Edgy Cowgirl Looks
At the end of the ‘24-25’ school year, a fellow teacher told me her 7th-grade students referred to me as a “baddie.” I cackled.
Whenever I take on a substitute job at a middle school, I dress in emotional armor. I always go in with a black top, denim pant, black boot, and poker face. I rarely smile, and every question is answered with a serious or sarcastic answer. (These kids can’t see how nice I really am or they will eat me alive. Trust me.) This particular middle school, where I’m a “baddie,” is one of two middle schools I actually enjoy showing up to. The students are from Central Oregon ag country. Their personal uniforms consist of rodeo belt buckles, straight-leg jeans, tucked-in button-up shirts, and occasionally the clean and proper cowboy hat. There aren’t many, if any?, examples of New York City chic in their school hallways, and I assume I stand out.
I don’t mind it though. I’m pretty sure I would have stared at a cowboy/cowgirl should one have taught at my New Jersey working-class, urban middle school. We don’t know what we don’t know, and as kids, we are curious to know more about what we don’t know!
All this got me thinking about showing up more within these carousels in what I wear in the day-to-day: I skip the hat (but for the photos) and dress in all black or black with a medium to light-wash denim top or bottom. Looks are accessorized with strong metal jewelry, usually in the form of an earring. The simplicity and repetitiveness of the uniform are what help build a recognizable personal style.
Furthermore, clothes that are worn-in offer story. There is a sense of authenticity and cool that eminates from semi-permanent creases, color fades, and a scuff or two. Personally, I never want to look too polished –unless I am at an exquisite dinner in a fashionable city. But even then, I would go simple on the makeup or no makeup at all and maintain a relaxed pose. That’s me. The only exception to this rule of non-perfection is having freshly painted nails. Fancy nails are reserved for fancy cities, and I usually opt for oval-shaped and red. I do not wear many rings, so nails are my ultimate baddie accessory.
When styling for yourself, keep in mind that a small tweak in accessory or garment styling can radically shift the vibration of a look. (See the last slide in this carousel as an example.) Switch out one piece of the composition, and you get to tell a wildly different story. What do you want to say through your clothing?
