Why Graduating College Changed My Style for the Better

The way I see it, finding, and truly perfecting, one’s personal style is not unlike the journey to Nirvana. It’s a long and arduous process with constant roadblocks, but when one finds it, it’s a feeling of utter bliss. I graduated from college two years ago, and while I may not have my life together, I have taken slow and steady steps to finding my personal style.

My experience with fashion in college wasn’t catastrophic, but seeing as I shake my head in horror while going through old photos, it wasn’t exactly a high point in my life either. It’s a confusing time when people dress to impress others instead of themselves. I knew in my heart that a dress that made me feel like an encased sausage couldn’t be a good idea, but did I want to fit into the traditional definition of ˜sexy’? Of course I did. So I bought a few bandage dresses, and some truly obscene backless t-shirts from Forever 21 while I was at it, not to mention tube tops that only enhanced my already large chest region.

For me, graduating college undoubtedly changed my style for the better. For one, I stopped wearing tights as pants and finally came to the realization that sweatpants are not socially acceptable dinner wear. Most importantly, however, I learned to dress for myself. I learned to love my body and realized that being sexy didn’t necessarily mean conforming to a certain mould. I learned that it was okay to take risks and experiment with different looks.

While I know that curating a killer wardrobe on a post-college budget is counter-intuitive, I also think it’s a magical time where you’re no longer pressured to dress to the conformities of your social circle. Gone are the days where you feel the need to squeeze into a dreaded bandage dress to impress your frat boy date. You can just do you. Not to mention, being on a budget actually encourages you to buy investment pieces instead of wasting money on fast fashion.

Unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve perfected my personal style. I’ve not yet identified whether I’m more Olivia Palermo or Mary-Kate and Ashley, but that’s okay. The most important thing I’ve learned after graduating from college is to be confident in my own skin and dress to impress myself first.

While some people may claim that the whole ideology behind fashion is shallow, I’d like to call BS on this sentiment. My post-college style philosophy has had a massive impact on my personality. It has empowered me to live my life the way I want to, regardless of the approval of others. Most importantly, it has encouraged me to be completely and unapologetically me.