During the winter season, especially here in Oregon, it’s easy to let the mostly grey skies, rainy days, and cold weather get the best of our moods and motivations. But that makes it the most important time of the year to try and create our own light and sunshine through creativity and personality! Personal expression, ever-agile and fluid, is a major aspect of ourselves that we as social beings can’t help but constantly show to each other. From the way we act, to the things we wear and everything in between, stylistic expression is completely different for everyone in an infinite combination of personality traits, fashion sense, creative hobbies and so much more.
However, it is also a piece of who we are that sometimes leaves people unsure of their expressive identity, raising the question of, “who am I?” especially in young adulthood.
Oftentimes we are faced with unfair obstacles when it comes to figuring out who we are, dealing with things such as body image, beauty standards, mental health complications, and fear of social rejection. People feel obligated to hide the things that make them individually unique and beautiful from the rest of the world .
At the same time, in the last decade especially, the amount of social influencers and celebrities that have chosen to become role models for those struggling with identity and expression has significantly increased. These influencers have taken the definition of personal expression and completely shattered rules and ideas surrounding the issue of personal identity. I’m going to highlight just a few particularly outstanding individuals that I feel have done an amazing job using their platforms to spread positivity, creativity and a sense of community to modern society.
Relatively new to the influencer scene, Nikita Dragun immediately caught my attention in 2015 when I discovered her YouTube channel where she gave insightful makeup tips to her followers. At only 21 years old, it’s incredible how successful Nikita has become in just a few short years, owing this in part to her stunningly confident sense of personality and style. She has become an icon in the transgender community mostly because of how open and transparent she was with her social media followers during her transition. On social media, Nikita’s Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok pages primarily serve to advocate and create a safe, fun and accepting place for the LGBTQ+ community. She posts all kinds of photo shoots and videos, each one featuring an elaborate, shiny, outrageously all-Nikita outfit and makeup look. In an interview with BASIC Magazine in 2019, when asked who has inspired her the most in her life, she stated, “I’m inspired by badass females.” (2019, Reed, Y.)
When it comes to femininity, Nikita has had to face a lot of scrutiny from other women, but she never strays from her belief that women should be loving and empowering to each other. In another interview with Global Glam Magazine, she said that she feels the “definition of femininity is so lucrative and fluid for different people.” Nikita uses her platform not only to show off her fashion style, but also to promote the idea that femininity and identity in general is not defined by just one thing. In the same Global Glam interview, Nikita later continues to say “the more I have just been open and less worried about it (society’s definition of femininity), the better my life has been because I just feel like I’ve been so accepted by myself for who I am.” She encourages all her followers to accept themselves and be who they truly are because “the most powerful beauty is representative of uniqueness and individuality of every person,”(2018, Global Glam Magazine).
With over 85 million followers on Instagram, there are a lot of eyes watching award-winning Euphoria actress Zendaya. In an interview with Vogue in 2018, she expressed her feelings of responsibility to use her platform to say, do and promote meaningful things, and the question she asks herself every time she posts something is “how can I touch someone in a good way today?”
When it comes to being creative and following dreams, Zendaya emphasizes that “if there’s not space given to you, sometimes you have to create it.” This idea of creating our own space to focus on ambitions and goals can be applied to many aspects of everyday life. Something as simple as opening the curtains in the morning or spending some time on a project can do wonders for our wellbeing, outlook and general emotional health. Unafraid to shine her true colors onto the world, Zendaya admits that “through fashion, I have found a sense of confidence.” When it comes to fashion, “be fearless, JUST DO IT,” she says of her own beliefs on expressing yourself and doing what you love, doing what makes you feel good. “The whole point of style is that not everyone is supposed to like it, not everyone is supposed to hate it, it’s supposed to be a discussion.” (2018, Vogue).
Inspiration can be found anywhere if you look hard enough. When you’re out in the world trying to discover your identity, be patient with yourself, be gentle with yourself and be yourself. If art, style, music taste, fashion sense, makeup technique and everything in between is the discussion, then be the statement!
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