“I really like this girl, but sometimes she dresses like a tomboy and I don’t like that at all. It’s so masculine!” My male coworker at Target explains.
At this point, I am at a loss for words. Before this moment, he had spoken so highly of the girl he was taking out that night. She was captivating, and intelligent, perfect in his eyes, except for this one “flaw.” Why does the way she dresses make her any less attractive in his eyes? Her style she put forth to the world didn’t make her any less smart, any less enthralling than he first described her to be, or any less of a woman.
Personal style is the way someone dresses to make them feel the most comfortable in their own skin. Whether you are more laid back, dressed to impress, masculine or feminine, somewhere in-between or in a category all its own, personal style is just that; PERSONAL. Does it matter if it’s accepted by our peers and estranged judges?
There are tons of different personal styles, and it doesn’t always stay consistent throughout someone’s life. Personal styles change and evolve over time and is expressed beyond just clothes. It comes through in hair styles, colors, tattoos, makeup, jewelry…these things act as accessories for our personality and are useful tools to allow people to get to know us.
What do La Salle students think? Several students shared their own opinions about how personal style has affected them.
Desirae Osley, a junior, emphasizes that personal style is all about “expressing yourself.”
Courtney James, a freshman, and Tyller Moorer, another junior, both agree that personal style is expressing yourself “without caring about what anybody thinks.”
Another point of view on personal style comes from Aché Hall, a junior.
“We are all conformists.” He said. “We actually take whatever is already out there and make it our own.”
This opinion brings to light how people do care about social standards to an extent, but still work to bring their own personality through.
Everyone has an opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But, that does not mean we should not be supportive of the concept of personal style for men and women alike.