Ethical Fashion in Light of Theology of the Body

Interview with Lillian Fallon

Part One from our “Ethical and Dignified Fashion” Series

Photo by Hannah Busing

Interview with Lillian

Lillian Fallon is a freelance writer in Philadelphia. Previously working as the style editor at Verily Magazine, Lillian is passionate about exploring the connection between the physical and interior of the human person as seen through personal style. Believing that sartorial choices can dignify the body and aid in the expression of the soul, Lillian draws from St. Pope John Paul II's Theology of The Body as her primary source of inspiration.

Tell us how you first started to cultivate your personal style

I was homeschooled so I didn’t have to deal with the daily pressure to “fit in” with my peers. During high school, my mindset was, “How crazy can my outfit be and still get away with it?” I spent my teenage years experimenting with different silhouettes and decades of clothing.  My goal was to be as unique as possible. I wore skirts with jeans and military jackets, 1950s party dresses, oversized men’s shirts with ties – so basically a lot of the same stuff I wear now! I began thrifting and vintage shopping in high school as well, so this was a turning point for the development of my personal style.

Describe the relationship between your faith and love for fashion. How do the two inform one another?

I’ll admit that for years, I didn’t really know how my faith and lifelong interest in fashion coincided. Fashion was my superficial, materialistic, worldly passion, contradicting my traditional Catholic beliefs that encourage detachment from material goods. It wasn’t until I took a Theology of The Body course that my entire perspective on the human person changed, transforming the way I view fashion and personal style as well.

St. John Paul II explains that body and soul are inseparable. He wrote, “The structure of [man’s] body is such that it permits him to be the author of genuinely human activity. In this activity, the body expresses the person.” This explanation for the inseparable relationship between the body and soul quite frankly blew my mind. For years, I had viewed the body as somewhat of a burden and distraction from holiness — but I learned that it’s through the body that we recognize how we are created in God’s image. I’ll never forget when my teacher succinctly explained, “The body manifests the soul.” I honestly felt my life change in that moment. 

My thought process was and continues to be this: “If the body manifests the soul, why can’t the things we wear aid in this expression of the human person?”

How do you see fashion related to the dignity of the person?

St. John Paul II said, “The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine. It has been created to transfer into the visible reality of the world the mystery hidden from eternity in God, and thus to be a sign of it.” Like a sunset or magnificent Cathedral, the beauty of the human body calls mankind to contemplate the creator. It is through the body that we are able to understand our creation and actively partake in it. Personal style can aid this expression, revealing how each and every one of us are made in the Image.

Just as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc., physically reveal the interior workings of the human person, the things we wear similarly express the intricacies, beauty, and individuality of the soul. Our bodies are constantly communicating with the outside world, inviting others to know and understand us better. To encounter us. The self-expression communicated through what we wear surpasses the surface level, self-seeking stereotypes fashion and personal style have been commonly associated with. Rather, the things we wear have the power to reveal the Creator — what a powerful gift and tool this is.

Looking back, have you seen any parallel between spiritual growth or trials in your life and your personal style?

Yes, definitely. The things we wear communicate our feelings and moods, so when I’m in a bad place mentally and spiritually, I usually start dressing to fit in with others or I simply give up on making an effort with how I dress, period. It’s usually because I’ve forgotten my worth and I’m seeking affirmation from others and not God. When I know who I am as a child of God, I’m just dressing for Him – and those outfits are always the coolest!

How does your faith inform your commitment to ethical fashion?

About three and a half years ago, I made the switch to building an ethical wardrobe and to completely stop shopping fast fashion. I had started seeing the growing connection between the fast fashion industry and the cultural diminishment of personal style and the expression of the human person in general.

The fast fashion industry warps the visual connection between the external and internal of the human person as expressed through our clothing by telling us that 1. You must buy into trends to be relevant, and 2. Your individuality doesn’t matter and you need to fit in. But there will never be anyone else like you — you are unrepeatable. Why not choose clothing that represents this?

More importantly, the fast fashion industry is infamous for its abuse of workers. Most fast fashion companies are in third world countries where there aren’t strict regulations on the safety of the factories or the fair payment of the workers. As a result, many workers (including children) are exploited and horribly mistreated. After reading about the Rhana Plaza factory collapse that killed 1,132 and injured 2,500, I knew I couldn’t support the fast fashion industry anymore. As a Catholic, I realized this was a pro-life issue I couldn’t ignore.

What are some 1st steps you would advise for someone trying to cultivate a personal style/express their interior?

 Vintage is a great place to start when developing your personal style. Because most vintage garments are rooted in history and are therefore timeless, you can really focus on selecting items that resonate with you and express who you are — free from any outside influence. When you detox from modern day fast fashion, you’re able to discover what you really like, not what a brand or magazine tells you to like. When you start discovering the intricacies of your personal style, you start seeing how it reflects the intricacies of who you are as a person. And then you start to manifest those unseen parts of who you are through what you wear. You start to see your individuality more clearly — your beauty, and your worth.

Vices like gluttony and vanity can often accompany a love for fashion and beauty. How do you ensure your love for fashion stays rooted in virtue?

It’s important to remember that clothing should express our self-worth, not define it. To stay in check, I try not to give into the pressure to look “perfect” all the time. When I get dressed, I make sure that creativity is my goal -- not perfection. Being creative means being okay with outfits that end up being weirder than you anticipated (I once accidentally dressed like Peter Pan.) Also, if I have days where I just don’t feel like putting together a super amazing outfit, that’s totally okay. Regardless of what I’m wearing, my worth as a woman made in the Image of God can never change.

What is one of your go-to outfits and why?

Definitely a pair of vintage Levis, a band tee, and a snappy blazer! I love this combo because it’s the perfect balance of casual and formal. I love finding the harmony between juxtaposed pieces, so I’m always pairing contrary items like a feminine dress with a chunky boot or a velvet blazer with a pair of worn-in jeans. It’s so satisfying to make an outfit that “shouldn’t” work, work. 

This interview was compiled and edited by Amelia Arth.

Read Part Two from “Ethical and Dignified Fashion”