Introductions have always been something I struggled with. How do I gain someone’s attention and attraction just by being me? I ask myself that question when going on an interview, while meeting my significant other’s parents and even when I am meeting a new friend for the first time. Over the years, I’ve learned that my confidence, intelligence and style have always given me the upper hand on any first impression.
My style and my love for fashion have evolved so much over the years and boy am I thankful for that. In elementary and middle school, I was so into fashion trends that I didn’t come into my personal style until my freshman year of high school. Being that I am currently a senior at Hampton University, my freshman year was seven years ago and the way that I put things together were a lot different back then. My ninth grade year I began to gain more confidence. Not cockiness, but a whole lot of confidence. I gained confidence in myself, my beauty, and my body. I began realizing that when you wear what you want to wear, how you want to wear it, with the confidence that no one in those hallways look better than you, people will be receptive to your outfit. No matter how crazy it may look to them, it’ll always look good on you.
As the years went on, I found myself taking more risks in my hairstyles and clothes. People would always say to me, “You look so cute, Aliya. But, I could never pull that off.” For some reason that always bothered me, because in my opinion, everyone can pull off anything. If you put it together to flatter you and your body and rock it with confidence, who’s going to stop you?
For me, I wear what I feel comfortable in and what I, emphasis on I, think is going to look good. This outfit is a perfect example of how I mix prints, patterns and colors to create my style. Ripped denim jeans are a necessity in today’s society, and I have pairs for days. My black and white striped shirt is nothing short of plain, but when it is accented with a red plaid choker and a bright red lip, you can’t help but stand out among the crowd. Silver is also an all-time favorite accessory of mine (as you can see with my double nose ring combo) that I might overdue at times. And lastly, my booties. I recently bought this pair of shoes and I can’t think of a better purchase I’ve made in a long time. The pointed toe and classic three buckles on the side gave my outfit the extra ‘umph’ that it needed.
I couldn’t be more proud of my style evolution and the confidence that it has helped me gain, so I hope that in reading my future articles, you’ll find yourself and your style.
