Confidence Builders

“Just wait until you’re in your 20s,” my mother told me when I was in high school, sobbing on the couch because, I don’t know, I ran out of cell phone minutes. “Life is great when you’re older – you’re more comfortable with who you are.” It doesn’t take much to be more confident now than I was at age 16 – for one thing, my hair is no longer a mousy, dirty blonde and I’ve since invested in a teasing comb and hairspray – but I’m not yet convinced this is the age when I reach the pinnacle of self-esteem.

While I’m certainly having plenty of fun in my 20s (God bless an age where it’s acceptable to go to sleep – not wake up – at 6 a.m.) I’d argue that it’s quite possibly one of the most insecure times of my life. I’m forever in the midst of a vicious cycle of uncertainty. Just when I think I’m pretty great, I question what my strengths and weaknesses are and wonder What the hell am I supposed to be doing with my life? Trying to find a job is kind of like waiting for some guy to call. Except when an employer doesn’t call, it’s worse. Because, you know, there’s money involved. And I kind of have this BCBG skirt that I need to be able to afford some time in the near future because it’s really bangin’.

Anyways, despite my plaguing insecurity, there are a few things I can wear no matter what and feel infinitely more confident. They are as follows:

-American Apparel pencil skirts: Instantly slimming, super comfortable, wearable in a million different ways. I literally wear one of these almost every single day. Paired with a racerback tank top, just about the only thing I wear at night in the summer.

-Aviator sunglasses: I stick with oversized, men’s iterations of the classic shades and love the way they add a splash of gleam to any otherwise-matte-daytime ensemble.

-Blazers: Probably my favorite article of clothing of all time, I collect them in all cuts and colors. It’s nice that they’re trendy right now so I can stock up for pretty reasonable prices.

-Chain necklaces: I never feel comfortable in anything too overtly feminine, so I throw them on over everything for a dose of edge.