Every girl at some point in her life has experienced that horrific moment where upon walking into a school dance, she spots another girl wearing the exact same dress that she is. After a spat of consternation, she decides that, of course, the dress looks way better on her anyway. With this quick confidence boost, she approaches that other girl, and together they graciously laugh about this "humorous coincidence" in an effort to mask their shared annoyance.
Why is it that this "horrific moment" is considered one of the most dreadful atrocities in every girl's life, when every day we find ourselves trying to keep up with the latest trends? When walking across Grounds, you will never spot any girl gabbing, open-mouthed at the sight of another girl carrying the same Longchamp bag that she is. What makes this situation so different from the two girls wearing the same dress? Perhaps it is the fact that when a girl is attending a dance, she has the grand hope of standing out and having attention drawn to her, which can only be achieved by wearing a distinctive dress. But shouldn't this desire to be "distinctive" and "special" be embodied in all of our fashion choices and not just on those special occasions? Shouldn't we want our daily fashion choices to be reflective of our own personality?
"That is the key of this collection, being yourself," Gianni Versace once said. "Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live."
Versace passes on his wisdom to us that we should just be ourselves when it comes to fashion, or in our case, when we think about the clothes we will put on our body each day. Although his words ring true, embracing this age-old piece of advice in our lives is easier said than done. So often I find myself wanting to follow trends and buy what everyone else has rather than evaluating whether a particular piece of clothing is something I want to wear because I genuinely like it. Although this piece of advice is no doubt challenging, should we not rise to this challenge? Some people may try to wave off the careful thought others put into deciding their outfits as ridiculous, but they overlook the fact that putting consideration into what one wears is actually a mode of and an opportunity for self-expression. Everyday, when we put on that pair of jeans or that favorite shirt, we are exposing a little piece of ourselves to the world - what we like and what matters to us - being comfy or looking nice. We should embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly and not shy away.
This is the ideal - that fashion should be a means to express our individuality. But I know what happens every morning when I get dressed - when I pull on that pair of Nike shorts, a greater desire to belong seizes me. Whether the decision is subconscious or conscious, it happens to me everyday. We all want to assert that we belong to certain group, or perhaps it is just a hopeful longing.
Nevertheless, we are left with a tension between group and individual identity, otherwise known as the conundrum currently plaguing me. As inspiring as I find Versace's advice, at times I can't resist this undeniable pull toward social acceptance. Although this pull at times may seem overwhelming, I just think back to the girl attending the school dance - how awful it feels to be wearing the same dress as another girl and how refreshing it feels to be wearing one that no other girl has. That incredible high you get from wearing something different is completely worth it. In the end, I embrace that I most likely will never break free of my proclivity toward group acceptance. At the same time, though, Versace has a point, and I shouldn't forget the beauty of individuality. So when I'm getting dressed tomorrow, I hope I that I take more time to consider if what I'm wearing is what I genuinely love to wear and an expression of who I am and my personality, before I mindlessly pull on that pair of Nike shorts.
Kristin's column runs biweekly Thursdays. She can be reached at k.ulmer@cavalierdaily.com.
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