I Don't Like My Friends' Clothes.

I don't dress like my friends. 

At all. 

I mean, from time to time we like the same item - but more often than not I like it on them more than like it myself (and vise versa). 

[[These are my friend's jeans that she gave me in high school. That I still wear. 

Well, as of last winter, at least. Which is when these photos were taken. Because . . .  

also interesting, but unrelated to this post: I hated this outfit then. 

I love it now.]] 

Which is strange, considering the fervency with which I adored the clothing of my high school peers. Remember how amazing it was to get to borrow your one rich friend's expensive sweater for an entire day of class?

Transformative. 

Remember how you all sort of looked like clones of one another? And how one specific item (thermal button down with a giant green moose in the corner) could suddenly pose a life-or-death dilemma?

So what happened? Why are strangely opposite styles of dressing sort of requisite for my friendship now, when it was basically the reverse in my youth?

I'm assuming the answer is relatively straightforward. 

My 15-year-old self was (amazingly) one of even less conviction - less self knowledge, than she is now.  So instead of basing my relationships on deeper internal emotions (which I didn't quite know or understand), I took the easy way out and based them on outward appearances.  To maintain (or attain) said relationships, I used the same external tools.  

Enter: American Eagle bellbottoms, glittery eye shadow, Victoria's Secret foldover leggings, etc, etc. 

My friendships now are usually based upon the specific personality trait of having a distinct sense of style - whether that be clothing-related or simply personality wise. 

I would be interested to know, however: Do engineers still dress differently from one another? What about doctors? 

Art majors? 

jeans: probably Gap, sweater: um, Gap, shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Is it just my proclivity towards style-conscious acquaintances that precludes me for diversely dressed friends, or do we all sort of evolve to befriend those who are slightly different than us externally (but more similar internally)?

I don't know. What's new?

Cheers.