Make up…what’s that?

Bandage dresses…who would wear those?

Blow drying out my hair…what?

      You get the point. My ex-boyfriend did not know the difference between Chanel and H&M. There was no pressure for me to look any certain way. It wasn’t until I started this blog, that I started getting invited to events, and thus came my transformation into who I am today. Quickly followed were questions of “why are you wearing that?” and comments regarding my outfit as I would wiz out the door. I guess you could say it made me slightly insecure about actually dressing the way I felt. When that relationship ended, new relationships began. Now, I am not talking about relationships with other men. I am talking relationships with fashionable edge…you could actually call them serious love affairs. Cut off ombre t shirts, deep maroon lipstick, and heels would become my go to staples. The question became, who is the single me? What do guys like? Without anyone else to worry about, I went full throttle into experimentation mode, and discovered some other things along the way. Some relating to fashion, some not so much.

        While in my last relationship, I never touched that shiny tube of Dior mascara, or thought twice about contouring my cheeks. It was a week after things had been finished that I stared at my striped Kate Spade make up bag and decided to go for it. Thus started my obsession with deep maroon lipstick. Now, this little gem makes an appearance at least a few times a week, mostly paired with a holey tshirt and beanie. It has also come in handy for fashion events. One swipe, or a gentle stain, can up my whole look to seem like I put in a ton of effort. Andrew, my good friend and guy responsible for this beautiful website, told me that every time he sees me with that lipstick on, he knows I mean business or am going somewhere. What I learned here, is that sometimes, you need to be by yourself in order to try new things. After a while, you fall into a comfortable slump and don’t think to switch things up. I guess what’s funny about this, is that I don’t like people looking at me. I actually do anything to avoid it. When I wear my maroon lipstick, everyone stares at me because they probably think I’m a freak. This has kind of helped me get over that fear, so thanks NARS!

         I also learned to pick up my blow dryer. As you can see from pictures on this website, I have very long, thick, sometimes unpredictable, hair. Only recently did I start consistently blowing out my hair, and boy did it make a difference. So, another thing that I have learned, is that guys love hair. I think it’s funny, really. What is their fascination with hair? Actually, I don’t care. It works to my benefit. A simple blow dry sesh can help to polish off your outfit. Hair is not just on your head, but a whole accessory in itself. You should start treating it that way.

      Grunge. This is something that I had never even thought of before. To me, the thought of adding edge to my outfits seemed extremely far fetched. At this point it is not a surprise, that I surprised myself and took a dark turn. And by dark, I mean added more edge to my everyday look. Why is it every girls initial thought after a break up, is to change their look? Whether it be chopping off your hair, wearing more dresses, etc, it is fool proof. Personally, I did not head toward the Herve Leger, I went the opposite way, and I love it. I can honestly say, I have never been happier with my personal style then I am right now. Every shade of gray, deep maroon, and over all unilluminated color can be found in my closet. Tight? No way. The larger the tank top, the better. There is nothing better then throwing on leggings and an over sized cut off in the morning. After my break up, I wondered what guys looked for in a girl. This brings me to the fact that, girls need to stop dressing for guys. Since I have been on the DePaul night life scene a tad bit in between fashion events over the last month, I have seen tragic tight dresses time and time again. While this may bring all the boys to the yard, it will not keep them there. Dress for you, and you only.  Surely you do not want to be wearing something you have to worry about your vagina hanging out of the whole night.

While I am still technically the same person I was during my last relationship, I am completely different in the realm of fashion. I guess this goes to show you, that you have to be 100% happy with yourself before you can be happy with someone else, fashion included. While it should not have taken a break up to make me change things up, it did, and I am happy with my personal style because of it. The bottom line is, don’t dress for a guy, dress for yourself. Do not be afraid to take risks, you’ll miss out on things you could have loved. I know the next guy I date will have to appreciate my style, and hopefully have some of his own. After being disappointed in quite a few guys even after my last relationship, I have come to learn a few things. Fashion is a constant. That cute little Prada Carry All you invested in will always be exactly what you thought it was. We’re stuck in a generation where loyalty is just a tattoo, love is just a quote, and lying is the new truth, so set your own rules and hold onto the one thing that will never change: timeless style.