Wisdom really does come with age and it took me a long time to realise a lot of things about life that are pretty much second nature to me now. For example, until I reached my 30s I often had what I called at the time “fat days”, but have now realised that those low feelings had little to do with my own shape or size and were more about society’s expectations of women’s appearance… and the mainstream media’s perpetuation of a young thin ideal.
Recent years have helped me see more clearly on a lot of issues, especially those regarding body image and clothing. One in particular is that it is completely okay for me to like fashion. In my 20s, when I “discovered” feminism (a bit late to the party!), I rather stupidly bought into the bullshit that told me that fashion was a superficial concern and that I now had far more important things to worry about.
A stranger in the street told me she loved my shoes this morning. My shoes brought her joy and her compliment made me happy, which is pretty good going for something apparently not worth bothering about. Clothes can be enjoyed as another way to inject a little bit of happiness into our lives and so can enhance our wellbeing. Why don’t more people realise this?
I always felt a little ashamed to say I was studying fashion design because I thought it made it sound that I buy into the trend-based cycle of fashion. But I think that in the last year I have really settled into the fact that I have style, and a brains. Having style and taste doesn't make you shallow.