Calm, Cool, and Collected: The Importance of Presence

For some time, I’ve wondered about the importance of presence. When I write, I enter a space of complete stillness. I listen to the leaves outside as warm light pours through the window. I feel the pressure of the computer keys on my fingertips, and like clockwork I click the delete button more than the space. I breathe and become one with my thoughts, as if I am typing with the beat of an orchestra. The time changes ever so quickly when doing the thing I love most. Presence is a very important thing that I practice everyday. When I wake up in the morning, I set an intention of peace. I am not a spiritual person, but there is something very healing about reminding yourself to take it day by day. When trying to be one with my inner peace, I find myself always trickling down a path of familiarity and watch continuous videos of runways in the 90’s. As I set forth with my day, I channel my inner Calvin Klein Spring 1994 Ready-To-Wear Collection and the effortless pieces that Matilda Djerf and Eve Meloche put together, reminding me that sometimes less is more and chicness is all the presence in the world. You don’t have to wear the loudest pieces to be heard; sometimes those who ever so swiftly wear subtle articles of clothing are the ones who those want to listen to most. 

As I wrote earlier this fall in my “Lexapro, Leopard Print, and Acting Like A Lady” article, I emphasized the boldness of prints and faux fur coats as a symbol of power. While I stand behind those sentiments, I am shifting my mindset from what I once stated, down a mellow route of simplicity and timelessness. I take great inspiration from the archives of legendary designers like Miuccia Prada and Calvin Klein, where I make an achievable outfit its own, through the art of accessorizing and body language. I layer necklaces, chunky rings, and bangle bracelets but pair them with minimalist clothing and monochromatic outfits. As I study the essence of the 90’s and early 2000’s runway shows, I make it my duty to portray the energy booming from corner to corner in these shows. I have found myself carrying this energy everywhere I go, even to lecture halls and the small recitations that only last one hour. But make no mistake, what I am saying doesn’t have to be attained through constant participation and talking over others; it can simply be done through presence.

Take it from the iconic Carolyn Bessette-Kenedy, who was known for her definitive black pea coat that ties at the waist with a dark denim jean, along with a boat line sheer long sleeve top with small glasses and a tortoise shell headband. Simple. Or, take it from Halle Berry when she fashioned a chunky platform, a fitted white blouse and a blazer with oval shades. Simple. There is something so admirable when one can be themselves without the need to fit in a room of the same copy. When I was wearing overpriced sweatshirts that were never my style and shoes thousands of girls were raving about on social media, I was hiding from my true self. I now realize I wanted to blend in for so long that I forgot what it meant to stand out. In a way, we’re all victims of this tendency, of utter boredom and no excitement about clothes anymore. Fashion is being tainted by the poison of dullness, and frankly, I have had enough. 

Presence comes within one’s capability to candidly be themselves. I am not writing this to tell you “how to do this” or “how to achieve that.” In all sincerity, it’s appalling to read material revolving around being something you are not. Miuccia Prada once said in an interview with Vogue for the March 2024 issue, “I want culture to be attractive.” For me, Prada embodies the portrait of a risk-taker and a spark among somberness. Her brand is about the company of usefulness, composing pieces filled with life and a force of ease, going against the standard of typical designs. Let’s be real, simplicity is sexy. If you do it right, presence can be articulated through current pieces; pieces that are not just meant to be on display, but to be worn when receiving a diploma, to be buttoned before saying “I do,” and to tie when moving into your first apartment. For my last thought, I’ll leave you with a quote by Miuccia Prada herself, to which the spirit of being calm, cool, and collected lives within all of us, you just have to seek find it: “What interests me most is when a work of art is no longer just an object, but also touches reality and life.”