Taking a break from work - Slow fashion Slow break

Having a big break from work has been so needed. Being self employed means there’s this constant pressure to always do more. It’s hard to switch off, it takes a big conscious effort to not think about work. 

I’ve now been taking a break from work for 3 weeks and fully relaxed into it, I’ve slowed down, I’m not in a rush, I am present and relaxed. I feel like it’s given me these joyous feelings and I’m thinking about breathing, noticing more colours and shapes and lines. I’m feeling more deeply in love. I’m realising how slowness can make life so rich. 

It’s such a contrast to running a business, so now the time has come to go back to work it’s given me all these mixed feelings. Not wanting to step back into the rush of routine, efficiency, problem solving, struggling uphill with to do lists and finance. Feeling the pressure to step back into it and not wanting that to be the reason I go back. 

So instead I try to focus on why I’m doing this business, why I have been doing slow fashion and art for the last 7 years, my whole adult life. Because I fucking love it and it makes my world so bright and I feel incredibly lucky to have it as a job, even when it’s tough and stressful. So I’m not going back because of the financial / societal pressure to work. I’m going back because I want to continue making and exploring my creative practises. 

I’ve decided to focus more specifically on items instead of trying to make everything. My studio has got too piled up with unwanted clothes and it feels like it’s clogging up my space. I’m going to focus on cotton t shirts this month. There’s always more life for a T-shirt to live. We all wear them. Cotton is the best fabric. They are my chosen canvas for the month because I feel I can express myself fully through cotton T-shirts. There will be some simple classic shapes with my new designs. I’m inspired by big bold shapes at the moment. And any ripped / stained t shirts I come across can be cut and sewn into new shapes. I love these long sleeve more fitted tees that I make, so simple but so fun and I feel they are a stand out wardrobe piece when I put my art over them. Each one completely unique. An expression of myself in that moment using second hand materials and celebrating slow fashion. 

I’m going to pour my love and feelings ive had from this time off into these T-shirts. Instead of dragging myself along and hating January like I normally do. I feel in a much better place mentally than other years, able to feel all the emotions and accept them and turn them into something positive. Not getting caught up in the swirls and storms of sadness, but just knowing they’re there and they always will be. 

I also have a majorly exciting move coming at the end of this month. It’s a whole new chapter. I can’t quite believe it’s happening yet because it feels so big. I’m not going to fully believe it until I’m there and it’s happening. I have a studio space on the seafront which I’ll be able to host regular workshops, Upcycling courses, and a shopfront for me to showcase my work. This is a dream and I could cry thinking about it. I’m so nervous but so excited. It feels like the biggest step so far, and it feels like the right time to take it.