The Politics of Fashion and Why I Choose Joy

Every time I get dressed, I stand in front of my closet, my hand hovering over brightly colored cardigans, thrifted blouses and dresses that I've been excited to wear. And then I hesitate.

Is this ridiculous? Is this tone-deaf? Should I be reaching for something more subdued, more appropriate instead?

I pull out something colorful anyway. I pair it with something fun. It might be a patterened skirt, a lapel full of vintage brooches, or hot pink tights. And when I look in the mirror, I feel something I haven't felt much of lately, I feel like myself.

And here’s what’s been bouncing around my brain:

Joy isn’t frivilous. It’s defiant!

There's an idea that during serious times, we should match the gravity of the moment with our appearance, our homes, our entire aesthetic lives. Looking at you Pantone and that “color” of the year. That choosing color, beauty, or whimsy is somehow disrespectful to what is going on around us. That we should mute ourselves. Make ourselves somber and appropriate.

But I refuse to internalize oppression. I’m not bending the knee and embracing what they’re trying to normalize.

Authoritarian movements have always understood the power of beauty and self-expression. That's why they target it first. They ban books and art. They mandate dress codes. They criminalize gender expression and cultural identity. They paint gray over murals and declare that color itself is suspicious, frivolous, dangerous.

The maximalist, colorful aesthetic that I've spent years cultivating isn't an escape from politics. It's a refusal to comply with the obliteration of culture that precedes every authoritarian playbook.

When I choose to wear a vintage floral dress on a random Tuesday, I'm not being oblivious. I'm being visible. And visibility, right now, is a form of resistance.

We like to pretend that what we wear is purely personal, but fashion has never been apolitical. (Every thing in life is political but that’s a conversation for another day).

The suffragettes wore white dresses to demonstrate their purity of purpose and to be visible in marches and in photographs.

Flappers bobbed their hair and dared to show their knees in public in response to increasingly puritanical sensabilities of the 1920s.

Rosie the Riveter's red lipstick wasn't vanity. It was an assertion that women could be both strong and feminine. That they could claim industrial spaces while refusing to surrender their identity.

Women were mandated to wear skirts and dresses in the workplace even into the 1980s.

During the AIDS crisis in the 80s, ACT UP activists used fashion—bright colors, bold slogans, leather and pink triangles—to demand visibility for a community that the government wanted to let die quietly.

What we wear communicates who we are, what we value, and what world we believe is possible.

There's a difference, of course, between mindless consumption and intentional self-presentation. I'm not talking about buying into every trend that crosses your algorithm or filling a cart with fast fashion every other week from corporations that fund the very systems crushing us.

I'm talking about the deliberate choice to show up in the world as your full self. To dress in a way that says: Fuck you. I’m here. I refuse to disappear.

My aesthetic isn't always about following trends or performing femininity for the male gaze. It represents something deeper: women claiming space, making beauty on our own terms, refusing to shrink or dim or apologize for existing in color.

This week, I've worn a bright orange striped skirt. Polka dots paired with a snarky graphic t-shirt. I've paired a hot pink vintage sweater with a floral midi skirt. I have an armful of stacked bracelets and giant hoop earrings.

I've gotten dressed on days when I'm not leaving the house, because the act of choosing myself—choosing color, choosing beauty, choosing to show up—feels like the only form of control I have right now.

I'm not performing for anyone. I’m resisting the idea that I should become a ghost in my own life.

The colors and patterns I wear feel like armor. They feel like a Fuck You to every voice—internal or external—that suggests women of a certain age should be less visible. They feel like a refusal of the beige minimalism that Instagram tries to sell us as “sophistication” and “quiet luxury” but that actually just makes us easier to ignore.

When I wear something bright or pair plaid and polka dots, I'm not escaping reality. I'm moving through my life with intention. I'm saying that even in especially in the hardest moments, I deserve to feel like myself.

I’m not here to tell you to dress like me. I'm certainly not saying that minimalism or neutral palettes are wrong. You don’t need to perform joy if you’re not feeling it.

However, I think we should reject the pressure to shrink. We don’t need to make ourselves smaller as a gesture of seriousness or an act of solidarity.

The quiet voice telling you to tone it down, that you’re too much, you’re doing too much—fuck that voice.

Choosing joy in your daily life, including in what you wear, isn't frivolous or tone-deaf. It's an act of resistance. It's a declaration that they don't get to take this from you too.

So I'll keep wearing color. I'll keep thrifting vintage pieces that make me smile. I'll keep showing up as myself.

And I hope you'll join me in a way that feels right for you.

The revolustion will be televised…so what will you be wearing?

Let's Get Loud

I walked into my 50s with a mandate. I’m not here to blend in.

In this moment, I’m here to live boldly.  I’m determined to walk down the street like I own it.

This dress is a lot. It’s loud, playful, and a little wild. And I don’t care.  Being an adult is realizing that Mrs. Roper was an OG baddie who fully embraced her divine femininity and gave not a single damn what other people thought of her. She deserved better than Mr. Roper but that’s another conversation for another day.

Is there an age when I’ll start to tone it all down?
Neutrals. Classics. Something more… expected.
Maybe. But, that day isn’t today. Right now I’m not here to tone it down. I’m determined to turn it all the way up.

This dress, with its leopard print and blocks of vibrant pink and orange, doesn’t whisper. It roars.
And not in a way that demands attention.
It simply refuses to apologize for its presence.

Just like I’m learning to do.

This season isn’t about dimming your light; it’s about living and embracing joy. Being unapologetic in being who you are and redefining the expectations of what middleage is supposed to be. Because midlife isn’t about fading into the background.

🛍️ Style Breakdown:

• Dress: Leopard + color-block maxi (Shein)

• Shoes: Wedges (Amazon)

• Accessories: Oversized sunnies, gold bangles

With Love and Whimsy,

Courtnee 🩷

Same look. Different Font. || Style Remix

You know what they say — leopard is a neutral. And like any good neutral, it can take on a whole new personality depending on how you style it.

Now if we consider outfits like fonts, you might be saying the same thing but the way you say it- bold or classic, playful or polished- totally changes the vibe. These are two of my favorite looks.

As I did my laundry one day and put away each piece, I realized they were essentially the same outfits built around leopard print bottoms. Same base, different energy.

Look 1: Classic with a Sporty Edge

If I had to give this look a font, it’d be something bold but easygoing — maybe Futura Bold.

• Leopard print wide-leg pants with side stripes = casual cool.

• A crisp white tank keeps it classic but relaxed.

• Flats with some sparkle give it an unexpected classic “ladies who lunch” touch.

• A lightweight (for those downright Arctic summer air-conditioned spaces) jacket looks sporty, but the ruffles at the zipper give it a whimsical detail.

  The vibe: effortless, city chic — the kind of outfit that says "I woke up like this" but still makes people do a double take.

Look 2: Playful + Feminine with a Retro Twist

If this outfit were a font, I’d call it Cooper Black — playful, vintage-inspired, and full of personality.

• A leopard midi skirt sets the stage, but the red graphic tee takes it somewhere fun and unexpected.

• The platform twist on the classic high-top Chucks keeps it comfortable and cute.

• A black bag and oversized sunglasses finish the look with a nod to old-school glam.

The vibe: playful, confident, and a little retro

Same Base, New Energy

This is the magic of style: the same leopard print can channel sporty glam or playful everyday casual depending on what you pair with it.

✨ White tank vs. red graphic tee
✨ Sophisticated flats vs. sneakers with a retro vibe
✨ Layered pearls vs. chunky gold jewelry

Your clothes are just the canvas — your personal style is the font you use to tell your story.

Style It Your Way:

Want to try this yourself? Start with:
✔️ A leopard print pant or skirt
✔️ One pop of color (red, pink, cobalt blue — whatever feels like you)
✔️ Your favorite “font”: classic pieces (button-down, gold hoops) or playful extras (graphic tee, sneakers, pearls)

💬 What’s Your Font?

Are you more Futura Bold or Cooper Black? Sportyglam or playful casual?
Tag me on Instagram @courtneerae_ and show me how you style your leopard print!

With joy and whimsy—xoxo, Courtnee.

Very Demure, Very Mindful, Very Main Character

There’s something great about growing old and becoming a new version of yourself. You realize what matters and learn to release what doesn’t. Feeling good about who I am as a woman, a wife, a mom…important. The opinions people may have about what I’m doing or how I’m dressing…not important.

And there’s something undeniably powerful about a woman who knows her style, especially when she steps out in denim shorts and lace like she owns the world.

This look is one of my favorites‌: flirty yet polished, casual with a kick. I paired distressed denim shorts with a romantic lace blouse and finished it off with my favorite cream knee-high boots. The result? A modern boho-meets-bombshell vibe that feels like summer and grown ass woman confidence rolled into one.

What I love most about this outfit isn’t just how good it looks (though hello, yes), it’s how it makes me feel. Feminine. Bold. Effortlessly cool.

As women in midlife, we often hear about what we "shouldn’t" wear anymore. But I’m here to say: wear what makes you feel radiant. Whether it’s lace and leather, florals and sneakers, or sequins with sweatpants, your style should reflect you. Don’t be afraid to show up as the main character in your own story! 

Let this be your reminder: you don’t have to shrink to fit into someone else’s age-appropriate version. You’re allowed to be seen, to be stylish, to be a little extra, and love every second.

Style Breakdown:

• Top: Cream lace with ruffle detail — the perfect balance of soft and structured.

• Shorts: Mid-rise distressed denim that’s both casual and flattering.

• Boots: Cream suede knee-highs because who says boots are just for fall?

• Confidence: 100% non-negotiable.

What’s one outfit that makes you feel unstoppable?

Work of Art

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Art In Bloom After Dark, a stunning event where art and florals make magic. Art In Bloom at The Cincinnati Art Museum allows the city to experience artwork in a fresh, vibrant way.

The concept was as lovely as it was creative, local florists selected pieces of art as their inspiration and then crafted floral arrangements to reflect their chosen works. Walking through the gallery, you could feel the dialogue between the paintings and their artists and the blooms and their artists.

One of my favorite moments was standing in front of Two Sisters, a painting by Kehinde Wiley, also known for her amazing portrait of President Barak Obama. The riot of color and textures of the tulips, snapdragons, and proteas bring the drama of the piece to life.

I couldn’t resist dressing up for the occasion. This skirt is one of the things I chose from my mom’s closet to remember her after her death in January 2020. I couldn’t think of a more perfect occasion to wear it. My love of flowers, fashion, and big, bold prints were inherited from her. I paired it with bright fuchsia heels that I know she would have loved!

Art In Bloom reminded me how powerfully art in all its forms — painting, sculpture, floristry, fashion — wakes you up and feeds your soul. It is one of my favorite spring events in the city. I’m already looking forward to it next year!

With Joy and Whimsy-

xo

Courtnee

Revelation and Revolution

I’m writing this on a gray and rainy day. It's safe to say that fall is here. I was ready for cool, rainy days where I could make tea and settle in with a good book, but now that they’re here, I’m having second thoughts.

These days I’m seeking joy in the little things- favorite places in the city, listening to Purple Rain on vinyl, and fancy shoes on a weekday just because. With the shift from fall to winter and the familiar replaced by uncertainty, I think it's important for everyone to find little joys and bright spots.  

I’m not suggesting we ignore everything happening around us or walk around in a “good vibes only” state of toxic positivity. I’m suggesting that finding joy and celebrating little things is keeping some of your power when many of us feel helpless—a revolution of one to disrupt the status quo.

Vive la révolution

Worn|| She's Overboard and Self-Assured

Confession time.

I was never the grungy, edgy teen with heavy eyeliner and a fuck the establishment attitude. I was much more United Colors of Benetton, Polo popped collar kind of girl who attempted to charm authority. 

Now that I’ve hit 50, aka the land my ‘give a fucks’ went to die, the brooding, angsty in me has been dying to express herself.

That’s the beauty of middle age…the power to reinvent yourself and not a single worry given to what anyone has to say about it. Quoting the wise Sheree Whitfield, "Who gon' check me, boo?"

Because I never had a pair of Doc Martins as a teen, I decided I needed a pair or something similar. I stumbled on this pair in near-perfect condition and in my size for $10 during a recent trip to the thrift store. The rest of the outfit seemed obvious. Nothing says “smells like teen spirit” like fishnets and combat boots.  

boots: similar shorts: similar shirt: similar tights: here