Now that New York decided to skip the transition period from Winter to Spring and move straight into what can only be interpreted as one of Dante’s secret layers of the inferno, it’s time to pack away those Canada Goose (and Canada Goose knockoffs) and grab an Urban Outfitter’s discounted dress. Yes, I’m talking about shedding those layers we were all so comfortable in and digging out this summer’s favorite staple sundress. However, for those with serious body image issues, this period of the year can make us feel like absolute trash.
Last Monday, I made a friend leave the comfort and odd smell of his dorm room to bring me a jacket to class because I couldn’t handle the gusting winds of the 40-degree morning. On Wednesday, I was late meeting my friends because I spent 45 minutes trying to find something to wear that didn’t make me look “fat.” My 2 by 4 side of the room looked like the Persian Invasion. I was so worried about how my arms (what I like to say is my main problem area) would look like if I wore something without sleeves. One of my friends said she wishes she had a waist like mine and that she could never wear a crop top like I do. Another friend turned to that friend and said she wished she could wear shorts like her but she can’t because she doesn’t want to display her recovery from her self-harm scars. None of us wanted people to look at what we hated about ourselves. From scars to untoned areas, we were all terrified that we suddenly lived in a city where everyone stops to ridicule and mock each other. We were scared that we would be arrested for showing our bodies in comparison to what has been normalized as the ideal body.
Simply put, that’s bullshit.
Why do I care what I’m wearing? Why are there rules to what I can show and what I can’t? Why am I putting on a thrifted, oversized denim jacket to cover up my problem areas when I could easily get a second-degree burn from the heat waves? Who is looking at me, why are they looking at me, and when will they stop looking at me? What am I allowed to wear during Summer?
The answer: anything I want.
The problem here isn’t my self confidence (I mean it is; my self deprecating tendencies truly are the root of every single one of my problems), but the problem here is an apparent attempt to break down societal norms and barriers. We should wear what we want and break down the barrier of what the ideal body is and what certain people should wear. Of course, if you choose to wear certain things to fit a certain a body type, then by all means go ahead. There’s nothing wrong in that. The point here is we shouldn’t shame anyone for what they choose to wear. There should be no hierarchy, there should be no superiority, no judgment, no right or wrong. Wear what you’re comfortable in and what makes you feel beautiful and cool from the Summer heat. And if anyone has a problem with that, then they can move on about their day and you can recognize their hypocrisy and general douche-baggery.
Unless you’re wearing flip flops openly in public. Flip flops were made for the beach and for the shower.