Striving for perfection is something we are constantly asked to do. But after continuously musing over the subject over the past few years, I am finally beginning to see the term ‘perfection’ in a new light. As opposed to what most of us believe, perfection is not necessarily good. Rather, most of the times, we strive for perfection to become acceptable by the society. Anything unique or different is rejected by the society and we do whatever it takes to become homogenous with the people around us. For instance, the fairness cream ads promising us a perfect skin in reality are urging us to use their fairness products to become more acceptable. Instead of revelling in our uniqueness, we tend to get repulsed by it.
This realization dawned upon me when I recently spent a few days with my cousin sister who is pursuing one of the reputed fashion designing courses from one of the leading fashion institutes in India. Instead of choosing the conventional, she would go for the unconventional; not because she is a rebel, but because she likes to be original. Without being overly concerned about what others would think of her, she always dresses up as she pleases. And yet her dressing sense is not at all offensive to anybody’s sentiments or cultures. At the same time, she knows how to use fashion to her advantage. She would wear colours which complement her complexion, make hair styles which complement her face cut etc. She is an epitome of someone who truly rejoices in her imperfections. For her, her imperfections are her perfections.
Earlier, I used to go for parties after spending many hours on making my curly, frizzy hair poker straight, finding that perfect dress with matching heels, and wearing the perfect accessories. Learning from my cousin, I have found ways of looking good without making any temporary changes. Sure I may not look perfect, but believe me, the feeling of not having to look perfect each time is truly liberating. This cousin of mine managed to transform my perceptions only through her actions. Careers in fashion are great as they force people to shed the fake layers and be comfortable yet classy with their imperfections. If you are interested in fashion, let the world not stop you.
School of Fashion 