In elementary school, I wore dresses regardless of whether it was sunny outside.
On a windy winter morning, when I was about 6, my worried mom refused to let me stay outside with only a dress on.
โYour lips are turning blue, Zugay,โ Mom said.
โBut princesses donโt wear pants,โ I replied.
I loved the Disney princesses way too much as a child and wind wouldnโt stop me from wearing dresses.
โJasmine does,โ she said.
Iโd never considered that. Her words blew my mind. Eventually, I grew out of my princess phase. I realized females donโt necessarily need dresses to look or feel like a princess.
Since then, my style changes often. Depending on the day, I love wearing all-black outfits Wednesday Addams would approve. I also love makeup and wearing pink everything, ร la Regina George, โOn Wednesdays, we wear pink.โ
My style, and othersโ style, has been shaped through othersโ comments.
Most people have a strong opinion on makeup and dresses. Although seemingly trivial, appearance raises many questions, including whether itโs antifeminist to wear dresses or why women should wear makeup when most men donโt.
Over time, I concluded it doesnโt matter what I wear if itโs appropriate for the occasion.
If you wear makeup, you might face judgment for wearing too much, looking high-maintenance, or applying it in a specific style. If you donโt, it might be seen as being lazy. Wear a dress and you might be too girly, as if being a female is bad. Donโt wear them, and you might be tomboyish, as if being a male is bad.
I have been told all those comments for dressing up too much or not enough. I wish I had a dollar for every time I was asked why Iโm โso dressed upโ for a casual outing. Iโd finally be able to buy my dream Gucci purse. I stopped wearing makeup and dresses for a while because of it. Eventually, I learned it doesnโt, and shouldnโt, matter whether you choose to wear makeup or dresses.
You canโt win with everyone. So, stay authentic and do what makes you happiest. For others and me, makeup is a way to highlight your best features, pun intended. Dresses can be comfortable since they arenโt tight like pants, easier to wear in the morning, and they give you that princess-like feeling when you twirl.
Still, you donโt need any of that, especially if youโre tired, donโt care for it, or makeup irritates your skin. Sleeping in 30 minutes extra instead of dressing up shouldnโt be a worry. Jasmine didnโt need dresses, and neither does anyone, to look great.
If we are to live in a society where everyone is equal, how we look shouldnโt matter. We need to value appearances less when meeting new people and at work. Itโs only when someone hides insecurities behind layers of makeup that itโs a problem.
