How this idea was born / The art of self expression

The inside of my mind is saturated with colors. I have always experienced the world through the lens of color - assigning different hues to emotions, ideas, and thoughts. I was blessed to have artists as parents, who set paint brushes in my hand and told me to translate those internal colors onto canvas. I never felt more like myself than when I walked away from a piece of art, paint on my hands, clothes, and face… colors finding their way from my interior to my exterior.

One day, an idea began to bloom.

The idea came from a duality in me. My name - Isabel Jo - describes this duality well. I have a side of me that yearns to be graceful and light, what I associate with the name “Isabel.” Another part of me craves to be paint-covered, quirky, and grungy, what I think of with the name “Jo.” As a child, I was often covered with mud, but wearing a princess dress.

These sides have not had a chance to blend until the blossoming of this idea. It began one day when I bought a pink silk romper at a thrift store. When trying it on at home, it felt too “pretty” for me. I thought, “how can I make this express who I am better?” I thought of moments when I feel the most like myself… images of my paint covered hands, face, and clothes popped into my head. With my new romper in hand, and determination in my spirit, I headed to the art studio, grabbed some paints, and my painted clothing line of Wearable Artwork was born.

Instead of expressing my internal colors onto a square canvas, I got to actually wear them on my body for the world to see. To have my outside truly display who I am on the inside. To allow both sides to shine and radiate. I slipped the romper back over my head and looked in the mirror. For the first time, I felt the true embodiment of “Isabel Jo,” and what those names mean to me.

I want to share this with you! I want you to “dress to express” who you are. You are unique and individual, and this clothing can help you directly embody that. Unlike other clothing stores, here there is only one of each of these pieces in stock. I have painted each article of clothing as an original piece of artwork. Like you, each item is one-of-a-kind… literally!

I love beautiful clothing - the kind that makes you feel like angelic royalty. But I also love the weird and wild human essence. Here, you can be both and be anything. There are no limits. You can purchase what speaks to you, or I am also open for commissions - we can communicate and figure out how to portray who you are, or any aspect of you, onto a piece of clothing.

Thank you for finding your way here to decorate your spirit.

-Isabel Jo Oakley