How I Found Confidence(And How You Can Too)

Once a person’s confidence is knocked down, it can be extremely difficult to build back up. High school was what knocked down my confidence, just like thousands of other teenagers each year. It wasn’t until I started dressing how I wanted that I was able to get that confidence back. 

From middle school all the way until my freshman year of college, I dressed how others expected me to dress. I wore the jeans that my peers wore, the converse they wore, the shirts they wore, the sweaters they wore, and so on. I couldn’t imagine wearing anything that didn’t fit the mold that everyone around me was in. While there is nothing wrong with dressing the way others dress, it was simply not what I wanted. It was more important for me to blend in than it was to feel attractive. I simply wanted others to find me beautiful, it didn’t matter how I felt when I looked in the mirror.

In 2020, when everyone was in quarantine and no one was being compared to anyone else, that’s when I started to realize that fitting in isn’t what I should prioritize. The only person I could compare myself to was myself, alone in my room taking classes through zoom, where everyone was in sweatpants and hoodies. This allowed me to take a step back and breathe. I had a chance to consider what I wanted and who I truly was. I decided it was time to reinvent my wardrobe. 

The first part of reinventing my wardrobe was figuring out how I wanted it to look. Unfortunately, that was also the easiest part, it only got more difficult from there. I settled a lot at first just to be able to have practical clothes, things I needed. But that didn’t make me feel confident. I had to change my way of seeing myself and my clothes. Clothes are supposed to be practical, but they’re also supposed to make me feel good about myself, so I don’t settle anymore. When I want to make a purchase, I make sure that I feel attractive in the clothing item. That’s what’s most important. It’s not easy, but sometimes we have to search until we find what we need to feel good in what we wear. First you figure out your style, and then the hard part begins. But if you feel attractive in what you wear, you’ll also be more confident.