I once did an article of sorts like this for my gcse English lit exam, I can’t remember the exact topic we had to cover, but it was to do with self-expression and style.  I have evolved majorly since that awkward 16-year-old, and my style and I have definitely changed with it.  Yet what hasn’t changed is my strong belief of owning who you are.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s somewhat a long winding road to fully accepting yourself, but the outcome is what is the most rewarding, and definitely will take time.  The start of high school is tricky for everyone, you’ve come fresh from homemade packed lunches and your name stitched inside everything you own, so who can blame us for trying to latch on to a clique?  The notion that high school is a defining moment in your life, that it ‘shapes us into who we are today’, couldn’t be further from the truth.  For me, high school was a long hard blur, no matter how hard I tried I could not fit in (and of course I saw it as a detrimental factor into who I was going to become).  It took me a long 5 years to realize that not everyone is going to like you, and that’s okay.

 

After high school, I finally felt free to experiment with my style, as I now had to wear my own clothes every single day to college.  There wasn’t a lot of people I knew who had the same interests as me, and that knocked my confidence back yet again.  I started questioning every single thing I wore and how I acted, because I just longed to find anybody who accepted me.  My clothing choices are bolder and more daring as the years have progressed and the idea that somebody doesn’t like what I’m wearing now is nothing more than a shoulder shrug and tea swig.  It still baffles me completely that something as simple as a top could offend any person to the point of a rude comment or nasty glance.  When the reality is, it really isn’t that deep.  Life is way too short to worry about how you are being perceived by Glenda and her best friends or Jerry in Math, when you could just be living for yourself.

 

The one thing I’ve learnt in my short 20 years of existence is that you should always do what makes you happy.  Style and clothes for me are one of those things that fill me with joy because I get to create the different visions I have and see it become a reality.  It’s one of my areas of escapism and whilst a materialistic possession can only bring you so much joy, having confidence in your abilities and owning who you are lasts a lifetime.