I remember being on the train last summer passing Maryland University College Park Station, one girl was on the train, purple & black Mohawk, studded leather jacket, sleeves rolled up, tattered tee, worn jeans, and bright purple converse. She was sketching the most appealing character drawings (while the train was speeding through tunnels) and I could not help but think to myself, I wish I could do it again… Or I wish I had to guts to start over. I used to want to be a dancer, I used to want to be an artist, but I went where the money was, to support myself and my family. Now that I am comfortable and not needing for much at all, I constantly dream about ‘the Other Side’. I respect so much those individuals with their own identity without a care of what mainstream society deems “normal”.
I associate this need to feel free and uncaring of what my elders think is appropriate, the yearn to want to be the individual your soul shouts for with fashion. A lot of people that know me personally say that I need shoppers anonymous, or that I am compulsive. I truly believe that I seek out the need for design and art in the way I appear. I want to be different and I want to look unique, so for me, shopping is second nature in making that happen for me. I did not get to paint, or perform in front of a crowd but I get to reflect my inner self in what I wear and what makes me feel confident.
If you are into the fashion world like myself, I am sure you have seen E!’s Fashion Police at least once in your life, am I right? I tend to find myself drawn to the celebrity’s who are voted worst dressed… Not because I would wear their fashion fails, but because they had the guts to walk out on the red carpet wearing what told a story of who they are, and what they feel they should look like. Not to say I have not been the one saying “She should not have worn that” I definitely have, but the fact that my opinion doesn’t matter, nor does Joan Rivers or Juliana Rancic’s in the idea of personal expression being relevant in the fashion world. No matter how weird or how abstract I say DO YOU! If you can be free to wear what you want, or try things no one else would, I guarantee you will take your self esteem to new heights. Why? Because you stand up for being who you are, regardless of what other may think or vocalize. Deal with the haters later, without them you‘re no one. This is my pledge of allegiance to the weird, to the unique, to the bold, keep doing your thing I know I will!
