As I lay in my bed writing
this, I am 18 years old. Suffices to say that I have quite the extensive
wardrobe for somebody my age. However, it still never presents itself to me
with anything to wear. Luckily for me I have a basics collection containing plenty
of solid neutrals and statement accessories to get me through each day. But it
wasn't always this easy...
Looking back, you could
say I was a cute kid. That is because my mother dressed me up until I was
in the fourth grade. I vividly remember my first day of fourth grade wearing
the following wretched ensemble: pink cotton v-neck (good start, right?) white
denim jacket (still has some potential) & a denim/camo print ruffled mini
skirt (checkmate). Like, what? Pretty sure I bought it at a thrift store. Also
pretty sure I was in love with it. It was comfy..? Whatever, so fourth grade
was a bust to say the least. This went on for the next two years in elementary
school: I was most commonly spotted wearing my brothers basketball shorts,
Celtics t-shirts, too-tight-for-a-Vicky-Secret's-Angel-Abercrombie & Fitch
screen printed t-shirts. BYE. Low & behold, the worst has yet to come.
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Ahh, middle school. A place where oxygen was replaced with chocolate-scented Axe
& Sweet Pea Bath & Body Works Sprays...A place where girls went to the
bathroom to stuff their bra and boys sassed the teachers as if they were taller
than 5'3"...A place where my never-before-seen fashion sense was banned,
apparently. 7th Grade: My family & I had taken a few trips to Orange
County that year & I was really vibing on their SoCal relaxed surf culture
style-and I still am!-it's just that when I would go to Jack's Surfboards Surf
Shop down in Corona del Mar, I would spend my allowance on Hurley & O'Neill
fitted crew-neck screen printed t-shirts. I must have bought at least four in
those OC trips. I would be lying if I said I'm a little pissed my mother didn't
object to those unfortunate purchases but anywho I can only blame myself right?
Alrighty so moving on...it was freezing February after returning from southern
cal, and I rotated those neon-splattered tees daily for the remainder of that
year. What did I pair them with? Jeans & sweatpants. Yeah.
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8th Grade: My pathetic excuse of an emo stage. I purchased hot pink hair
mascara from Claire's, ran it through the tips of my hair, painted my nails
black, wore sweatshirts, and those dumb skinny rubber black "sex
bracelets". I honestly to this day do not know why they were called that.
Hell, I only wore them because Aly & AJ did.
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Looking back on these struggles has definitely made me proud of the person I
present to the world today. Freshman year of high school I decided to
change the way I shop. I started buying only well-made basic clothing pieces
that allowed me to be comfortable & be creative with trendy
accessories. I have pretty much stuck with this regime, & through this
process I have found my own unique sense of style. Many things have influenced
my style in my teenage years: friends, Cape Cod, music, movies, celebrities,
runway. My unique style has given me confidence throughout those dumb high
school years, and I am beyond ready to bring that confident, stylish version of
myself through college and then to the rest of my life.
-rml
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