Having been officially single for a good while now, I realised a significant change in my attitude towards dressing myself and the outfits I have ended up in since my last relationship ended. I believe the general trend for most girls is to go to a lot of effort when you are single in order to snag the guy, and then after your pretty sure he'll stick, drop the act and the hemlines and start getting around in outfits that take much less thought and are much more comfortable. Both guys and girls will attest to this. Without realisation or intention however, I have done the exact opposite. As a single girl, I am no longer rocking up to uni in a pair of platform heels every day with a bright scarf tied around my head. Instead, my uniform has become one of jeans and a grey/black/white t-shirt and flats. I haven't completely lost my edge, I still accessorize, and my uni bag was a stunning suede fringed, studded masterpiece that made so much noise when I walked it was impossible to sneak into a lecture late without being noticed. Still stylish, and yet lacking the real edginess or dramatics that had made getting dressed in the morning so much fun. I hadn't stopped caring, I just didn't care nearly as much. Which lead me to assume that I cared more about what I was wearing when I had someone who I wanted to impress. It was a great feeling when I took that extra time and they looked at me with such appreciation. That logic is somewhat romantic, wanting to look nice for your partner is a lovely gesture. However, what about dressing for yourself? It has taken a bit of concerted effort, but my heels and bright colours have been trickling back into my every day ensembles. I don't believe you should stop caring about what your wear and how you express yourself with fashion as soon as you get into a relationship. I also don't believe that you should dress for anyone else except yourself.
My mother recently commented that the way I dress intimidates people, and if I wanted to be more approachable, I should dress more casually. I considered this, because its actually not the first time that the idea had been presented to me. I came to the conclusion that if I started to think about what I wore based on whether it would affect people's minds about whether they should talk to me, it would do myself an injustice, as well as create insecurities I don't need. What I wear reflects who I am. The friends I have weren't scared off by that and have accepted me blisters from heels and all. These are the people I want in my life. So I encourage you all to think about putting a bit more of yourself into what you put on your back, and seeing how the world reacts. I think you will pleasantly surprised and liberated.
After a witnessing a frightening conversation between two spelling and grammar fanatics today, I am slightly anxious about publishing this post. Its nearly 1am and I was extra vigilant today, so please, be kind.
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