Wednesday, October 3, 2012

appearance defines confidence?

Can't I dress up when I feel like it?
Can't I dress up pretty for myself?
Can I not live up to people's expectation?
Can I just do what I like?

Ever since I started studying in KBU, friends have been telling me to dress up? To change image? To change my hair style? Persuading me by saying, " Wan Lee, if you would change your appearance, I think you would be much much more confident "
Even mum's sending me to fix me some braces, to straighten my teeth.

Everyone keeps telling me to be pretty, even trying to help me do it, or do it for me, instead of just persuading me. The fact is, I have been affected by these persuasions. I have brought dresses, follow trends, hence, I have learn a bit or two about how to choose clothes who can make me look good, I really have. However, it is not everyday that I'll dress up, thinking through everyday's wardrobe. Believe me, I have tried, I ended up being in front of my cupboard for half an hour, every morning, figuring what suits what.

Wait, that is not all. Then, I started to wear contact lenses. For that, I have to have extra half an hour to put on my lenses. I use to blow my hair, but I never really get my hair in shape for a whole day. When the air gets hot on the way (when I am walking to school), my hair freezes up. When wind blows, my hair goes out of shape, ending up with a messy hair-do, all that hard work down the drain. Believe me, for me, blowing my own hair IS hard work (my arms get tangled up when I use the hair dryer and comb at once)

Because I don't have a completely changed wardrobe,so I don't have pretty clothes to wear everyday. So, it is often that my friend would see me dress up like, like what I used to dressed like, T-shirt, jeans. Hair down would be comment as messy, so I keep my hair up.

Today, me and my friends went into some clothing retail. When I saw the clothes which do not interest me, I went out to sit around. My friend say that I am not interested in clothes or dressing up, I am interested when the clothes are pretty, but they're not. Later, she carried on saying that I should change and dress better, it will build up my confidence. Whenever she talks to me of this topic, she'll get all excited, at the she's a bit angry; in other words, like she cares, that is why she get so emotional and raises her voice. I don't take it offensively, because she's my good friend.

I do think it is very much the environment that is causing me to loose my confidence. I was confident before, without these topic throwing up at me all the time like now. I think this society has been very much about appearance, people judge you by appearance; how you look, are you fashionable? Everything is so judgmental on the surface now; I cannot say it is wrong, and neither is it right. I think I have the right to decide when I want to feel good about myself, when can I relax and wear whatever that is convenient, when do I feel like dressing up. It may be every Tuesdays, or when I am 22 years old. I do not need my clothes, my hair, my shoes to fill my confidence, to label me, to say a statement about me, because I, should be my own confidence, I AM MY OWN CONFIDENCE.

4 comments:

♥ Miss Happy ♥ said...

Elaine here :D
Well, I faced the same issue as you. Dress up dress up dress up. Bla bla bla.. well, if you feel like to dress up, then dress up. if don't want, just go with your own style. I don't really believe confidence come from appearance. Anyway, i do admit some of it, appearance does help. But it depends on who are the person. Well, eg: if people said you're a thief, doesn't mean you have to be one and you are the one. You live for yourself, not for others.
Lol. Sorry if doesn't help.

Wan Cheng said...

I love this post. I think it reflects ur true self. I was telling sh pot yday tat u're a special person. U seldom let worldly things like appearance, trouble u, unlike me. U noe who u r n u noe wats more important than following trends n being pretty. I'm proud of u just the way u r.

Jasmine said...

Lee jie, well, rationally you know what is right for you. As you said, confidence shouldn't be build on something so superficial. It's not really the need to build your confidence by improving your self-image but what people said to you that's wavering your confidence level. I used to think of myself as cute and bla, you know.. Then secondary school, mean people talk and you'll start to believe what they say. People don't know how words do effect one's self esteem. Ok la, true that your hair does need a little taming but other than that you look perfectly fine! Go 自然美派! Always take these things as an interest, mau then buat, tak mau then lantak! Confident for what you can offer, not what you show! ^^

ginnypeo said...

Elaine: it does help^^ I live for myself, not for others, I need that.

Cheng: like, boost my confidence

Teng: like that last sentence.. quite wise for someone your age

god.. now only I see these comments. Thank you^^ I though nobody's reading this blog all this while