I have never been the girliest girl around. As a child, I loved to play in the garage with my dad and wear basketball shorts to school. I never wore my hair down and if you saw me in a dress, it was probably the product of a fight with my mom. As I got older, I began to grow out of my “tomboy” phase and embrace makeup and hair straighteners, but my tomboy persona never completely left me. I still feel the best when I’m wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, which made the transition to college a little hard for me.
In college, it’s totally fine to wear whatever you want to class. Chances are, you’ll probably see at least four people still in pajamas at your 8 a.m. However, the party scene is a little different. On any given Saturday night it’s custom to wear high heels, a tight skirt and some sort of $10.00 flashy top from Forever 21. Some people look and feel great in that outfit, but I am not some people.
When I first got to school, I went with the crowd. I bought a black skirt, some cheap crop tops and heels, and wore them out. And let me tell you something: I was horribly uncomfortable. I felt like I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t dance and I was more worried about pulling down my shirt than I actually was about having fun. This phase lasted about three months until finally, one weekend I got so fed up that I threw on some jeans and a maroon t shirt and went out with my friends. That was the best night I had had at school since I had gotten there, and it was all because I wasn’t spending the night worried about my clothes and actually danced instead.
This made me realize that it isn’t about what you wear, it’s about how you wear it. I had more fun that night because I felt comfortable in my clothes, thus making me more confident and giving me a “who cares?!” attitude that allowed me to throw caution to the wind and dance like no one was watching. When you feel good about what you’re wearing, you look better. You have more confidence, you stand up straighter and you don’t spend the entire night covering your mid-drift with your arms. Confidence is everything, and if you don’t feel confident in what you’re wearing, then you won’t have a good time.
Now don’t get me wrong, some girls wear dresses out and look amazing. I’m not writing this article to tell you that I think all tight bodycon skirts should be removed from the world, because that’s just not true. I’m writing this to tell you that you should wear whatever you want as long as you feel comfortable in it. If you truly enjoy high heels and they make you feel like a strong and powerful woman, then wear them. If you think your butt looks crazy good in that dress and you love how you feel in it, then by all means, throw it on. But if you’re like me, and you love your overalls and Timberlands, yes that is a real outfit I own, then rock it! Who cares if you don’t look like everyone else? If you feel good in it, you should wear it, simple as that. Don’t let other’s decisions influence your own, be your own person and rock whatever you feel the best in. You’ll be happier, more confident, and you’ll have a much better time than you ever would in an outfit that makes you want to hide.
Being confident can be tough, but we are all capable of it. It’s all about being who you really are and wearing what makes you feel the best. So put on your favorite outfit, whatever that may be, and flaunt what you got. You’ll laugh louder, smile brighter and dance a little better knowing that you look and feel your best.