Each day I wake up and like everyone else, I choose what to wear that day. Almost every day, I make the same simple choice to wear basketball shorts and a t-shirt. This outfit isn't pretty and requires no effort to assembly each morning, but it's comfortable which means more to me than anything else. The clothes I choose to wear send various messages to the people I'm around, and these messages are rarely positive. People make judgements of who I am over the clothes I choose to wear, but my clothes have nothing to do with who I am.

I've been called derogatory words because of what I wear. People have perceived me as a lazy individual because of what I wear. My parents have even been judged as unfit parents because of what I wear. My whole life I've been judged by my personal clothing choices, but it's not an accurate portrayal of who I am as a person. It's the same as a girl who wears UGG boots and a North Face jacket-- she's more than what she wears. Every individual has their own personal fashion, and that shouldn't define how you see them.

Fashion in itself is art and art has meaning, but the meaning is not the same for everyone. I may see a different idea being portrayed, but I wouldn't say my idea is indicative of the work because it's my own perspective. This also goes for fashion because you have no idea why someone chooses to wear a specific outfit. A person's clothes may send a message, but people can't know the intended message so they shouldn't judge based on what they interpret from someone's outfit. We're always told not to judge a book by its cover, so why judge based on the clothes someone wears?

Every person deserves to be judged for who they are, not for their appearance. From clothes to makeup and hair, every person deserves to do whatever want and they should not be seen a certain way just because of it. Not every girl who dyes her hair wild colors wants attention, just as not every girl who dresses casual doesn't want attention. You, like everyone else, can have preconceived notions about a person because of how they look, but you should learn not to. If you wouldn't want to be judged for your choice to dress casual and comfortable for class, learn not to judge others for making similar choices.

Clothes are beautiful pieces of art and can really show insight into some parts of a person, but not always..z so remember to not judge. Get to know the people for who they are, and you might even find out why they prefer certain clothes. I prefer masculine clothes because I've always preferred the comfort and design they offer. Others may have reasons just as simple. Don't assume you know who I, or anybody, is by what we wear. We are more than the clothes on our body.