I have been wanting a fanny pack for a while now.

Carrying my belongings in a fanny pack instead of a purse frees my hands and arms completely. The possibilities would be endless. But also, I think they look really cool. Some people might think this is a very dorky thing to do, but if I want to wear a fanny pack – I’m going to wear a fanny pack.

I wear whatever I want, and I encourage people to do the same. I mean it. If your style is casual, be casual even when others might wear formal things. But also, looking nicer than everyone else is OK. Maybe that clothing item is not “in style” anymore, but if you still like it, nothing should stop you from putting it on.

Why do I feel this way? First of all, they are YOUR clothes. Not anyone else’s. When I look at people’s clothes, I see individualism and self expression. I think, “they chose to wear that for a reason.”

But when you allow the fear of other people’s judgement to influence what you wear, it becomes a little less you and a little more them. Your clothes are no longer a 100 percent reflection of you.

I didn’t wear what I wanted until after high school. Once, in elementary school, I wore my new red shoes to class. I was uncomfortable wearing them because I was worried about other people’s judgement. The shoes made a click – clack noise when I walked on concrete, and I was afraid it was drawing a lot of attention to me. I longed for school to be over so I could go home and take those shoes off.

Looking back, I should have been more confident. I wore the shoes because I thought they looked nice. But I was too preoccupied to be happy.

Truthfully, clothing doesn’t matter in the long run. When I look back on my favorite memories with friends and family, I remember the things that were said, what happened, and what made everyone so happy. What I – or anyone else – was wearing is not the first thing I remember. Maybe I can recall if I take a second to think about it, but even then, I know my clothes weren’t what made those moments great.

What can people find out about someone by observing what they are wearing? They can assume a thing or two about their style preferences, but that’s about it. Clothing is not a reflection upon one’s kindness, generosity, personality traits, or talents.

Clothing is…clothing. That’s all, really. Holding strong opinions on something that matters so little is a waste of time. Clothing holds no real meaning.

So, if clothes barely matter, you might as well wear the ones you want.