Embracing The Wabi-Sabi Philosophy: Imperfection in Beauty & Fashion
photo by Eyn Vas
In a world where unattainable perfectionism is often celebrated, embracing the concept of Wabi Sabi can be the antidote. This Japanese philosophy celebrates the beauty of imperfection, incompleteness, and impermanence, offering a refreshing perspective on what is considered beautiful.
Wabi Sabi reminds us that beauty can be found in the cracks and crevices of life. Flaws, scars, wrinkles, decay, and weathering are all signs of a life lived, and embracing them rather than hiding them becomes an empowering act.
By embracing the maturity and quiet dignity of aging in ourselves, our clothing, and the items in our homes, and celebrating the natural cycles of decay, death, and rebirth, we can counteract a society obsessed with perfectionism and an overly symmetric, saccharine, corporate type of beauty that glorifies everlasting youthfulness and materialism. These harmful narratives exclude many people, stifle individuality, and keep us all uniform in squeaky-clean sameness. It’s boring and dishonest if you ask me.
This mentality allows no space for the natural process, particularly for women who are the primary targets of the corporate beauty industry. It compels us to continuously pursue flawless appearances, trapping us in an endless cycle of trying to preserve our youthfulness, resisting natural aging, caking our faces with pounds of makeup, and consistently buying new clothes to keep up with the current trends. When we try to achieve this unattainable "perfection," we disconnect from ourselves and disrupt our own natural feminine rhythms and the rhythms of the earth, causing harm to ourselves, our health, and the planet.
So what does all of this have to do with fashion?
Embracing Wabi Sabi in fashion means moving away from fast fashion culture and adopting a more mindful and regenerative approach. It’s about embodying a personal style of refined ease that feels natural and aligns with each individual's true nature. By celebrating imperfection, incorporating natural elements, repairing old garments, and honoring subtly we can create a wardrobe and personal style that is both beautiful, unique and honoring of the feminine essence of nature.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Instead of constantly striving for perfection (very masculine energy dominant), we should embrace the small imperfections in our clothing and make them a part of our personal style. Honor the maturity and quiet dignity of shopping at secondhand stores and thrift shops to find one-of-a-kind pieces with character. Explore the world of vintage clothing and accessories, and find pieces with their own stories and histories that can add depth and meaning to your wardrobe.
A More Mindful Approach
Rather than constantly buying new clothes, we should consider repairing and repurposing old garments. Choose natural and sustainable fabrics such as linen, cotton, and wool, which have a low impact on the environment and are designed to last for years. Create a capsule wardrobe of versatile, high-quality pieces that can be mixed and matched and worn for years to come, rather than constantly chasing the latest trend. And take the time to hand wash delicate fabrics and air dry them to prolong their life. Curate a conscious closet with a slower, softer and more feminine curation process.
Celebrating the Beauty of Impermanence
Incorporate elements like stones, shells, and other found objects into your accessories and personal style and embrace the beauty of these natural materials as they age and decay over time. Experiment with natural dyes and fabrics to create one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate the beauty of imperfection and the uniqueness of each garment.
Becoming Unpretentious
Wabi-sabi invites us to embrace our understated, subtle, feminine nature rather than embodying an essence that demands attention or loudly declares its importance. It encourages us to live in harmony with our environments, to relax into our inner selves, and to emanate our true nature energetically and stylistically, in an embodied, grounded, and unassuming way — yet not without presence or quiet authority. It represents a subtle dignity that does not seek external validation or status while emanating a raw, casual elegance and refined ease.
The Kintsugi Way
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer, highlighting the beauty of imperfection and the process of repair. Incorporating Kintsugi into fashion means embracing visible mending, repairing clothes with visible stitches or patches to make them a part of the garment's story. It means celebrating the unique history of each piece and the journey it has been on, rather than hiding its flaws.
Pro tip: Work with artists & tailors who can breathe new life into your items through repair, such as Celia Pym (@celiapym), who transforms once-tattered knits into new, artful creations that can last at least another generation or two.
Part of my mission at Renaissance Woman is to help women in embodying mindfulness and simplicity in their lives and closets, while learning to embrace their multifaceted expression in a purposeful, empowering, and truthful way that honors all of life’s spiralic cycles.