You are what you wear, am I right? I swear, there’s always someone who’s getting made fun of for wearing what they like. It’s getting to be a bad habit, but who says we should have to listen to what others say? Dressing up is all about being who you are, and feeling GOOD in what you wear. It’s not about impressing others. Who cares what other people have to say about your clothes? You want to wear Hollister? Go for it. You prefer high fashion like Yves Saint Laurent? That’s cool. You like black clothing? Wear all the black you want, I always do.
And it’s not only about clothing, it’s about looks as well. Back in the day, you would’ve been ridiculed for having an abnormal skin condition, such as being Albino or Vitiligo. Nowadays, these are all considered high fashion in the modeling industry. Take Chantelle Winnie for example. She deals with Vitiligo, which is a skin pigmentation disorder. Another celebrity who has also gone through that, is the famous Michael Jackson. Currently, she’s on the show America’s Next Top Model, and she is certainly rising to the top, being one of the final 6 contestants. She’s named “The Comeback Girl” after being brought back into the show mid-way by popular demand. Another example would be Shaun Ross, who deals with albinism. He made his debut in Katy Perry’s E.T. video, appeared in Lana Del Rey’s short film Tropico, and was even in Beyoncé’s music video for Pretty Hurts. When he’s not working in music videos, he’s working the runway or posing for photoshoots, he’s definitely made it big in the fashion industry. Although Ross started the trend for other people with skin conditions similar to albinism, he points out: “It has come from empowering these sorts of people to empowering everyone collectively. It’s just all about self-encouragement and confidence in your own skin, and not changing for anybody.”
Fashion, some might argue, is an industry that struggles with discrimination. Currently, retail management positions do not accurately represent society’s multi-culturalism. Only 11.4% of managers in London businesses are of an ethnic minority, and the percentage drops to 3.3% when you get to an executive level, according to the 2013 Business in Communication Benchmarking Report. These statistics also reflect the fashion retail industry. Most senior fashion managers are not only white, but also male. “Quite often, with retailers, the further up management you get, it’s run by old white men,” says Caryn Franklin, British fashion expert and founder of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, an initiative aimed at widening notions of beauty in fashion. “They don’t understand Caucasian women, so they can’t even begin to understand women of colour.” Although, there are some brands that are keen to promote equality. Monsoon, Reiss and Zara are clients of recruitment agency Fashion Personnel, a company that helps its clients to achieve diversity targets. The future of fashion management roles lies in the early education of students to provide a well-balanced and realistic view of the diversity in our culture. We are already paving the way for greater diversity within fashion. The future of the industry is in the hands of these young hopefuls so it’s reassuring to know that they are whole-heartedly welcoming a fashion world that is inclusive.
No matter what, there’s always something stopping people from doing what they want. I can’t wait for the day that people can finally live without being judged.
I’ve noticed a lot of women judging in the past year. Hashtags like #IWokeUpLikeThis and #NoMakeupSelfie have been making women feel lesser for wearing makeup unlike other women who prefer a natural face. But who says wearing makeup is a bad thing? There are so many things, as a make-up lover that I've heard so many times from people that have really aggravated me. From "You look so much better without make-up" to "I like girls who look natural", I've heard it all. I'm tired of being put down for wearing something that makes me feel confident, as do other women who wear make-up as well. Women are often putting down other woman who wear make-up by stating they are "trying too hard" because of the amount of time spent getting ready. Sure, putting on make-up does require a substantial amount of effort, but that doesn't mean I'm "trying too hard." Who am I trying for? I'm not "trying" to look good for anyone but myself. I like to feel confident in my skin and I don't need anyone to put me down for it. I don't put on make-up to impress men, I put on make-up because I feel good in it, and I’m sure other women do as well.
Everything in fashion is like art. It allows us to express our creative side, and present ourselves the way we want others to see us. It's an extension of our personalities, which is a powerful statement. Ladies, go ahead and represent yourself as you apply that bold shade of red, and men, go ahead and rock that androgynous look, or represent that tough manly look, whatever YOU want. Be confident in the skin you're in.
Written by: Leena Singh
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