October 31, 2023

We all have things that we’re passionate about. We have things that we love to do and things that we would go above and beyond for. 

My passion, and something that I truly love, is fashion. I express myself through the clothes I wear and I (of course) have a shopping addiction. This passion didn’t start with me, though. Fashion has always been a part of my life thanks to my mom. 

My mom would always dress me up as a child. She would put me in cute sweaters, dresses and skirts, and then put barrettes and beads in my hair. I would watch my mom dress other people and sooner or later I started to like fashion myself. 

My mom started her own store, P.S. Boutique. It was a success. She had both an online and physical store. I would help her with picking clothes, buying clothes and processing clothes. 

So by default, my first job was at her store when I was in middle school. I loved being there, even though all I did was add tags to clothes and sweep. The clothes in her store really opened my eyes to fashion styles and trends. She would take me to fashion shows and fashion panels as well.

Every tall person can relate to the moment when someone tells you that you should model because you’re tall. I’ve always been told that—even though I’m not even that tall. However, being told this all my life, I took a deep dive into modeling and fashion designers. I would watch fashion shows on television, but I also wanted to see how I could possibly be a part of that world. 

Some of my favorite models that you may be familiar with are Anok Yai, Bella Hadid, Shalom Harlow, Alton Mason and Adut Akech. 

A fun (though hardly surprising) fact about me is that my dream job is to be a model. I’ve been in commercials before, but I want to be the real deal. If I ever model for anything at all, my life will be complete. 

Fashion isn’t just about looking good. It means ‘to express oneself.’ Fashion gives me a boost of confidence and I even represent my culture through my fashion choices. While I have been inspired by many influences in the world of fashion, I want to give my flowers to my mother the most. 

In my next column I will be going deeper into fashion topics that interest me, as well as exploring how fashion connects to my life.