When I grow up, I want to be a Social Media Manager/Editor for a fashion publication. I grew up reading fashion magazines when I was in high school and those magazines changed my life. I would read them religiously. Devour them. I struggled with my body image, as almost every girl and boy does during that time period and those magazines helped me accept my body for what it was. Seventeen was a major influence. I even was a part of their Body Peace Campaign and was in an issue for it.  I would reach out to the magazines on Twitter and Facebook and every time I received a response, it made me feel like my voice was being heard and that my opinion mattered—like I mattered. I want to do that. I want to let young girls and boys know that they are being heard—that they matter. In a world where millions of us are connected on social media just for that purpose, to be heard, I want to let them know I’m in the audience listening.
To this day, people try to put down fashion magazines as damaging and materialistic. Of course, everything could use an improvement, I would love to see more diversity and less Photoshop, but, at the end of the day, a fashion magazine saved my life. To this day I consume several different publications per month but they’re changing and not always in positive ways. For example, Seventeen has gotten rid of their Body Peace Campaign, something that breaks my heart. I search for it in every issue hoping that they will bring it back. Teen Vogue showcases clothes that are way out of any high school or college kid’s spending budget. I feel like these publications, and others, have lost sight of their audience.
During my senior year of college I have one goal: do more things that make me feel afraid.
I want to go out more and meet people I never would without leaving my comfort zone. I want to get healthy, in a healthy way. I want to fall in love with a guy who has passion for something like I do about fashion and beauty.
But, small steps first. My outfit highlights the part of my body I like the least, my stomach. This cutout dress is very trendy right now with the gingham print. I also love this dress because it’s so versatile. You can wear the sleeves off your shoulder, bra or braless, backwards or forwards. Black wedges make it more grown up and a tote from Michael Kors lets you take the ensemble to class. Make sure you stride in the direction of your dreams.
