Today’s outfit post has taken literally months of planning – and I’m genuinely so pleased with the result!
As I mentioned over on Instagram earlier this week, it’s taken me a long time to get reacquainted with colour, and even more so with pink. This beautiful pink silk and tulle skirt, kindly gifted by Edward Mongzar, has been my latest step out of my comfort zone, and into a new, more feminine look.
This all comes at a time when femininity and the female body are once again being misunderstood by policy makers, subjugated to overzealous laws and unsafe conditions. I often shy away from talking about politics, faith, and other highly-charged issues, but I feel that as I find myself happier in my body than I ever have been, and happier to express that through my style choices, I can’t ignore the fact there are women who don’t get the opportunity or choice to feel this way.
Our Bodies are Ours
A woman should have autonomy over her body. Everyone should. We should be given the independence to express ourselves and use our bodies how we wish, so long as that doesn’t hurt somebody else. Why this needs to be said, at all, is baffling to me.
Being brought up in a multicultural household meant I had to explore different ideas around my body, my body image, and what it represents. Even now, I’m learning. I got nervous talking about periods online for the first time, and now I’m open about how I use my menstrual cup each month, and the green period products I prefer. My fashion choices are still modest, without consciously aiming for that. I try not to over-sexualise myself (probably to the detriment of my Instagram follower count), and yet I’ve never felt more confident in my own body.
The one thing I really can’t wrap my head around is how some people still believe they should dictate how someone else feels about their body, and what they do with it. The US States banning abortion after six weeks is illogical and wrong. The Northern Irish one too. Six weeks is just two weeks after a missed period – for some women, even less.
If I fell pregnant, the choice to keep or abort it is my own. The same should be said for others – especially when the means of conception, and the raising of the child, might not be in the best circumstances. We need gender equality, especially in political decision making.
Expressing My Confidence
With that being said, I feel like I’ve never been more confident in my own body – and I wish every woman could feel this way. I feel a real joy wearing this outfit. I feel confident and feminine, sexy but also relaxed. I know who I am, what I like, and these clothes are for my enjoyment. Look, but don’t touch.
Since attending a styling workshop by Roberta Lee earlier this year, I’ve been working on adding colour and flair to my wardrobe. I think this outfit does that justice.
And I have luxury ethical fashion brand Edward Mongzar to thank, too. Their Marble Haze collection popped up on my radar late last year, and since then, we’ve struck up a sweet friendship, talking about collab-ing for a long time. I was even lucky enough to meet the E.M. team at PebbleFest earlier this year. It’s clear they’re leading the new wave of ethical fashion that’s taking over the luxury sector, showing that beautiful clothes should be made beautifully as standard.
Reclaiming Pink & Making It My Own
And now, onto how I like to style pink. Pink is one colour I’d deliberately kicked out of my wardrobe years ago – I’m not a princess, I’m not a Barbie, I just don’t wear pink.
Obviously, that’s a totally ridiculous way to think. But there’s still a hesitance when it comes to wearing the colour; I fear being stereotyped as a “girly girl”, I fear not being taken seriously. It’s why I paired this skirt with my navy roll neck**, gifted by Ninety Percent*, and my favourite patent pointed shoes.
My fashion choices have really varied over the years. In my late teens, I wore floral skirts and cardigans; at university, I found myself in love with Zara and their angular, ill-fitting items; and since then, I’ve strayed into a monochrome world of boyish cut tops and jeans. That became my uniform, and it took up until last June for me to really start finding my style.
I’m now pleased with where I’m at style-wise. We deserve to feel a freedom in our bodies, and express that through our wardrobes. Choose clothes with good stories and make good stories wearing them.
Pink is just another colour to love, to enjoy, and to wear with pride. Take me seriously, or it’s your loss.
