(Feature photos courtesy of McKenzi Matsick. Photo edited by Selma Komisky. Fashion photos courtesy of Pinterest)

Embracing Your Own Style

By McKenzi Matsick

When we’re born into this world, we aren’t born into being someone else, are we? No. In fact, we make our debut in this world as our own unique selves with our own personality and looks.

Over time, and as we get older, those personality traits begin to be expressed in the type of clothing we wear, how we style our hair, and what kind of makeup and jewelry we decorate ourselves with. We also tie in our personality and style with the trends that are happening in our societies and culture.

The Bible says, in Psalm 139:14, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (ESV). This verse is used a lot, but it is always such a great reminder that we are not carbon copies of anyone else, and, because of that, we are our own unique, beautiful person.

If you take a close look at our culture, you can begin to point out the different styles that guys and girls associate with and how those all tie into their hobbies, gifts, talents, and traits. For instance, someone who lives at or near the beach may have a “boho” look. They wear flowy pants, baggy t-shirts, sandals, and anklets because it associates with having a free spirit and living at peace in the world. After all, going to the beach is very peaceful and relaxing! Surfers may wear clothing from brands such as Billabong, Salt Life, or Rip Curl because those companies all revolve around the idea of beaches and surfing, and their hair may have a “beach wave” to it.

A musician may be colorful with their outfits because their personalities are very creative and picturesque. Some artists today tend to dress in clothing similar to that of other decades, such as the ‘70s, ‘80s, or ‘90s. Their music may sound like those periods of time as well. Other artists, like rockers, like to wear all black because of the heaviness of their music and of that specific color. The style of the songs they play tend to be hard-core, deep, and dark. Pop artists tend to be off-the-wall and flashy with their outfits in order to stand out and show their creativity within their style of writing and music.

Personally, my styles have changed over the years, but I tie everything that I wear into my adventurous personality. I wear a lot of jumpsuits, and they all tend to have big pockets and baggy pant legs. Most of my shoes come from a company called BANGS. They are all vegan and canvas-made, and the brand associates themselves with travel, which is something that I love to do! I’m not vegan (even though I used to be), but I like to stay healthy and keep our environment looking clean. So, these shoes are perfect for expressing who I am and what I am passionate about. Scrunchies are always fun, and I throw my hair up in one from time to time. I love that they come in a vast array of options, and it is another way to be adventurous and creative with outfits!

Be your own unique self with your style and have fun! You don’t have to dress or look like your friends, the popular person in school, or that famous person who you adore. Look at who you are and what you love the most. Be creative in expressing the awesome YOU that God created you to be.

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Find out more about McKenzi by visiting www.cactusroseco.org/