Dear Women,
To all my fellow collegiettes, are you currently in school pursuing a MRS degree? Are you laboring over your courses, involving yourselves in various school activities and actively engaging with your community solely for the purpose of finding “Mr. Right?” If your sole purpose in life is not consumed by attracting the opposite sex, why, are so many of you, us, concerned with how the male population perceives you – and more importantly, what you look like?
I admit, it’s a harsh statement. But seriously, who gave the men the right to dictate what we should look and dress like? Excuse my French but I personally don’t give a fxxk about a guy’s opinion on how I wear my red lipstick (a bit stained and a bit dark) or how I like to wear my boyfriend jeans a bit too loose for their comfort. I dress for myself and I encourage you to do the same.
So much of the media – especially with the onset of the blogging phenomenon, has perpetuated the social thought that women need to dress in a way that pleases the male eye. There are countless articles that explore “What Men Really Think About Overalls/Your Style/Boyfriend Jeans/etc.” But, as far as I’m concerned, what they think shouldn’t influence my sense of fashion or even be a thought I should have in the first place. Fashion is a way of expressing my identity through creativity and by confining that creative process within the limits of what is accepted by the male community is simply unfair to myself. I should be allowed to wear my black trousers with a slicked back pony-tail without having to consider how the outfit defies what others think a woman should look like – or better, how it isn’t appealing or “sexy” to a random guy on the street. Fashion allows me to use material objects to symbolize who I was, am, and aspire to be. Clothes aren’t just a form of protective wear to cover my naked body but an artistic expression of personality that I can explore and experiment with every single fxxking day. Besides, why should I even be considering the opinions of a general group of individuals who have no authority to speak on the subject of fashion?
This is my body, my face, so I should and will decide what my reflection looks like. Has the man been taught to think: does this random shirt paired with these basic basketball shorts appeal to females – or wonder what they really think about how the she thinks about my (lack of) skincare? People will always judge your appearance, but don’t give them the power to judge you according to a strict sex/gender role guideline and start dressing, simply for yourself.
Sincerely, Jennifer Mok