I always like to preface these editorials with the same statement: I am no one special, and my opinion is purely my opinion. That said — I wrote this short piece about individuality, and how I think it is actually achieved, both in what you wear and in how you live. The first point is about being authentic with yourself first.
It is easy to tell yourself this is what I want. But what about your actual, unapologetic self — the one who might love polka dots and stripes, not all black and bulky boots? It is easy to say you like something because it is all around you. And after reading this, you will be better equipped to start living as the version of yourself that is brimming with real individuality.
Look down at what you are wearing right now. What in your outfit do you reach for a couple of times a week, or just often in general? What does it take for you to keep wearing a piece even after it is stained — even when little holes and rips start showing up?
That is the thing. Character, age, and wear are what create pure individuality. There is just something about throwing on your favorite shirt, or a pair of pants that sits on you right, that we forget when we are busy putting outfits together and hunting for pieces that will last.
Individuality in clothing goes past just wearing something for a long time and letting it age. It is about finding something that speaks to you the same way it spoke to the person who made it. It is about harnessing that feeling you get when you cannot look away from a piece — something so captivating it almost feels like it already belongs on you.
That is real individuality. That is what we should be reaching for in our day-to-day decisions about what we wear — not just what is new, and not just what might get us a compliment.
The best stuff does not need to shout. It just needs to fit you exactly right.