You know, it. That thing hanging in your closet that you bought on a whim after modeling it in the dressing room but can’t bring yourself to actually wear. Well, now’s the time to relinquish it from its coat hanger cage. This is how you pull it off: get it out of your closet, put it on, and walk out the door. Simple as that. Thought it would be harder? All it required was permission from yourself to not worry about being able to pull it off or not. The phrase “pulling it off” implies only a certain type of person is allowed to wear a certain style whether it be because of their body type, appearance, or even their personality. But here’s the secret: in fashion, pulling something off just comes down to whether you feel good in what you’re wearing or not and not worrying about what others will think about your clothing choices. You can pull off anything you want to, because style is the expression of your personality, the one thing that will always fit you.
The inclusion of many body types in the fashion industry is important, but it shouldn’t limit people to only wearing certain things deemed “appropriate” for their body type. Sure, it’s important to know your body and what silhouettes you like, but just because a fashion magazine says a pineapple body type can’t wear a skirt that’s made for a banana body type doesn’t give them any authority on what you should or shouldn’t wear. If it fits and you like it, then why shouldn’t you wear it, no matter what fruit-named body type category you fall into?
Additionally, when someone says they could never pull off a certain style, like baggy sweaters or flared jeans, is it because that style isn’t in line with their personality, or is it because they believe others will view that expression as not fitting to their personality? For example: if someone who typically wears boho clothing sees a girl rocking a studded, leather jacket and says she could never pull the jacket off, is it because she thinks she’s expected to stick to a certain style of clothing? Is it because she worries people will think she’s trying to act like someone she’s not? The perspective of others shouldn’t influence how we express ourselves through fashion. The relationship between style, personality, and societal pressure related to body image is messy. Fashion is about the expression of personality, and worrying you can’t pull something off is restricting your expression based on others’ perceived perspective of that expression.
Style is an adventure. As you get to know yourself better, your style sense evolves as you do. It really comes down to wearing what you love and what makes you feel confident. If that’s sweatpants and a tee, go for it. If that’s eyeliner so sharp it could slay a dragon and killer heels, rock it. However, be careful of never stepping out of your clothing comfort zone. The next time you’re out shopping, be aware of your purchasing patterns. Before you buy the hundredth gray tee you own, ask yourself if you’re buying it because you really love it or because you’re comfortable with it.
Still, it’s college, so it can be hard to develop your style because of limited time, budgets, or places to shop, but it’s never too late or early to start honing your sense of style. Find your style icons: watch old movies, scroll through Instagram, flip through magazines. There’s a plethora of women making waves with their fashion choices. Don’t be afraid of emulating styles you love in order to find the one that’s the perfect fit for you.
Some of the best fashion advice comes from one of my style icons, Iris Apfel, who said, “There’s no how-to road map to style. It’s about self-expression and, above all, attitude.” Really, what it all comes down to is self-confidence. Whether you can pull something off or not comes down to one person: you. Give yourself permission to express yourself through fashion and forget about the judgement and criticism of everyone else, because all that matters is your own opinion. Dress to impress yourself, because what matters is if you love how you look and if you feel great. Yeah, sometimes an outfit doesn’t go as planned or you have a wardrobe malfunction, but it’s part of taking a chance. You won’t be ticketed for a fashion violation because the fashion police aren’t real. So, shrug off your doubts about not being confident or pretty enough to wear something and just wear it, because whatever you put on you can pull off.
Here’s my challenge for you: Once a week, try to surprise yourself. That outfit you think would be adorable but are too nervous to actually wear? Do it. Create an outfit you really love and rock it. Or, go out and buy that one piece you’ve been eyeing for a while, something versatile enough to amp up your look. Maybe that moto jacket, or those sneakers. No matter what you choose to wear, you’ll rock it.
You know, it. That thing hanging in your closet that you bought on a whim after modeling it in the dressing room but can’t bring yourself to actually wear. Well, now’s the time to relinquish it from its coat hanger cage. This is how you pull it off: get it out of your closet, put it on, and walk out the door. Simple as that. Thought it would be harder? All it required was permission from yourself to not worry about being able to pull it off or not. The phrase “pulling it off” implies only a certain type of person is allowed to wear a certain style whether it be because of their body type, appearance, or even their personality. But here’s the secret: in fashion, pulling something off just comes down to whether you feel good in what you’re wearing or not and not worrying about what others will think about your clothing choices. You can pull off anything you want to, because style is the expression of your personality, the one thing that will always fit you.
The inclusion of many body types in the fashion industry is important, but it shouldn’t limit people to only wearing certain things deemed “appropriate” for their body type. Sure, it’s important to know your body and what silhouettes you like, but just because a fashion magazine says a pineapple body type can’t wear a skirt that’s made for a banana body type doesn’t give them any authority on what you should or shouldn’t wear. If it fits and you like it, then why shouldn’t you wear it, no matter what fruit-named body type category you fall into?
Additionally, when someone says they could never pull off a certain style, like baggy sweaters or flared jeans, is it because that style isn’t in line with their personality, or is it because they believe others will view that expression as not fitting to their personality? For example: if someone who typically wears boho clothing sees a girl rocking a studded, leather jacket and says she could never pull the jacket off, is it because she thinks she’s expected to stick to a certain style of clothing? Is it because she worries people will think she’s trying to act like someone she’s not? The perspective of others shouldn’t influence how we express ourselves through fashion. The relationship between style, personality, and societal pressure related to body image is messy. Fashion is about the expression of personality, and worrying you can’t pull something off is restricting your expression based on others’ perceived perspective of that expression.
Style is an adventure. As you get to know yourself better, your style sense evolves as you do. It really comes down to wearing what you love and what makes you feel confident. If that’s sweatpants and a tee, go for it. If that’s eyeliner so sharp it could slay a dragon and killer heels, rock it. However, be careful of never stepping out of your clothing comfort zone. The next time you’re out shopping, be aware of your purchasing patterns. Before you buy the hundredth gray tee you own, ask yourself if you’re buying it because you really love it or because you’re comfortable with it.
Still, it’s college, so it can be hard to develop your style because of limited time, budgets, or places to shop, but it’s never too late or early to start honing your sense of style. Find your style icons: watch old movies, scroll through Instagram, flip through magazines. There’s a plethora of women making waves with their fashion choices. Don’t be afraid of emulating styles you love in order to find the one that’s the perfect fit for you.
Some of the best fashion advice comes from one of my style icons, Iris Apfel, who said, “There’s no how-to road map to style. It’s about self-expression and, above all, attitude.” Really, what it all comes down to is self-confidence. Whether you can pull something off or not comes down to one person: you. Give yourself permission to express yourself through fashion and forget about the judgement and criticism of everyone else, because all that matters is your own opinion. Dress to impress yourself, because what matters is if you love how you look and if you feel great. Yeah, sometimes an outfit doesn’t go as planned or you have a wardrobe malfunction, but it’s part of taking a chance. You won’t be ticketed for a fashion violation because the fashion police aren’t real. So, shrug off your doubts about not being confident or pretty enough to wear something and just wear it, because whatever you put on you can pull off.
Here’s my challenge for you: Once a week, try to surprise yourself. That outfit you think would be adorable but are too nervous to actually wear? Do it. Create an outfit you really love and rock it. Or, go out and buy that one piece you’ve been eyeing for a while, something versatile enough to amp up your look. Maybe that moto jacket, or those sneakers. No matter what you choose to wear, you’ll rock it.
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