(As seen in the April '22 Issue)
Q: I'm trying to figure out what style of clothing I feel best in, but so far the one I like most is very different from my usual style. I'm worried what people will think about it...
A: A change of style isn't so unusual! It will most likely take you many years to figure out a style that you will carry for the rest of your life, and that's okay.
Last year I decided I wanted to give the "Preppy Pinterest" style a go. It looked pretty cute when I had long blonde hair, but I soon realised it's not what I wanted to wear at all. Soon after that, I went back to my pop punk/emo style, which my wardrobe now mostly consists of. That's probably what I'll be wearing for the rest of my life. The thing is, it took me over 20 years to finally figure out what I feel most comfortable in.
It doesn't matter how old you are, or what you do for a living. Feeling comfortable in your clothes is way more important than what other people will think. Besides, their opinion really doesn't matter, as long as you feel comfortable in your clothing. Chances are they'll be able to tell you're more comfortable and confident in your new style, and feel happy for you.
At the end of the day, it shouldn't be about what other people will think. The only opinion you should really care about is your own. One that isn't influenced by others.
If you end up changing your mind, figuring out that this isn't in fact the style you feel comfortable in, you can also give away or re-sell the clothes! Change your style as many times as you want, try everything at least once, cross certain styles off your list. Go through phases of one style for a few weeks or months, and then switch to something completely different, because at the end of the day, you don't have to settle on one thing, one style.
So go out, try new things, and never be afraid of being who you are just because of someone else's opinions.
Love,
Annie