FASHION & STYLE
PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS
By ERIKA THOMAS
I remember being 16 years old and six foot
tall and thinking that it was the worst thing
in the world. I could not understand why I
had to be so tall. I wanted to be the same
height as the other girls.
The boys seemed to like their height. I would
often stand in front of the mirror trying to
figure out ways in which to make myself look
shorter. To be a six-foot tall teenaged girl was
a bit odd, confusing and often lonely. The
dating scene as a high schooler was rough for
me. The guys did not really show much of a
romantic interest in me, and I believed this
was due to my height.
Two weeks before my senior prom, I didn’t
have a date. I decided to ask one of my
classmates, and he seemed to be pretty
excited about the idea. The next couple
of weeks, I surveyed the land for the
perfect dress and accessories. After finding
everything I needed, I tried on the entire
outfit for my father, as I was rather pleased
with the way everything came together. My
father on the other hand, was not as thrilled.
I sarcastically asked, “Why the smug look,
am I showing too much skin?”
“Why do you have on flats with such a
beautiful dress?” he asked. I told my father
I did not want to be taller than my date
because it may make him feel short. With
that, a game changing moment in my life
occurred. My father looked me square in
the face with sincerity and love and said,
“Erika, you don’t have to make yourself less
beautiful to make someone else feel better
about themselves. If they have a problem
with your height, that’s their problem, not
yours.” At that moment, a paradigm shift
occurred. I said to myself, “I get it now, it’s
not MY problem.” That same day, my father
and I found the perfect pair of heels for me
to wear to the prom.
Photos courtesy of Diana Vreeland’s estate
GAZELLE WEST
My experience with my own style makes me
think of the documentary of Diana Vreeland,
The Eye has to Travel. Diana was one of the
most influential style icons of the 20th
century. As a fashion editor who worked for
both Harper’s Bazaar and V
ogue magazine,
she was not what you would call the
typical “traditional” beauty. She had a very
eccentric look and often sought out women
to feature in V
ogue magazine that shared that
commonality.