That’s Fashion, Sweetie: Couches, tables and lamps – oh my!

My new favorite TikTok page right now is @joshandmattdesign, a couple in Melbourne, Australia, who create and avidly collect home decor art for their apartment. Ranging from their original ceiling pieces to vintage plant stands to glass snowball candle holders, their apartment is a wonderland for maximalists and my inner child.  

Now, my latest shopping adventures have strayed from boots and funnel-neck wool coats a la Acne Studios to a rabbit hole of interior design instead. Maybe the sudden fixation stems from a slowly growing identity crisis due to my 20th birthday lurking around the corner or maybe it’s because I am searching for a new apartment. Instead of maturing my fashion into handbags and cashmere knit sets, decor has been the front runner.

I am particularly drawn to whimsical and visually interesting pieces; Wax Charms makes unique and handmade candles adorned with crystals, Dauphinette makes lamps out of Japanese bread rolls and baguettes similar to Vincent Olinet’s floating bread slice shelves,  Malang Malang makes the most adorable ceramics,  Teun Zwets hand makes bubble clocks and Georg Jensen makes stainless steel silver eggs that serve as reusable ice cubes. 

Still, while some friends may call me a grandma for this excitement, I find it serene and comforting to know that soon, I get to exist in a space that is reflective of me physically, mentally and spiritually. 

Instead of a room that I just happen to sleep in, it becomes an extension of me as well; it adopts my signature smells — currently Nest’s Madagascar Vanilla and Sun-Drenched Linen 3-Wick candles — and molds its walls to my habits. 

At this point you may be thinking, “I thought I was reading ‘That’s Fashion, Sweetie.’ What does any of this have to do with fashion?” 

It’s because fashion is more than shopping, garments and style; it’s also culture, reflection and transformation. 

And so, just as kissing is the next step after hand holding in middle school dating rules, the next step in understanding someone based on their selected items is seeing someone’s room. 

Clothes only show a pocket of people and who they are: their mood that day, if they shop based on color, pattern or silhouette, and if style emphasizes layers and complexity, function or flare. It’s what they want you to see, whether you’re their part-time lover or a complete stranger.

But a room shows what people value, what memories they hold and how they think. The iconic Chinese TikToks of home gadgets might show that someone values convenience and accommodations for unexpected visits, but scattered jewelry dishes and matching cutlery could indicate that the individual values spontaneity and change in short-term decisions but consistency in long term commitments. 

The space that becomes transformed becomes incredibly unique, like a fingerprint, and essentially, an extension of girls and their handbags or people and their bedside tables. 

Ultimately, there is no lesson to be learned here or any advice to offer. 

Maybe instead, I just want you to reflect on where your fashion journey may take you: Will your next endeavor also be decor? Or will it be art and figurines? Or maybe, it will be leather gloves with fur trim or crystal dice!

Don’t be scared to dive deep into the material reflections of yourself, even if it scares you a little. It’s hard to face ourselves, especially when we are in denial or going through an awkward transition period, but the discomfort and learning of what we like, dislike and value is like pressure and some coal — out will emerge a diamond. 

Besides, a little fright — and new packages — keeps life interesting anyways. 

Hadyn Phillips is a sophomore writing about fashion in the 21st century, specifically spotlighting new trends and popular controversy. Her column, “That’s Fashion, Sweetie,” runs every Thursday.