In middle school, I considered myself a left brained, uncreative individual. I decided that I did not have the capability to be creative since I liked math, and everyone knew you couldn’t be smart and artistic. A few years later, after being diagnosed with scoliosis and forced to wear a thick back brace 23 hours a day, I knew that I had been wrong about my ability to be imaginative. Every day, I had to experiment. I would decide whether to hide the hot pink, plastic shell or flaunt what my doctor gave me with patterned cardigans and matching shoes.
When my years of wearing my hot pink accessory were over, Pinterest continued to spur my interest in fashion. I began keeping up with my favorite bloggers, models and designers. I remember one night when I was trying to title my style. I thought that in order to be a “qualified cool cat,” I would have to label myself as “grunge” or “boho-chic” and stick with it the rest of my life. Oh naïve, young Kenzie. However, I soon realized it is dangerous to use a specific style label to define yourself because who you are should influence what you choose to wear. While my heightened sense of fashion started out as experimentation with my brace, it soon spiraled into my own sense of style that reflects spunky parts of my personality that I appreciate.
For years I have struggled with self-esteem issues and depression. The experimentation and expression that comes with the art of fashion has given me boosts of confidence. Each new day brings a small sense of excitement with deciding who I will be through my clothes—fun, professional, care-free, swaggalicious? To some people, this might seem unhealthy and shallow. The truth is, everyone deserves something unique that lights up their world, and for me, it’s expressing who I am through what I wear.
Here’s a little bit more about me. My favorite beings in this world are my cat and Viola Davis (because both of them are strong and strut like nothing and no one can get in their way). My friends call me “Mac&Z,” my parents call me “their favorite daughter,” and others call me “Kenny,” so I basically go by anything but my real name! Lastly, my favorite colors to wear are hunter green, cranberry and rose gold.
