When I was in college, dear readers, I chopped off my shoulder length hair into a short, asymmetrical bob. Previously, my ears had been covered up by my hair, but now they were on display for the world, so I decided I needed to stick to small earrings. Big hoops and dangling earrings were too bold for my new haircut, I thought, so I just looked in envy at my long haired friends with their chandelier earrings.
I was bemoaning this self-imposed jewelry policy to a friend and she said “That’s nonsense! Wear whatever earrings you want! As long as you have confidence in what you’re wearing, you can wear any style.” I blew off her sentiment, thinking that might be true for her, but it would never work for me. But those big earrings were calling my name, so one day I took the plunge and wore them. No one looked at me funny, no one questioned my ability to accessorize, in fact, it was just a normal day. Except it wasn’t, because it was the day I realized I could wear whatever I wanted, as long as I was confident.
This month, I’ve realized I’ve been in kind of a style rut. Same kind of outfit day after day. Not that I’m unhappy with my clothes, but I feel like I haven’t been taking risks and moving my personal style to the next level. One of the trends I decided was too “out there” was high waisted jeans. Don’t laugh, y’all. I’ve been a low rise girl for years and the idea of jeans above my belly button just seemed inconceivable. But on a recent trip to the Annandale Goodwill, I found a pair of high waisted Guess jeans and decided to try them on. I stared critically at myself in the mirror for quite awhile, trying to decide if this was a trend I could tackle, and I decided to take the plunge. It was just the change I needed. Since then, I’ve sported a crop top, bell bottom jeans, and milkmaid braids, all styles I wanted to try but lacked the confidence to wear.
As we start the summer, I want to encourage you to take the plunge! Try a style you’ve been eyeing, pick a silhouette you normally shy away from, and do so with confidence. On my “still to try” list for this summer are cut-off shorts, hats of any kind, and patterned pants.
What styles have you had your eye on? Have you tried out a new trend lately? Share your style stories below in the comments!
