by Samantha Gardner

Created on: February 03, 2009

When you dress a certain way there will always be someone judging you for it. If you are a "goth kid" the "preps" will think you are a "freak". If you wear Abercrombie & Fitch you are "snobby" or "fake". Clothes do not define an individual their actions do. I myself do not stick to one sort of style because that is rather boring.

At first glance who doesn't criticize someone because of their clothing or tattoos? When I was younger all I wore was black t-shirts and those silver balls necklace. When I look at pictures I think to myself "what was I thinking?" I have learned to embrace the teenage angst chapter of my life. My style started to evolve around age 15 when I discovered tighter fitting clothing. I noticed I was getting more attention from boys because of the drastic appearance change.

I have never let my clothing control who I am as a person. We should be able to dress however we please because it is our personal choice. I have four tattoos, my ears pierced, and a little nose stud. Does this mean that I am a bad person with no morals? That is a rather bad conclusion for someone to come up with. How dare someone judge me based on my tattoos and piercings.

I do not let other people influence how I dress. I do not follow the trends because I like what I like. I wear what I want and do what I want. Life is full of judges and critics because people have opinions on just about everything. People shouldn't let other people feel like they cannot express their individuality. It is important to go against the grain and dress according to how you feel.

When I see someone in public I notice how they are dress. I make assumptions with some people and don't even notice others. Judgment will always be apart of society no matter what people say. Stop worrying about how people might react to how you are dress or how much eyeliner you are wearing. Are those people better than you? Will their opinions of your clothes matter in 10 years?

As people get older their appearance usually changes. A "goth" kid probably won't be dressing that way when they are 40 years old. If they do that is true commitment and love for the "goth" lifestyle. People evolve, things change, and people change. People need to continue to be their own type of individual. As much as we are different we are all tied together. Unless you are a nudist you probably have something in common with the person walking past you on the street. Dress how you want while you can.

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