Fashion Below the Surface
By Irene Koch
When you think of the word “fashion,” the image that comes to mind might be straight out of an early 2000s movie. Maybe you think of the demanding Miranda Priestly types who care way too much about the difference between turquoise and cerulean. Maybe you think of the cliques in Mean Girls, deciding who was in or out based on the brands and clothes they wore.
Whatever image comes to mind, generally, it tends to revolve around these stereotypes: fashion is a superficial product of consumerism, and those who value fashion are self-obsessed and shallow. I’ll admit I used to believe this too. I spent most of my time in middle school trying my hardest not to care about fashion at all. I was a tomboy who was convinced those who cared about fashion were prissy, maybe because they used it as a tool to put down others. Then, I spent most of my time in high school caring way too much about fashion, wanting desperately to fit in and be liked by my peers.
My attitude on fashion changed when I started working as a stylist at a retail clothing store. As I helped clients build new wardrobes, I realized that yes, fashion was a product of consumerism, but so is just about everything else—cars, food, home décor, electronics, etc. But just like all these other multifaceted interests, fashion is a way we can express ourselves. In the same way you put posters on your wall or stickers on your laptop to show personality, the clothes you wear convey a great deal about you. From emulating certain “aesthetics” or creating your own, it can be fun to play around with different styles and find the most accurate reflection of you you want to display.
Fashion can also be a way to boost your self-esteem, and if you won’t take it from me, take it from some of the clients I’ve helped over the years. A nervous executive who had just received a big promotion wanted a wardrobe that would give her the guts to prove she belonged in the boys’ club. A teenager transferring schools wanted a first-day outfit that screamed “This is me!” A client who had just come out and wanted outfits that would help them embrace their identity. A woman who cried when she found clothes that would accentuate her figure that she had worked so hard to attain. For these clients, dressing for themselves—not for their peers, their Instagram followers, or their dates—gave them the confidence they needed and made them feel comfortable rather than insecure.
Three years into my retail job, I can definitely say I feel a lot better about my fashion sense, and that’s not just because I have the help of an employee discount. It took a few months of my coworkers coaxing me into trying outfits I never would have picked myself. Once I started taking their advice and experimenting a little bit, I found a style that wasn’t like anything I wore in the past but felt more like me. Instead of worrying (or worrying about not worrying) about my style, it now comes naturally to me. I don’t care about matching my style to any other person or brand. Rather, I care about picking out good clothes that reflect my individuality and make me feel confident.
I’m not arguing for all of us to become Anna Wintour or rack up a ton of credit card debt. However, the less I’ve viewed fashion as a cutthroat, superficial interest for shallow people and more as a fun way to express myself, the happier and more confident I’ve become. Your style can be whatever you want it to be—casual, dressy, modest, revealing, bold, muted, preppy, alternative, feminine, masculine, both, neither—as long as you’re yourself and let others be themselves too. In the same way you feel more comfortable in your own home than in a stranger’s, your clothes—no matter the style—should make you feel at home.
