editing

top: american apparel / pants: american apparel / shoes: jeffrey campbell / cardigan: zoa/tj maxx / hat: marshalls

Everytime I come back "home" to the suburbs, I get a little nostalgic about my closet. My style has become a lot more toned down since I started college three years ago and now I find myself wearing things that sixteen-year-old Rebecca would have never been seen in––hello, jeans.

The thing is, in the suburbs––at least where I grew up––you don't have to dress up that much to stand out. ut in high school, it seemed like my clothes were the only thing I had at times, so I tended to go a bit overboard. Fashion has always been like armor for me, so I consoled myself with clothes: I may feel incredibly uncertain about the future and this town may be incredibly alienating but doesn't this outfit make me look like Blair Waldorf?

As I ease into a place where I feel more secure with myself and my future, I don't feel the need pile on clothes that I think will make me stand out. I wear things that I like and I have come to understand what my personal style and taste really are. Years ago, I always said that I dressed for myself, when really I was still concerned with how others saw me. I had a "reputation to keep up." Now I think my style is inherently a lot more simple, but I feel more comfortable with it. As both a writer and an individual, I have come to understand the vital importance of editing.

And thank god for that.