Some of the most frequent questions I get asked when I tell people my major are “What exactly are you studying?” or “Why did you choose fashion?” If I am being honest, it had never even crossed my mind that this is what I would be studying and pursuing until I actually decided to do it. As a kid, the first career I remember desiring was to be an astronaut. Then after watching many seasons of Grey’s Anatomy and Untold Stories of the E.R. I decided the medical field is where I was meant to thrive. I had always loved math and science, but I had also been remarkably creative. It was not until high school that I discovered that studying fashion was an actual option. I had begun working a retail job for a local boutique and gained insight on styling and business and came to understand clothes. So, I looked at the schools I was interested in for nursing and surprisingly, many of them had a Fashion merchandising major. So, I made the change, I left the nursing and doctor dreams behind, although I think I still might have been one in a past life, and decided to study something creative.
I had always loved fashion, as much as I try to tell myself I did not. I believe I just considered it a hobby or a minor interest, but in actuality, it was a substantial underlying part of my life. I would watch hours on end of Say Yes to the Dress or What Not to Wear. I had printed out croquis that I would draw designs on. My grandmother would always sew me smocked dresses and we would talk about it for hours. One time my mom wrapped me in duct tape so I could make a mannequin of myself to create clothes on. I took a variety of sewing classes and camps and learned to knit. But somehow, I happened to forget all these little things that ultimately lead me to this major. I act as if I randomly decided one day this was my dream, which in some ways I did, but in other ways, this creative part of myself has always been present. I think I just needed a little push and some confidence to realize it.
Now that I am two years into studying Fashion Merchandising, I have begun to realize I made the perfect decision in my major. There are so many aspects that remind me every day why I am here. One of the largest things I have noticed since studying fashion is that fashion means something different to every person. Fashion is a form of art, it is a form of self-expression, it is a display of confidence or lack of. Fashion is the one thing that everyone interacts with every day. We all wake up and decide what pieces of fabric we will cover ourselves with. We all make that decision based on how we feel or how we want to appear to those around us. In a broad description, fashion somehow connects every human on some level, Fashion allows us to portray ourselves in the most genuine and authentic way we can. Everyone’s style is different, and everyone has a different vision. And that to me is what makes it so beautiful. It is an endless avenue of expression, whether the person is trying to or not.
The second thing I have learned is that studying fashion allows me to stretch and challenge a part of my brain I had not focused on before. I was strong academically in school growing up and had always used art and creativity as an escape. When I decided to study fashion, I did not consider that rather than having academically challenging work, I would have creatively challenging work. It is one of the most refreshing things I could have done for myself. It caused me to make a major shift in how I conducted homework and assignments. Since creativity has always been an escape, I often find my assignments fun or relaxing. In no way am I saying that the work I am doing is easy because I can express in full confidence that it is not easy. However, I believe that after pushing my brain so heavily on topics such as math and science, and literature for so long, a creative requirement was exactly the breath of fresh air I needed in life.
I often consider what my life would be like if I had decided to study nursing or biology. In many ways, I think I would have been happy and intrigued with what I had chosen to do. But other parts of me know that I would have been so burnt out and worked so hard that I would not be as content as I am. So, when I get asked by family and friends “Why did I choose fashion?” or “What exactly are you studying?” I cannot just give them a simple answer. Life has a funny way of showing its layers and depth and I think that shifting my mindset and striving for a dream-worthy career is the way that life decided to show me I am doing exactly what I belong to do. And if one day I decide to wake up and change my mind and go back to school, that is ok too because each and every person is uniquely made and portrayed, and learning what we want to do is just a small part of us all.
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