<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lately, I’ve realized that my best form of self-care isn’t always a face mask or meditation — it’s a good outfit. In college, it’s so easy to let go of our hobbies and things that matter to us when we get into the swing of school and the responsibilities start to pile on. Personally, when assignments start to get tougher and I begin to feel lazy, the first thing I’ll put aside is my outfits. This semester, a goal of mine is to treat my morning routine as self-care, rather than something that I have to leave my comfortable bed for. That way, it’ll transform from a chore to a small ritual that reminds me who I am, even when life gets hectic.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s only so many times you can wear the same jeans-and-tank combo before it starts to become questionable (full transparency, I test those limits extremely often). The effect of looking and feeling your best is undeniable and becomes even more important in these trying academic times. Have you ever noticed how putting effort into your outfits just makes your day that much better? Healing, but make it fashion. This is something I’ve been working on recently as the mid-semester slump starts to take hold. When I put on an outfit that’s true to me and my personal style, I’m telling myself “this is who you are – and today you’re showing up as your best self, for yourself.” One way I achieve this is by having a set of staple accessories that can complement any of my basic outfits. If I’m wearing a simple outfit like jeans and a tank top, I make sure I’m decked out in an earring stack, bracelets, rings, and my staple necklace that I never take off. This way, I still have the chance to be comfortable in a simple outfit, but it becomes more elevated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Morning routines act as mini forms of self-care that we get to experience daily. It’s easy to overlook other forms of self-care like meditation or a face mask, but there’s always a new morning, and with it a new opportunity to be your best self. It is crucial that we feel as though we can be ourselves, and what better form of self-expression is there than through fashion? It’s easy for people to dismiss fashion’s impact as a whole, with many writing it off as superficial. But wearing an outfit you&#8217;re confident in has an undeniable effect on our moods that can’t just be ignored. It&#8217;s not about vanity – it&#8217;s about vitality. Looking good isn’t shallow – it&#8217;s survival. </span></p>
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<div class="wp-biographia-container-top" style="background-color: #FFEAA8; border-top: 4px solid #000000;"><div class="wp-biographia-pic" style="height:100px; width:100px;"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f5b508fb6dbea651e5a82e9e893d275e2ba5564e48aa2ea490dda485790d4fe1?s=100&#038;d=wp_user_avatar&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f5b508fb6dbea651e5a82e9e893d275e2ba5564e48aa2ea490dda485790d4fe1?s=200&#038;d=wp_user_avatar&#038;r=g 2x' class='wp-biographia-avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' /></div><div class="wp-biographia-text"><h3>About <a href="https://tulanemagazine.com/author/omarujo/" title="Olivia Marujo">Olivia Marujo</a></h3><p>Olivia Marujo is a sophomore from Boston majoring in Marketing. She enjoys all aspects of fashion, and in her free time she loves to thrift and hunt for the best Depop finds!</p><div class="wp-biographia-links"><small><ul class="wp-biographia-list wp-biographia-list-text"><li><a href="mailto:om&#97;r&#117;j&#111;&#64;t&#117;&#108;&#97;&#110;&#101;&#46;ed&#117;" target="_self" title="Send Olivia Marujo Mail" class="wp-biographia-link-text">Mail</a></li> | <li><a href="https://tulanemagazine.com/author/omarujo/" target="_self" title="More Posts By Olivia Marujo" class="wp-biographia-link-text">More Posts(12)</a></li></ul></small></div></div></div><!-- WP Biographia v4.0.0 -->

The Intersection of Fashion and Self-Care
Feature image via Saie