Remember in third grade when you went to school wearing stripes and polka dots with your hair looking like you had not run a brush through it in weeks? Then all of sudden middle school hit and you had to buy skinny jeans and Abercrombie shirts, and you straightened your hair everyday, while begging mom for eyeliner. You started to look at other girls and base your wardrobe off of the eighth graders, or the “populars.” You stopped being unique; rather you became one of the crowd. You started to care more about the opinions of others than your own opinion of yourself.

You might argue that you simply grew up and with growing up comes a change of style, because you are more conscious of the world around you and what is acceptable. I agree with this, but I refuse to believe we all “grew up” and decided we had to dress the same, and wear the same makeup, shoes, and hairstyles. I know it is hard to admit but we are all guilty of conforming because we are afraid of what others will think. However, we found that if we all try to look the same then there is nothing to fear, right?

Wrong. The scariest part of growing up is indeed becoming one of the many -- being just another face in the crowd. Sure, no one will ever judge you, or tell you to tone it down, but they will never truly know you either. By no means am I saying that your aesthetic defines who you are, but it contributes to the way you see yourself.

I am sick and tired of hearing women say, “I could never wear that dress because it’s too bold for me,” “I can’t wear heels because I’m too tall,” “I can’t wear red lipstick because I can’t pull it off.” What does that even mean? What do you mean you can’t pull it off? Who defined what one woman can and can’t “pull off”? If you know then please tell me because I have a few words for this person.

First off, they are wrong. So unbelievably, incredibly, wrong. For one reason and one reason only; you can wear whatever makes you feel beautiful. Sure, people can tell you what you should wear. They can also tell you that you shouldn’t eat pizza for breakfast, but we do that anyway. Point blank, anyone can tell you what you should do, but they can never tell you what you ought to do. No one can tell you what to wear, how to style your hair, or that you have to wear makeup a certain way and this is simply because they are not you.

This idea that you cannot “pull it off” is completely irrational. If you can put it on then you can absolutely rock it. The key is to do whatever you do with confidence. Wear the bright orange dress in the middle of January, wear a red pant suit and stilettos to the job interview. Just do it with confidence. Hold your head high, strut, smile, flip your hair. Just. Do. It. Coco Chanel once said, “beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” So, be yourself, be unique, be bold, be brilliant, and if it makes you feel beautiful then wear the red lipstick.