I’m sure we all know the feeling. You run into someone from high school or you’re meeting someone for the first time and they ask where you go to school. I don’t know if it’s just a me thing, but almost every time I’m asked this question, it happens to be a day I’m wearing sweats, Uggs, and no makeup. Yes, I go to FIT. No, I don’t always dress up.
I love fashion – clearly, I go to FIT. But that doesn’t mean I feel the need to look perfectly put together from head to toe every single day. In high school I was that girl who would wear dresses and heeled booties or some other meticulously put together outfit to class almost every day – and I loved it. That was how I chose to express myself. In the words of Marie Kondo, it sparked joy for me. But now that I am in college and my schedule is a lot busier, I don’t feel the need to look perfect if I’m just going to class. As intimidating as it was in the beginning of the year seeing other students’ outfits that looked straight off of a runway, I’ve realized that just because I go to fashion school doesn’t mean I have to dress the part every single day. At the end of the day, what matters most is working hard in my classes to get my degree, not what I wear to said classes.
As I’ve grown older and more secure in myself, I’ve come to learn that no one really cares if I leave the house wearing no makeup and a pair of sweatpants. As much as I love the feeling of picking out a cute outfit and getting dolled up for the day – my family can attest to this, they’ve seen me strut around the kitchen in a new outfit way too many times – I also love throwing on a t-shirt and calling it a day.
I’ve come to value being comfortable in my own skin and have realized that I don’t have to look perfect in order to be confident. Confidence comes from within and will shine through no matter what you’re wearing.