From a very young age, everyone is taught that clothes are not only a necessity, but a way to express yourself without talking. As a little kid, my fashion was mostly controlled by my parents, or else I would show up to pre-K every day in a striped shirt and polka dot pants.

As I get older, though, fashion becomes a little more complicated.

Throughout my years as an awkward pre-teen in middle school, I made some very questionable fashion choices in the name of self-expression. Not only were these outfits and makeup choices bold and not well-received, this was also the time in my life when I felt the greatest need for validation from others.

Needless to say, the process of picking an outfit in the morning was no easy task. From wearing neon pink shorts in 50-degree weather to bright blue eyeshadow with some pink lipstick, my morning routine definitely became a learning process.

More recently, I feel my fashion sense has greatly improved, in both my physical outfits and my overall confidence in my appearance. I’ve noticed that my self-confidence that day definitely affects what I put on in the morning, and I tend to feel more confident in outfits I put more effort into picking out.

One thing that I love about fashion is how the definition varies so drastically from person to person. There is no “right way” to dress yourself, because different things look better on different bodies, and people feel the most confident in different things.

There are definitely certain aspects of the fashion world and in the media that will encourage certain trends, but in the end, the choice is up to you.