I learned very early on that conformity in regards to fashion was both frown upon and welcomed, a fact that caused me great confusion in grade school. As I think back to those grade school years I can't help but remember that constant feeling of akwardness, because I was to fearful to be diffrent, but to strong willed to conform. In August of 1999 me and my mom moved from our home in Georgia the only place I had ever lived to Norfolk, Virginia a place I had never even heard of. And I experienced the biggest culture shock of my young life. The Fashion in Virginia was totally diffrent, everything that was socially accepted in Georgia like Duck head, pelle pelle, and mecca was virtually unheard of there. I found myself with a closet full of useless clothes and at a dead stand still, so I did what any smart, level headed kid would do....I went to Old Navy. I know what you are thinking, but I was desparate can u blame me? Nothing against Old Navy, But unless you were a white kid from the burbs that place was just off limits. But I Chose To forge ahead into a jungle of performance fleece, puffy vest, and bootcut jeans, and boy did I pay for it. I got tease mercilessly for my many v-neck shirts and the fact that my butt looked as flat as a pancake in those Old Navy jeans, that just until recently were not cut for the body of a black girl. Then one day years later, as though through some divine intervention, I stummbled upon a picture of myself taken my freshman year in high school. As I stared down in absolute horror I might add, at what was before me I finally realize why they tormented me so. There I was in full ON gear, that consisted of a pair of low rise flare jeans, an oversized boy cut shirt, and an oversized hoodie with the script OLD NAVY written across the front in bold blue letters, and to top it all off my infamous flops & socks combo. But I willlingly digress, to embarrassed to go on. I dont know, I guess it's pretty safe to say we all go through our deadlocks in fashion, its inevitable. But if yours was anything like mine I can see why one would not dare even reminisce on them.
-Alexis Montgomery
