaks to you. And I agree with you that clothes can give us comfort, and also confidence, in stressful situations.

Shannon- thanks for checking in and sharing your wisdom. It is encouraging to hear of your progress and I am happy for you. Your impulse toward comfort and the wish to feel put together make sense, as does the wish to simplify.

I spent a couple of years recovering from surgeries that made it hard to get around. I couldn't always get out, but still wanted an outfit, albeit a simple one. Outfits keep time, preserve daily rhythms. Very fundamental.

It means a lot to our spirits to be able to enjoy our clothing; possible to do even as we simplify. Also, wardrobe items somehow define certain phases of recovery for me. They are part of the story. Your post made me realize that an enduring aspect of the saga is an extra deep appreciation for closet items that really work.

Thank you for sharing and stopping by. It is always good to hear from you. And I totally get how wonderful EF pieces can be.

Yes, Shannon, clothes can do amazing things for us! I am so grateful for my wardrobe. I have chronic health issues that suck my energy, and I notice a huge difference in my emotional state once I am out of my pajamas and into some "real" clothes, even if it's just a nice pair of jeans and a pretty sweater. It makes me feel a little more "normal," as you put it. It's been more than once that a nice outfit has saved me emotionally for the day.

I hope you continue to improve. Sorry to hear about your health issues.

Shannon, I have not been diligent about reading posts here on YLF for many months...just was eating up too much of my free time.
I am so sorry to read of your recent health scares, and am so glad to see that you're on the mend and doing well !!
We are sisters in our love for EF. I know that many women disparage her styles, but I have loved her designs and fabrics for many years now. My work wardrobe is probably 90% EF, and as pieces get a little too old for work, I move them over to casual/home clothes. As you wrote...the pieces just work with each other.
I hope that your health continues to improve...hugs...cheryl