I Wear Where I Come From

I don’t just get dressed.

I remember.

Where I come from.
What shaped me.
The hands, the places, the stories woven into the things I choose to wear.

When I was younger, I used to follow trends.

Well, a bit.

I wasn’t too big on branded things, though.

I wore what I’m comfortable in and what I could afford.

And long-time followers know that I used to sell clothes.

So that was convenient.

I wore the pieces from my collections.

Now that I’m older and seeing the effects of fast fashion,

I’m taking a step back and thinking about my style choices.

I bought this beautiful inabel skirt for my debut at the Philippine Book Festival 2026.

I wanted to represent my grandfather’s culture and heritage.

I wanted him to be part of that day.

I had become a voracious reader because of him and that love for reading has turned into a love for writing.

It was because of him that I became an author.

Wearing my inabel skirt on opening day was my way of honoring him.

And thanking him for the door he has opened to a world I didn’t know I could be a part of.

(And what do you know! The Ilocano teachers sat in front of my booth by pure coincidence! One teacher went to my booth to look at my books and she said they’re from Ilocos and I said I’m wearing inabel. And then she said, “I’m wearing inabel, too!”) 😊

Today, style, for me, doesn’t stop at looking good.

It’s about recognition.

Of self.
Of history.
Of the life I’m building now, stitched together with the life I’ve lived before.

So when I wear pieces like this—
I’m not just putting on an outfit.

I’m carrying something with me.

I’m choosing beauty with roots.

And that starts with my style.

My story continues.

—-

With elegance and quiet fire,
Lady E

Founder, Glow by Lady E
An editorial space for stories, art, and intentional living

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