When life gives you lemons, you change your whole wardrobe, or so they say.
Mickey Mouse varsity jacket
My style was everything to me as a little girl. I made sure my Barbie dolls matched my wardrobe, from top to bottom. I could remember all the small details on every item of my clothing. Every piece was different, beginning with the material all the way down to the smell. Clothes remind me of my childhood and make me realize how time flies and how you can’t take it for granted. As a young kid, my clothes would be passed down to all of my siblings and after that, go down to my nieces and nephews. Later, they will go down to my children and every detail will be passed down to them.
I had this Mickey Mouse varsity jacket that snugged very tight on my wrists. The sleeves had an old nude color with denim material over the sides of the stomach. It had navy blue cuffs, a collar and stripes on the sleeves that still looked brand new. Mickey Mouse was on the back of the jacket and he had a bit of tear from when I would pick at him. The scent was very distinct and smelled like laundry detergent, which was surprising as it hadn’t been washed in years. I remember wearing it to a barbecue and having the time of my life, surrounded by family and friends. I was eating a hot dog with purple and white onions, ketchup and a grilled bun. The barbecue was in my hometown of Las Vegas and it was extremely hot as it usually is, but that didn’t stop me from wearing that jacket. The game of freeze tag was a family favorite, especially with the neighbor kids that would stop by. It honestly couldn’t get better than that but sooner or later I grew out of the jacket and to the next sibling it went. Watching it being passed down to someone else made me bitter, but appreciative that it didn’t get donated or lost.
Racerback bodysuit
Being a college student changes everything, especially when it comes to your wardrobe. Your first day of freshman year and the outfit you choose depicts how your semester will go. If someone ever tells you that your appearance isn’t everything, they are lying. I remember my outfit on the first day of my freshman year of college. I was nervous, scared and clueless about what to expect and my outfit didn’t help at all. It was hard to expect what the trend was and very difficult to keep up with it. I was nervous about what people would think of me, making friends or impressing boys. As a freshman, that is all I was concerned with at the time.
The outfit I wore was a red racerback bodysuit that barely fit, and floral print shorts. The shorts were a cream color, had red and white flowers all over them and were scrunched at the waist area. I paired the outfit with these gold shimmer sandals with pink toes and curled my hair. The outfit definitely clashed with my makeup and I was not impressed with myself. Even though my outfit was horrendous, I had friends who would compliment me even if I didn’t feel pretty. I could remember that whole day like it was yesterday. The shoes were painful to wear and with every step, I felt as though my feet were seeping through the shoes. The bodysuit was uncomfortable to the point where I contemplated walking back to my dorm room in Engstrom just so that I could take it off. The best thing about the fit was my shorts, as they were stylish and comfortable. If I could go back in time, I would never have purchased that bodysuit and would have gone for a cute tank top instead.
I realized after my freshman year of college ended that only your opinion matters and no one else’s. My friends and I would often sit on Cougar Walk, and make negative comments about who was wearing what. It’s not something that I’m proud of, but later on it would make me realize that those comments didn’t matter. You are the way you are, and only you can determine your self worth.
Straight leg jeans
Now as a senior in college, I feel as though I have truly found myself and I speak through my clothes. I love having different patterns, colors and being unique in my own way. I started thrifting and now I find these jeans I would wear in high school that are a trend now. I currently have pink hair so I try to expand my style from normal to exotic. An outfit that I like to put together with my pink hair would be a pair of straight leg men’s jeans with a black crossover bandeau top. The outfit is paired with checkerboard platform Vans and my hair is curled half up and half down with space buns. I am trying to embrace myself by changing my style. I said goodbye to the unfitting bodysuits and flashy sandals. Now, I am saying hello to TikTok inspired wide-leg pants, low rise jeans and colourful patterns.
My future wardrobe will guide me into my adult life and hopefully will keep a bit of spunk in my closet. There are two paths towards my career and that is where my wardrobe will change. If I choose to be surrounded with children and create a future career with them, it will be filled with bright t-shirts and colourful pants. If I go into the journalistic world, my wardrobe will consist of nude colours, pant suits and none of that spunk that I am wearing now. I will probably bring neutral colours in my outfits and more professional pants because you can turn those into a casual look. But wherever I end up, I want my future self to start wearing heels and boots that make loud sounds when I walk.